Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Davies, Alun C.

Titel

The British Horological Institute: Ignoring the Elephant

Ist Teil von

• The Rise and Decline of England's Watchmaking Industry, 1550-1930, 2022, p.237-254

Auflage

1

Ort / Verlag

Routledge

Erscheinungsjahr

2022

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The British Horological Institute (BHI), founded in 1858, replaced the Clockmakers' Company as the forum for British horology. Its first monthly Journal in 1858 coincided with Waltham's watchmaking evolution, but its consequences were ignored or derided, and the 'American system' became the 'elephant in the room'. Clerkenwell's traditional production methods and fusee were defended against going barrels, because of their technical superiority. The BHI's distance from Coventry's watchmakers resulted in low recruitment and financial problems. Collapsewas averted by a wealthy benefactress. The Institute recovered, built new headquarters, and morale was boosted by excursions and a social club. But watchmaking continued to decline. Free trade enabled Swiss and American watches to flood in. Eventually, the 'elephant in the room' was confronted in debates about the Institute's new school for apprentices. When Northampton Polytechnic absorbed the BHI's School, it at last agreedto instruction in useof machine tools. As in similar apprenticeship schools in Prescot and Coventry, it was too late. Clerkenwell's classical watchmaking methods persisted, but employment in other industries paid more. A bout of reforms helped the Institute fare better, despite its industry's decline, and it survived through the Edwardian era, the Great War, and afterwards.