English Tall Clock – William Jourdain London

Jourdain, William, clock and watch maker, of London was working at Artillery Ground from about 1700 until 1703 when he moved to Dossett Street, Stepney. William took John King as an apprentice clockmaker on 23 April 1748 for 7 years and the fee of £20. This information was obtained at http://www.clockswatches.com/php/search.php

There are two other William Jourdains from London identified in Brian Loomes “Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World”. One in the 1600’s and another later in the 1700’s. The characteristics of the clock suggest neither of them made this clock

( I received this email in November 2008 and gave further clues to the history the clock)

Your William Jourdain Tall Case clock used to be my father’s. In fact, it was my parents who painted it, to cover the area on the one side that had been slightly charred over time as it sat too close to the fireplace in some previous owner’s living room.

Just to give you the most recent 54 years of its history – it joined my family in 1954 when my newlywed parents found it in a Copenhagen antique shop. Mom was adventurous, and Dad was an engineer, so it was destined to a life of travel. The clock spent a couple of years bouncing around Germany with the young family until we emigrated to the Unites States. It spent 1958 and 1959 in upstate New York (where it was painted green to cover the charred spot on the side) and in 1960 it moved to Massachusetts, first to Lexington and then to Gloucester in 1962 and in 1967 to Manchester-by-the-Sea. In 1971, the family made the move to Vancouver. Then, from 1981 to 1991, rather than send it to Saudi Arabia with Mom and Dad, I believe we sent it to my eldest brother in Seattle for safekeeping (although I may be wrong – it may have made the trip too!) When Mom and Dad were finished with their Arabian adventures, they brought it to their hideaway on Salt Spring Island, where it chimed – most of the time – until we had to wave goodbye to it – and good buy for you! .