Timeballs and the Synchronisation of Clocks in mid-Victorian Liverpool
Timeballs and the Synchronisation of Clocks in mid-Victorian Liverpool
Timeballs and the Synchronisation of Clocks in mid-Victorian Liverpool
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22/2/2012, After Longitude Symposium<br />
National Maritime Museum<br />
Accurate Time for Mar<strong>in</strong>ers<br />
TIME-KEEPING AND SIGNALLING IN MID-<br />
VICTORIAN LIVERPOOL<br />
YUTO ISHIBASHI<br />
Postdoctoral Research Fellow<br />
Japan Society for <strong>the</strong> Promotion <strong>of</strong> Science
George Biddell Airy (7th Astronomer Royal)<br />
‘<strong>in</strong> regard to regulated<br />
clocks, <strong>the</strong> best <strong>in</strong>stances<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world are those <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Liverpool</strong> <strong>and</strong> Glasgow,<br />
which I would recommend<br />
you to see.’<br />
(Letter to B. B. Stoney, dated 1/11/1866,<br />
Papers <strong>of</strong> George Airy, RGO 6/616)<br />
Source; A. Meadows, Greenwich Observatory, 1975
John Hartnup <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Liverpool</strong> Observatory<br />
left. National Oceanographic Centre website;<br />
right. J. Sc<strong>of</strong>field, Bidston Observatory, 2006.
The Str<strong>and</strong> Timeball<br />
‘<strong>the</strong> Electric Telegraph<br />
Company <strong>in</strong>tend to make<br />
similar arrangements for<br />
signalis<strong>in</strong>g time at <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
stations <strong>in</strong> most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
pr<strong>in</strong>cipal towns throughout<br />
Engl<strong>and</strong>.’<br />
Edw<strong>in</strong> Clark, Chief Eng<strong>in</strong>eer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ETC, <strong>in</strong><br />
Times, dated 8/9/1852.
Timeball on <strong>the</strong> ETC’s <strong>Liverpool</strong> Office<br />
Source: Mersey Gateway website
Exchange Build<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>Liverpool</strong><br />
Source: Mersey Gateway website
Patent, Jones’s method<br />
Source: RGO 6/629
Victoria Tower, Salisbury Dock<br />
Source: left, A. Jarvis, <strong>Liverpool</strong> Central Docks, 1991;<br />
right, Mersey Gateway website
Inventions shown by The<br />
British & Irish Magnetic<br />
Telegraph Co.<br />
International Exhibition<br />
1862, South Kens<strong>in</strong>gton<br />
Source: Records <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> British <strong>and</strong> Irish<br />
Magnetic Co. TGF 1/4, BT Archives
Time-gun, Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh Castle<br />
Source: Bruck <strong>and</strong> Bruck, The<br />
Peripatetic Astronomer, 1988.
R. L. Jones <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Public Clock (Bombay)<br />
Source: CUL MS RGO 6/616
Conclusion<br />
Public timekeep<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>Liverpool</strong><br />
<br />
a series <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> latest techniques applied<br />
<br />
<br />
a rare comb<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> factors<br />
<strong>the</strong> grow<strong>in</strong>g dem<strong>and</strong> for <strong>the</strong> accurate<br />
dissem<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> time for navigation<br />
Its impact on time distribution<br />
<br />
Jones’ method; reproduced at Greenwich,<br />
Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh, Glasgow, Colaba (Bombay)<br />
<strong>and</strong> so forth<br />
<br />
an effective observatory technique
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