This 30 hour long case clock 'marriage clock' was
made around 1770 and has a brass dial with silvered chapter ring
and plaque with the maker's name "John Porthouse. Penrith". Another
plaque is inscribed with the names of the original owners -
"Jonah and Jane Smith". The clock was probably specially made
for the couple on the occasion of their marriage. The oak case has
been lacquered at a later date. Purchased with the help of the
Friends of Penrith Museum, 1990.
History of Clockmaking in Penrith
The 18th century was the heyday of
Cumbrian clockmaking and the clockmakers of Penrith and Wigton
dominated the craft in the early years until they were gradually
overtaken by those of Whitehaven and Carlisle. Nevertheless,
Penrith did remain an important clockmaking centre throughout this
period. As in other places, the craft was largely in the hands of a
few families, the art passing from one generation to the next. The
early important makers were the Cheesbroughs and John Washington.
Shortly afterwards came the Porthouses who for a century or so were
pre-eminent in Penrith if not in the county. Other makers of
importance were the Lough brothers, the Rawson family, the
Wilkinson family, Martin Roper, Thomas and Margaret Stpehenson,
William Matthews and the Yeates family.
The Porthouse Family
This family ranks high above the other Penrith
makers and was undoubtedly among the top few in the county in both
quantity and quality of production. The first Porthouses arrived in
Penrith sometime between 1706 and 1716 and their eldest son William
was perhaps the premier clockmaker of the family. For 25 years from
1740 to 1765 he was in charge of the clock in St. Andrew's Church,
mending the movement and supplying new chimes. William married Mary
Nicholson in Penrith in 1725 and they had a large family of ten
children, three of their sons, John, William, and George joining
the family business. John Porthouse, William's son, was born in
Penrith in 1728 and died there in 1787. On his death the "Pacquet"
spoke of him as "an eminent clockmaker and greatly respected by his
acquaintances." John married a widow, Mrs Ann Nelson, in 1752 and
had four children and one of them, John, also became a clockmaker.
The Porthouses worked first in Little Dockray and the last
clockmaker, William (1785-1833), had his workshop in a small room
which used to project over the footpath on the corner at the top of
King Street.
