From the beginning of the 18th century, Clerkenwell became a great centre of industrial activity but gained prominence for the clock and watchmaking industry. One of the foremost clockmakers was J Smith & Sons of St John’s Square, Clerkenwell. Established in 1780, the company manufactured all kinds of clocks and its turret clock had gained international recognition.

At the Great Exhibition of 1851 the company demonstrated a year-going calendar clock among other timepieces. J Smith & Sons also made skeleton clocks, a special type of showcase design where the parts that normally conceal the internal mechanism have been removed allowing plain view of the timepiece movement itself. Many of these clocks were only partly finished by the company and were sent out for completion to other people in the clockmaking trade.

The census returns for Clerkenwell of the 1860s show many people employed in this industry. Indeed, “many streets were almost wholly occupied by workmen engaged in the various subdivisions of the trade, such as ‘escapement maker,’ ‘engine turner,’ ‘fusee cutter,’ ‘springer,’ ‘secretspringer,’ ‘finisher,’ and ‘’joint finisher’” (british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol2/pp158-165 ).

John Scriven
One of Clerkenwell’s master clockmakers was my great-x4-grandfather, John Scriven. He was the only person of that name and trade in the whole of London (clockswatches.co.uk. This is a story of his life and hopefully the reader will learn something of the clock making trade and the hidden dangers therein.

John was born in 1818 to Joseph and Mary Scriven of Handsworth, Birmingham. He was one of seven children. His father was a gunlock maker by trade and worked in one of the many factories in the area. Birmingham was an important area for the clockmaking industry. In fact, the painted clock dial was first developed here. In addition to manufacturing clocks and watches, “numerous small workshops made parts such as bells, springs and hands for clocks, as well as cases, chains, keys, glasses and springs for watches” (Joseph McKenna, Clockmakers & Watchmakers of Central England, Mayfield Books).

In 1829 John’s mother died and his father passed away three years later. All the children were now orphaned and being minors it’s likely the parish made provision for their accommodation and well-being. It was not unusual for parish wards to be sent out as apprentices and, since John was a clockmaker, he would have served a seven-year apprenticeship in this trade while living in the home of his master. This status would have meant he could not gamble, go to the theatre or a public house, or marry. This might explain why John waited until 1839 to marry his fiancée Matilda. One can do the maths and come to the conclusion that John was apprenticed at 14 years old in 1832, the year his father died, and finished his seven-year indenture in 1839, the year he married.

The couple appears in the 1841 census living at Spring Terrace, Handsworth. Since their abode was quite near to the Soho Clock Factory it is presumed that John found employment here. In 1843 the family moved to Birmingham according to the baptism record of their son, also named John.

Their next appearance in the historical record can be found in the 1845 Birmingham Commercial Directory. John is listed as a clockmaker living at 85 Wells Street. The 1849 directory of the same name has him living at 45 Caroline Street, presumably a larger residence to support his growing family. By 1850 John and Matilda had five children. At some point that year, John and his wife made the decision to move to London. They had no family in the capital. Was their decision in response to an ad in the same trade for better pay and conditions? We cannot say.

The family were already living in London during the time of the 1851 census. Their address is 3 Clifton Street, Shoreditch. After their son James was born in 1853, the family moved to Clerkenwell. John Scriven appears in the 1856 Post Office Directory of London as a clockmaker living at 10 Clerkenwell Green. By 1858 the family had moved to bigger premises at 2 Wilmington Place, Clerkenwell.

Company of Clockmakers
If you have a London ancestor who was involved in the watch and clockmaking industry, the first place to start your research is to make enquiries with the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. According to its official website, “the Company was established by Royal Charter granted by King Charles 1 in 1631… It is the oldest surviving horological institution in the world, and its motto is Tempus Rerum Imperator, Latin for ‘Time is the ruler of (all) things’.” The study of clockmaking is known as horology.

In 1765, an Act was passed requiring all those working in the clockmaking industry within the jurisdiction of the Clockmakers’ Company to take the freedom of that company. This freedom was the right to trade and members of the company paid a fee or a fine. In return, the company ensured that goods and services provided by the member met the highest standards. In 1817 the law was clarified so that the company could use its powers and prevent trading among those who made or sold timepieces and did not have the freedom of the Company (clockmakers.org ).

Unfortunately for me, when I enquired of the company, I was informed that John was never a member and they had no manuscript information on him. They did tell me that Brittens Old Clocks, Watches and their Makers (9th Edition London 1986) has entries for two John Scrivens, both taken from trade directories. They are listed as follows: “Scriven, John, 1856; 10 Clerkenwell Green, clock maker” and “Scriven, John, 1871; 167 Kings Cross Road; clock maker.” The website further states that, “although in theory all London clock and watch makers were obliged to become freemen of the Clockmakers’ Company, many avoided doing so, because they did not wish to pay the dues. Those that did were recorded on becoming freemen or free brothers.

Apprenticeships were also recorded, (sometimes giving the name and address of the apprentice’s father) as were the dates when apprentices became free. If a maker was promoted to the ‘livery’ of the company, that too was recorded. Unless a freeman went on to become a member of the Company’s Court, or a Warden of the Company, or master, it is rare for any further mention of him or her to be made.

The Scrivens are still living at 2 Wilmington Place during the time of the 1861 census. Their son, Joseph Richard Scriven, is working with his father as a clockmaker. In 1867 Matilda died of typhus fever. The informant on the death certificate was their son William Henry Scriven. Matilda’s occupation is listed as wife of John Scriven, a clock maker (master). This is the first instance I found where John is described as a master clockmaker. In 1870 John married again to a Charlotte Mashman. By the following year, the family left Clerkenwell and appear in the 1871 census living at 165 Kings Cross Road, St Pancras. James Scriven, my great-x3-grandfather, is working alongside his father as a clockmaker.

The London electoral records list John’s address as Devonport Street, Marylebone for the years 1875-1877 and Orchard Street, Islington in 1878. John and Charlotte appear in the 1881 census living at 14 Greville Street, Finsbury. One has to wonder why John moved his family so often. Was it because he was trying to avoid his business being shut down by the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers due to lack of membership?

John Scriven’s works
Do any of John’s timepieces survive? The 1866 marriage of John’s daughter, Sarah, gives her father’s occupation as clock and watchmaker. So we know that John not only made clocks but watches as well. In 2013 I made a surprising find. A cursory search on eBay revealed a pocket watch made by John Scriven which dated from the 1860s. The seller was offering the item for parts. The metal case clearly has the name J Scriven inscribed on it. I mentioned at the beginning of this article, there was only one clockmaker with the name J Scriven in London and I am convinced that John was indeed the maker of this watch.

At the beginning of 2015 I found reference to a clock that also had the name Scriven inscribed on it. This item is listed at mrclock.co.uk and is described thus: A golden oak cased bracket clock, in gothic style, engraved silvered dial blued hands, double fusee movement, striking on a gong, double fusee chain driven movement, brass pierced grills to the side of case. The case showing pierced carving to the top and base of case, side columns carved tops surmounted by finials with carved leaves. Dial signed. Scriven. London circa 1880.

Dangerous trade
There are certain dangers inherent in the manufacture of watch and clockmaking that few know about. Workers are exposed to the dust and gas of the metals they work with. While fireguilding watch movements, workers were exposed to mercury fumes.

In the 19th century there was a type of clock known as an Ormolu decorated clock. Ormolu is the technique of applying a thick layer of pure gold dust to an object of bronze using mercury and high temperatures to bond the gold to the bronze. In the process the mercury is burned off leaving behind a brilliant gold veneer. Symptoms of mercury poisoning are muscle weakness and impairment of speech, hearing and walking among others.

This might explain why John died in 1883 from paralysis and his son James died in 1897 from dropsy.

A search for a possible will for John Scriven in the National Probate Register did not yield any results. John’s last address was Greville Street. It’s doubtful he owned the house since he shared the property with seven other families. He probably had little to leave behind other than his tools and household goods. We may think of him as a poor man who died penniless and without recognition for his work due to his refusal to join the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers – but his legacy lives on through the beautiful surviving timepieces that he made, one of which still keeps time to this day.