I wrote about my husband's ancestor James the Clock several years ago and told part of the story of our search for a grandfather clock made by this Scottish watch and clock maker who worked in Linton and Galashiels.
It took Mr GeniAus eight years from when he started searching for a Gowans clock for our home until we found one, had it transported to our home and set up in our living room. Mr GeniAus is a man who doesn't give up and has been hunting for more clocks ever since that first purchase around four years ago.
To date we have identified a few Gowans clocks:
It seems as though Mr GeniAus is on a mission to locate more clocks made by James the Clock and bring them into the family fold. To that end we have listed our interests with several clock dealers and have a few Google alerts set up.
As it happens one of our children was celebrating a significant birthday this week so I suggested that we give this latest clock to him as a birthday present. By the look on their faces when they read our present IOU I think he and his wife were quite pleased with the gift that was made by his 4x Great Grandfather.
What do you think?
I wonder how long it will be before we find our next clock.
It took Mr GeniAus eight years from when he started searching for a Gowans clock for our home until we found one, had it transported to our home and set up in our living room. Mr GeniAus is a man who doesn't give up and has been hunting for more clocks ever since that first purchase around four years ago.
To date we have identified a few Gowans clocks:
- The first one we sighted was on a UK clocks website and appeared to be in a private home.
- The second was in a distant cousin's possession in the UK, we have visited and viewed the clock.
- The third one is in the collection of Museum Victoria in Australia. We have also visited the Museum and viewed this clock.
- The fourth is standing in our living room.
- The fifth was auctioned online last month (and guess who bought it?).
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| Auctioneer's photo - Clock 5 |
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| Auctioneer's photo - Clock 5 |
As it happens one of our children was celebrating a significant birthday this week so I suggested that we give this latest clock to him as a birthday present. By the look on their faces when they read our present IOU I think he and his wife were quite pleased with the gift that was made by his 4x Great Grandfather.
What do you think?
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| The birthday boy reads about his gift |
I wonder how long it will be before we find our next clock.
14 comments:
What a lovely gift and I can really appreciate the interest of James the Clock! - as I have a distant ancestor called Benjamin Bowring who left Devon (this branch is the only Devon ancestors I have) to migrate to Newfoundland in 1803. Benjamin was a clockmaker. I have been looking for Bowring clocks ever since and found none!( and I have Google alerts), sadly Benjamin Bowring clocks are like hens teeth!
I also have a book - clocker makers of the world, which I will look up your chap for you and email you privately.
It's is simply gorgeous. And to anyone that appreciates any part of their history (I'm sure some of your passion has rubbed off on your family), it is something truly special!
Fantastic - inspires me to hunt down my ancestor Edward Mason's clocks
a great sleuthing and a great gift - but what will you do for the next big birthday?!
Nice gift. I hope you find one soon. Interesting as my great grand father was a watch and clock maker too.
What an amazing clock and how special for you all.
It was fortuitous that the clock came up when we were wondering what to buy for a boy who has everything.
Yes, Pauleen, that present will take some beating.
Julie and Jackie - Happy Hunting.
I think of my grandfather clock story as the reverse of yours. My family purchased a simple pine long-case clock when we lived in Yorkshire in the 1960s. Its maker is not anyone in our family. The clock made its way back to the U.S. with us after my father's England assignment was done. About 15 years ago, it occurred to me that as a genealogist, I could learn more about the clockmaker, as his name and location were on the clock face. I am the happy recipient of the clock (my face probably looked like your son's after I won the coin toss. I would love to find a descendant of the clock maker, Robert Thwaites of Barnard Castle, County Durham, England. But so far I have failed to do so.
Kathy, Sounds like Thwaites and his clock have become members of your family. It might be hard to let gi of it after so many years.
Oh my! I never entertained giving the clock to a descendant. Is that terrible of me or what? I only wanted to show what a nice clock Robert made. It dates back to the late 1700s and is still ticking away. LOL
A great gift to your son and his wife. Thanks for sharing!
Very lovely gift! I hope my parents would also give me something like that!
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