On this day in 1997, the long case clock in the Reception Room at Barber-Surgeons' Hall chimed multiple times during a Committee meeting. BEHAPM William Shand described the event during his oral history interview. The extract can be listened to here and a transcript is provided below.
Transcript: Now, another memory I have deals with our lovely Webster longcase clock of the 1770s and this sits in the reception room and it's been there since we were given it many, many years ago; lovingly looked after by Past Master John Missen, who was an expert in clocks. And the story relates to the 11th of November 1997, when there was a meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee, which was being chaired by Lord McColl of Dulwich. And as he came in I said, “Ian, you know, I presume we're going to stand for two minutes” and he said, “Yes, certainly” so we were all round the table. The clock began to chime and strike. And we stood, and it went on, striking for the whole two minutes, and then stopped. And we reckoned that it had chimed about 140 times. Nothing wrong with it before and nothing wrong since, and I would just like to quote from Folio 3, which is one of the booklets that we produce here, from the article written by John Missen on the clock. And it's headed ‘Afterthought’ now I’ll just read it to you “On the 11 November 1997 the members of the Finance and General Purposes Committee were assembled in the reception room waiting to start their meeting. After the two-minute silence at 11:00 o'clock. As the clock started to strike, we rose to our feet and stood silently. The clock continued to strike - 12, 24, 48 … and without a break until the two minutes had elapsed. It was agreed by those present that the clock had struck 140 or 141 times. This aberration has not been repeated since that day, and the clockmakers subsequent inspection revealed no explanation for the occurrence. It is related here because as far as I know it is recorded nowhere else and memories are short!” And I would just like to say that I was present at that meeting and I can confirm that that is absolutely true. Quite remarkable.
The clock in question is a mahogany veneered longcase clock made by William Webster of Exchange Alley, London. John Missen argued that the clock was made by William Webster senior (d. 1734) around 1720 and that both movement and case were amended by his son William Webster junior (Master of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1755) around 1775. William Webster senior was trained by Thomas Tompion, the most famous English clockmaker of his day. See John Missen, The Websters of Exchange Alley and the long case clock at Barber Surgeons Hall, in Barbers Historical Group, Folio 3, 2002, pp. 73-79 available to read here.
Liveryman Peter Willoughby discovered an entry in the Court minutes for 7th April 1713 which reads:
Valentine Day Tallow Chandler was Admitted into the Freedom of this Company by Redemp’ion and at the same time was admitted to ffine for all offices at the Parlour door for both which he paid A ffine Clock worth 30l.
Perhaps this is the clock which is now in the Reception Room?
