| The making of clocks in Scotland was not recognized | | | | building, like swallows' nests. One of the many gifted |
| as a separate craft until about 1640. In Aberdeen in | | | | Scottish clockmakers was James Cowan, of |
| 1618 there were but three clocks. | | | | Edinburgh, who was know for his beautiful richly |
| The making of clocks in Scotland was not recognized | | | | carved mahogany cases. He was apprentice to |
| as a separate craft until about 1640. In Aberdeen in | | | | Archibald Straiton, Edinburgh, beginning February 4th, |
| 1618 there were but three clocks, "the Kirk Knok, | | | | 1744 and was admitted freeman clockmaker to the |
| Tolbooth Knok, and the College Knok, all out of repair | | | | Edinburgh Hammermen in 1754. Then he went to |
| because they are auld and worne and partlie for | | | | Paris and studied under Julien le Roy and to London |
| want of skilful men to attend them." | | | | to study his craft still further, returning to Edinburgh |
| In the" Old Scottish Clockmakers" John Smith gives | | | | 1760 and opening his own business. His knowledge of |
| an account of the progress of the craft in Scotland. | | | | the craft not only gave him a great and widely |
| The clockmakers were recognized as a branch of the | | | | extended business connection, but brought him many |
| Hammermen in 1646 in Edinburgh, 1649 in Glasgow, | | | | apprentices. One of these, and probably the most |
| 1753 in Haddington, and not until 1800 in Aberdeen. | | | | celebrated, was Thomas Reid, successor to his |
| After 1700 the art and craft of clock and watch | | | | business in 1781, at the time of Cowan's death. |
| making increased, so that by the close of the | | | | Andrew Leadbetter was apprenticed to Andrew |
| eighteenth century Scotland was able to turn out | | | | Clark, Edinburgh, 1764 and he settled later in |
| work of the highest class. For a number of years into | | | | Congleton, England, and made many good substantial |
| the nineteenth century a high standard of | | | | clocks, some of which found their way to America. |
| craftsmanship of work was the rule; but with imports | | | | Another Scottish clockmaker, William Robb, of |
| of movements and parts, the practice of assembling | | | | Montrose, who was working in 1776, made very |
| became more and more the rule, and so by 1850 or | | | | handsome clocks, the shape of the case being |
| thereabouts the trade declined. | | | | somewhat in the French style, with two urns and an |
| This and the cheap American and other importations, | | | | eagle in brass as ornaments. |
| combined to extinguish an industry and a class of | | | | Owners of these Scottish clocks are sometimes |
| craftsmen who were as necessary in every village | | | | anxious to learn if they are by "good makers." as the |
| and town as the doctor or minister. The cheapness | | | | Scottish clock making industry does not seem so well |
| of these imported movements made it impossible for | | | | documented, but I say "any clock, no matter who |
| native Scottish craftsmen to compete, and with a | | | | made it, which will go two hundred years or more, is |
| wave of mistaken prejudice having arisen against the | | | | a good clock!" |
| preservation of the long-case clocks, large numbers | | | | In many cases, particularly with country makers who |
| were destroyed for no other reason than that they | | | | sent their clocks to customers abroad, it was |
| were thought old-fashioned." | | | | expected that the joiner or cabinet-maker of the |
| Like the German clockmakers, the Scottish applicant | | | | neighborhood would make the case. In the early |
| for entrance into the Guild had to make a timepiece | | | | years many Dutch movements were sent to England |
| to prove his ability and to gain entrance among the | | | | and Scotland without the cases, these were really |
| Freemen. There were a number of very distinguished | | | | bulky, and frequently the movements were hung up |
| Scottish makers: such men as Humphrey Mylne, 1661; | | | | without the owner going to the expense and trouble |
| Andrew Brown, 1665-1711; Alexander Brownlie, | | | | of having a case made. Such clocks ran until the dust |
| 1720-39; James Cowan, 1760-81; John Smith, | | | | and dirt clogged their wheels and they stopped. If |
| 1770-1809; George Munro, 1750-99; Paul Roumieu, | | | | the owner was a handy man he could clean and set |
| 1692-1710; Thomas Gordon, 1703-43; being but a few | | | | them going once more. Clocks such as these are |
| of them. | | | | often called in provincial communities by the quaint |
| Far more Scottish clocks found their way to America | | | | name of "wag-on-the-wall" and many Dutch clocks of |
| than most people think and even today there are | | | | this type, but much more elaborate, found their way |
| many longcase clocks not just bearing the name of | | | | across the Atlantic to America. The movements |
| the maker on the dial-plate but "Corbals" which is a | | | | were boxed-in, the box and the bracket on which |
| suburb of Glasgow, where apparently there was a | | | | the clock stood being carved and elaborately painted. |
| clock works. | | | | In some localities these were called Friesland clocks, |
| During the eighteenth century the clock making | | | | although they came from other parts of the |
| centre of Edinburgh was Parliament Square, where | | | | Netherlands as well. |
| the shops fairly clung to the walls of the great | | | | |