Joseph Knibb
Encyclopedia
Joseph Knibb was an English clockmaker.
of Claydon
, in 1640. He was cousin to Samuel Knibb, clockmaker
, to whom he was apprenticed in 1655. After serving his seven years he moved to Oxford
in 1662, the year Samuel moved to London
.
In Oxford he practised as a clockmaker, apparently working for Trinity College
. The freemen of the city objected to his presence, demanding that he “suddenly shut his windows” because he was not a freeman of the city; so, it seems, the College officially appointed him gardener so that he was on the payroll and therefore untouchable. Later he was admitted to the freedom in 1668 on payment of a fine of £6.13s.4d. and a leather bucket.
By 1670 he had moved to London where he was made free of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers
. Initially he set up business at the Dyal, near Serjeants-Inn
, in Fleet Street
, subsequently moving to the House at the Dyal, in Suffolk Street. He was elected as a steward
of the Clockmakers Company in August 1684 and assistant in July 1689. He retired from London in 1697 and went to live in Hanslope
in Buckinghamshire
, where he continued to make clocks until his death in 1711.
Joseph is the most illustrious of the Knibb family of clockmakers, which, in addition to Samuel, also included John (his younger brother who remained in Oxford where he produced some outstanding work), and Peter (another cousin who was apprenticed to Joseph).
Joseph Knibb is ranked amongst the finest of the early English clockmakers, and is renowned for both the quality of his work and his invention. The aesthetic beauty and simplicity of his work is unparalleled. Among his many inventions was the system of Roman striking
, the tic-tac escapement, and probably the anchor escapement
. His merits were recognised by his being appointed clockmaker to King Charles II of England
, and afterwards to King James II
.
A Blue Plaque to the Knibb family of clockmakers was unveiled at Claydon on 26 September 2010.
Biography
He was born as the fifth son of Thomas Knibb, yeomanYeoman
Yeoman refers chiefly to a free man owning his own farm, especially from the Elizabethan era to the 17th century. Work requiring a great deal of effort or labor, such as would be done by a yeoman farmer, came to be described as "yeoman's work"...
of Claydon
Claydon
Claydon is the name of several places in England:*Claydon, Gloucestershire*Claydon, Suffolk*Claydon, Oxfordshire*Claydon Fields, Gloucestershire*Botolph Claydon, Buckinghamshire*East Claydon, Buckinghamshire...
, in 1640. He was cousin to Samuel Knibb, clockmaker
Clockmaker
A clockmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs clocks. Since almost all clocks are now factory-made, most modern clockmakers only repair clocks. Modern clockmakers may be employed by jewellers, antique shops, and places devoted strictly to repairing clocks and watches...
, to whom he was apprenticed in 1655. After serving his seven years he moved to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in 1662, the year Samuel moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In Oxford he practised as a clockmaker, apparently working for Trinity College
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
. The freemen of the city objected to his presence, demanding that he “suddenly shut his windows” because he was not a freeman of the city; so, it seems, the College officially appointed him gardener so that he was on the payroll and therefore untouchable. Later he was admitted to the freedom in 1668 on payment of a fine of £6.13s.4d. and a leather bucket.
By 1670 he had moved to London where he was made free of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers
Worshipful Company of Clockmakers
The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Clockmakers were formed by a Royal Charter in 1631. Originally, no person was allowed to sell clocks unless they were a member of the Company. However, such requirements have since been relaxed and later...
. Initially he set up business at the Dyal, near Serjeants-Inn
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
, in Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
, subsequently moving to the House at the Dyal, in Suffolk Street. He was elected as a steward
Steward (office)
A steward is an official who is appointed by the legal ruling monarch to represent him or her in a country, and may have a mandate to govern it in his or her name; in the latter case, it roughly corresponds with the position of governor or deputy...
of the Clockmakers Company in August 1684 and assistant in July 1689. He retired from London in 1697 and went to live in Hanslope
Hanslope
Hanslope is a village in the Borough of Milton Keynes and is the centre of a Civil Parish of the same name. It is about 4 miles WNW of Newport Pagnell, about 4 miles north of Stony Stratford, about 8 miles north of Central Milton Keynes and just south of Northamptonshire. For ceremonial...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, where he continued to make clocks until his death in 1711.
Joseph is the most illustrious of the Knibb family of clockmakers, which, in addition to Samuel, also included John (his younger brother who remained in Oxford where he produced some outstanding work), and Peter (another cousin who was apprenticed to Joseph).
Joseph Knibb is ranked amongst the finest of the early English clockmakers, and is renowned for both the quality of his work and his invention. The aesthetic beauty and simplicity of his work is unparalleled. Among his many inventions was the system of Roman striking
Striking clock
A striking clock is a clock that sounds the hours audibly on a bell or gong. In 12 hour striking, used most commonly in striking clocks today, the clock strikes once at 1 AM, twice at 2 AM, continuing in this way up to twelve times at 12 noon, then starts over, striking once at 1 PM, twice at 2...
, the tic-tac escapement, and probably the anchor escapement
Anchor escapement
In horology, the recoil or anchor escapement is a type of escapement used in pendulum clocks. An escapement is the mechanism in a mechanical clock that maintains the swing of the pendulum and allows the clock's wheels to advance a fixed amount with each swing, moving the hands forward...
. His merits were recognised by his being appointed clockmaker to King Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, and afterwards to King James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
.
A Blue Plaque to the Knibb family of clockmakers was unveiled at Claydon on 26 September 2010.
Literature
- Lee, R. A. (1964) The Knibb Family, Clockmakers
- Dawson, Percy G., Drover, C. B. & Parkes, D. W. (1982) Early English Clocks
- Cescinsky, Herbert (1938) Old English Master Clockmakers. [Woodbridge, Suffolk, England] : Antique Collectors' Club
- Loomes, Brian (1981) The Early Clockmakers of Great Britain
- Numerous articles and references in Antiquarian Horology, the quarterly journal of the Antiquarian Horological Society - http://www.ahsoc.demon.co.uk/