Dial on a Synchronome Electric clock

The history of electrical timekeeping

The Clockworks is a hub for electrical horology in south London


Electrical horology collection

The museum at The Clockworks displays electric clocks and scientific instruments telling the history of networked time.

A close up of the maker's name and logo on a clock by S Riefler

Sigmund Riefler

Precision regulator No. 147

A Leroy regulator

Leroy

Astronomical regulator No. 1

A close up of the Synchronome Switch in the inside mechanism of a regulator clock

Synchronome

Close-up of the ‘Synchronome Switch’


About The Clockworks

The Clockworks is a lively hub dedicated to the study of electrical and precision horology, distributed and standardised time. It encompasses a museum, library, archive, conservation workshop and event space.

The heart of The Clockworks is the world-class collection of electrical clocks, timekeepers and associated technologies assembled over 30 years by the historian James Nye.

From the pioneering electrical clock designed in the 1840s by the Scottish inventor Alexander Bain, to the world’s most precise pendulum regulator, made behind the Iron Curtain by Feodosii Fedchenko, this is the most important and representative publicly accessible collection of electrical clocks anywhere in the world.

In addition to displaying this collection in an onsite museum, The Clockworks is also a centre for practical electrical horology, and a major training ground for specialist horology conservators. We have a Conservator-in-Residence who works from a fully equipped onsite workshop, enabling us to support and help develop electro-technical conservators – an area where we have identified a significant national and international skills gap.


Repair and research

Our state-of-the-art workshop is a centre for knowledge-sharing and research.

Clockmaker working on restoration of a Thwaites clock

Aynsworth & John Thwaites

Restoring a musical clock by Aynsworth and John Thwaites.

Brazing clock hands

Longcase clock

Brazing clock hands at the hearth.

Zenith regulator clock

Zenith

Servicing a Zenith regulator clock

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