by  PETER JAMES SIMON

One  of  the  most  popular questions  that I am asked is  ‘how many  clocks  did  the Barlow’s make'?    It is of  course, impossible to put a figure on this question other than to say a  substantial  quantity.   Even if we did  know how many clocks they made, the next question becomes ‘how many clocks remain today’?  Again, this question cannot be answered with any degree of accuracy.   However, I can say that I have spent the last seven years  in constant pursuit of  Barlow clocks and I have managed to  purchase thirteen and have been told  about another ten  or so more over the years.
Of course the ten or  so more  may be some of  the ones  which I  have already purchased, but  I think this  proves that there certainly  are not hundreds of  these clocks in existence.  By far the most prolific clockmaker was Edward Barlow, followed by Benjamin, John and William.  Clocks by  James,  because of his  short life are  few and  not many  clocks by Edward Jr or James Jr have been known to myself.

Another  question  which  should  be asked, is  who purchased  these clocks in  the mid  eighteenth century?   A clock would  probably have  cost  about £4.00  in 1770,  which was a lot of money for the times, as a  comparison, a pound in weight of beef was about 3 pence, with 240 pence to the pound.  The population of the town  was approx. 6000 people and many of these lived in poverty. It would only be titled gentlemen,  landowners, farmers  and  professional  families who could  probably  afford to  own such an instrument, as they could  be viewed upon as  more likely to need to know the time so  as to organise  their lives.   During  these  times Oldham was  most definitely a  rural community  with the local gentry dominating the local society.
 

However we find that the clock was an item which was owned and deemed  necessary to be  owned  by all  the  classes. In  order  that  people  could  afford  to  purchase such  an expensive  item,  clock  clubs  were  established  within  the townships.   These clubs were an  early form of  hire  purchase with  the  members paying in an equal weekly payment  until the funds were sufficient to buy a clock.  One of the members received the clock  and subsequently dropped out of the  club and was  replaced by someone else,  this would now carry forward with the last person joining taking the posi- tion at the bottom of the list to receive his clock.

October 1999

Edward Barlow Oldham - 6 clocks-  3 eight day- 3 thirty hour- oak cased- brass dials

Benjamin Barlow Oldham  - 2 clocks- eight day- mahogany case- brass dial

Benjamin Barlow Ashton - 1 clock- thirty hour- oak case- brass dial

John Barlow Oldham - 3 clocks- 1 eight day- 2 thirty hour- oak cased- brass dials

James Barlow Oldham - 1 clock- thirty hour- oak case- brass dial

Edward Barlow Jnr Oldham - 1 clock- eight day- mahogany case- painted dial

William Barlow  Ashton - 1 clock- eight day- mahogany case- painted dial

J Barlow - 1 clock- eight day- oak and mahogany- painted dial

The collection of clocks probably span over one hundred and thirty years of clockmaking from 1730 to 1860 and as well as being  representative of  the  Barlow clockmaking family,  they also show  the changing trends dictated by the public and commercial constraints inflicted upon the clockmaking industry. The majority of these clocks are over two hundred years old and have had to suffer  these years in what could be termed a  harsh environment.  These clocks stood on flag floors which would  be washed  down daily with water,  the climate  they had to  endure was cold and damp and wood- worm was common.  Add to this the fact that these clocks were treated  with very little respect  for almost one hundred years and we are left with clocks that can be in a poor state of repair.  

• Clockmakers of Oldham Index

• England Index

• Clearinghouse Index

Home