DONISTHORPE’S EARLIEST CLOCKS part 3 of 3 Blacksmith, clockmaker & preacher n Parts 1 and 2 of this article (Clocks, particular the period leading up to the © John Robey, UK May and June 2014) Joseph making of these early clocks. [email protected] IDonisthorpe’s two earliest known clocks Joseph’s father, George Donisthorpe, were considered and we now need to look was a carpenter, and ‘after much too brief villages. at his life, and a couple of his later clocks a period at a common day school’ Joseph The account continues: ‘With such a fair and see where they fit into the overall began to help in the business. When 14 prospect before him, he applied himself picture. He was born on 19th December years old he was bound apprentice to an diligently to his calling; and in addition, 1702 in the village of Markfield in north- aged relative in the village of Normanton- sought, in his leisure time, to acquire west , the eldest child of le-Heath, just seven miles away, who the art of cleaning and repairing clocks George Donisthorpe and Esther Pegg, was a blacksmith, with the understanding and watches. In both these mechanical who had married there just eight months that when Joseph had served his time pursuits he gained considerable earlier. It is said that the family were ‘the old man would retire in his favour’. proficiency … He was fairly successful descended from a French refugee, de Normanton-le-Heath, a village southeast in business, and highly esteemed by his Durandesthorpe, who came to of the ancient market town of Ashby-de-la- neighbours.’ after the Revocation of the Edict of Zouch, should not be confused with any of If this rather idealised account is Nantes in 1685. But there is no truth in the other Normantons in England—there accurate it does confirm that he had this as George was baptised at Thornton, is even another one in Leicestershire. considerable mechanical talents. The Leicestershire, average village in 1653, and blacksmith, while his family can skilled in forging be traced back iron to make to living in the horseshoes, area as early as - hinges, tools 1470. The family and general name probably Melbourne ironwork, would originated from shire not be able to the nearby make a clock, 0 village of 5 even a turret Donisthorpe. miles clock, without As a a great deal of consequence Loughborough M1 experience or of Joseph Ashby-de-la-Zouch training. There Donisthorpe’s is no evidence religious Donisthorpe that Joseph activities Leicestershire Donisthorpe we know a Normanton- had any formal considerably N le-Heath training in more about him clockwork—in and his character Mark eld any event than most other the only Barton-in-the-Beans Leicester clockmakers clockmakers of this period, working in the but a great deal Market Bosworth area at that of caution is period were in needed when Leicester, about reading about 16 miles away. It his life. Virtually is not known if, everything that was subsequently written Figure 28. Sketch map of northwest Leicester- as a blacksmith, he was called on to repair about him comes from the book Historic shire showing places associated with Joseph any local church clock, and none made by Memorials of Barton and Melbourne Donisthorpe. him are recorded. General Baptist Churches by J R Godfrey, By carefully studying the clocks he published in 1891, about 150 years after cleaned and repaired he would have the events described. This account is As the name is Anglo-Saxon and means learned enough to make new parts, no doubt based largely on local oral and ‘settlement of the Norsemen’ (ie the eventually acquiring the knowledge, family tradition and paints a somewhat Vikings) it comes as no surprise that experience and skill to construct complete romanticised and not entirely accurate there are so many places of this name, clocks. If the evidence of the two clocks picture of events. Other information comes especially in the Midlands and North discussed in Parts 1 and 2 is anything from the pen of his well-known apprentice of England. Figure 28 is a simplified to go by, the experience he needed was Samuel Deacon, who is by no means a map showing the location of the places developed gradually over a period of many dispassionate reporter of the facts. By mentioned in this article. It includes the years, instead of the usual seven years putting firm dates on Joseph’s activities town of Coalville, which is a nineteenth- of intensive learning during a specialised wherever possible, an attempt has been century development, and the modern M1 apprenticeship. made to clarify the events in his life, in motorway, to assist in locating these small The normal blacksmith’s tools

clocksmagazine.com July 2014 19 Figure 29 (left). Clock by Joseph Donisthorpe Figure 30 (above). Dial of the 1757 clock convert- dated 1757 in an oak case. ed to two hands in the early nineteenth century.

equipment, we can only speculate. of his neighbours at social parties, and The pinions might have been bought especially the vice and profanity of in as ready-slit forgings from specialist the clergyman … made him extremely suppliers, which was often done by many wretched, and almost drove him to clockmakers. While the wheel trains and despair.’ strikework of these two clocks are very In the 1740s there was an evangelical conventional in construction, the frames revival in the Midlands when a charismatic and pivot blocks are unique and are the Baptist preacher visited a number of North work of someone not following a local Leicestershire villages. Among those who tradition. attended these meetings in 1743 were In 1729 Joseph Donisthorpe married Samuel Deacon senior, farm labourer Elizabeth Groves and they had three and grocer of Ratby (father of Samuel daughters and five sons, the last two junior, the clockmaker) and Joseph dying young, the remaining three sons all Donisthorpe, the Normanton blacksmith. becoming clockmakers. At this period he These sermons had a profound influence attended the local established church, but on Joseph: ‘But while walking home from are totally unsuited for making domestic he was a disturbed young man, seeing Ashby one evening across the fields, clocks and he would have had to build ‘frightful visions of the night’ and even the pondering his sad condition’ he recalled up a collection of the small tools needed, glib reassurances of the local clergyman the religious messages he had listened probably making many of them himself. were of no comfort to him. It is said that to. ‘Sitting down on the first stile he came Whether he built a wheel-cutting engine ‘His own weakness in falling on several to, he reflected long and deeply on the to slit the gear teeth or used the services occasions into the sin of drunkenness, spiritual knowledge to which he had of a clockmaker who had the necessary his witnessing the beastly dissipation just, and so unexpectedly, attained.’ His

20 July 2014 clocksmagazine.com Figure 31. Left-hand side of the 30-hour movement. Figure 32. Right-hand side of the 30-hour movement.

life was changed dramatically and from to attack, dependent as he was upon the provide for himself and those dependent thenceforth he became a devout and farmers and gentry of the district. They upon him …’ somewhat fanatical convert to the Baptist went therefore in a body to his house, This information about his children cause. to see what they could do in the matter. should enable these events to be timed His wife was not convinced (initially at They advised him, in a friendly manner, quite precisely, but the tale seems to have least, although she was soon converted) to leave off making himself ridiculous been distorted slightly and the dates do and ‘thought him mad and wept tears of and disturbing the sweet calmness of not quite correspond. When the eighth pity and alarm over his supposed insanity. the village. But finding friendly counsel child, a boy, was born is not known, but He next told this new truth and experience insufficient, they next resorted to threats, he did not live long and was buried on th to his customers, as they called upon him saying, that if he did not yield to their 30 May 1745. Knowing the date of birth in business, to servants and labourers request, their work would be taken from of the previous child we can estimate also as they came to his shop. He further him and given to another.’ that Joseph and his wife would not have imparted the good news to his neighbours But when he was resolute in his known that another baby was on the way and friends as he met them in the street, convictions ‘they called for their bills, until after about January 1744. But it was or, as led by curiosity, they came to his paid what was due, took away their work in this month that their sixth child died, house at the close of the day … The unfinished as it was, and left him without aged less than three years old. In any Normanton blacksmith and his new any visible resource … This state of things event the eldest child, Mary, died in August doctrine, soon became the general theme would have been a trial to any one, but 1743, aged almost 13, so there was never of conversation …’ the circumstance in which he was then a time when seven children were alive Many were converted, but others were placed, made it a particularly heavy one with another on the way. The closest we put off by his ardent preaching and he lost for him. He had seven young children, and can pinpoint these events is late 1743 to some customers as a result. ‘His business was expecting another shortly, and had early 1744, which does tie in with Joseph as village blacksmith made him vulnerable had little opportunity of doing more than first hearing the Baptist message

clocksmagazine.com July 2014 21 in 1743. About 1754 he was appointed as one a clock has been reported dated 1752 no To counter the loss of his local of the pastors of the Baptist church at further details about it are known and his blacksmithing work ‘His first idea was to Loughborough, walking the nine miles next two dated clocks have plated-frames itinerate through the villages, as a mender from Normanton to preach there each with pin count-wheel striking. A 30-hour of pots and kettles, and cleaner and week, having already been a preacher at clock in Leicester Museum (now in store, repairer of clocks and watches; but before Barton-in-the-Beans, along with Samuel along with the Deacon workshop and the he could carry this idea into execution, Deacon senior, father of the clockmaker. rest of their extensive clock collection) is providence found him work at home. It was not until 1756, when Joseph was dated 1757 on the name plaque, figures A person from London, visiting in the in his 50s that he took his first clockmaking 29-32. It is in a country oak case with neighbourhood, had with him specimens apprentice, recorded as John Dutton, but a caddy top to the hood, similar to the of certain iron wares, which he hoped this is probably an error for John Dalton. case of Clock 1 (Part 1, figure 1) apart to get made in the country at a cheaper This is despite Joseph Donisthorpe from a more elaborate shape to the trunk rate than was possible in the town … not having had any formal training as a door. It has a more conventional base Donisthorpe was mentioned to him, and clockmaker, being largely self-taught. Such construction, but stands on a tall plinth, learning that he was honest, and a good a situation would not have been tolerated possibly to allow a longer weight drop to workman … found [his terms] satisfactory, in a large town or city, where tradesmen overcome the problem of short duration as gave him a pretty large order … Other were closely regulated by the guilds, but discussed in Part 1. The overall height is work came in 7ft 2in, being 9in … and devoting taller than Clock himself 1. It might have also to the been made by development the same country of the clock joiner, who, and watch after a decade business, he of experience was afterwards in constructing able to gain a clock cases comfortable produced a living …’ rather more It has been conventional said that design. Donisthorpe The 11in became square dial an itinerant has poorly cast mender of pans spandrels of the and kettles, but early eighteenth- it is clear from century female this quotation head in foliage that while he pattern. These contemplated continued to doing so he be used in the never did and provinces long it is about this after they were time that he out of fashion must have in larger towns decided to and cities. The concentrate on clock has been his clockmaking updated in the activities early nineteenth instead. century to two Historic hands. Although Memorials front and rear says that views of the Donisthorpe’s movement religious conversion probably took place in Figure 33. Dial of a 30-hour clock signed (which would have been much more early June 1741, but as discussed, it was ‘Donisthorp’ on a circular silvered name informative) are not available, from a more likely to have been a couple of years plaque. careful inspection of the side views it can or more later than this. be seen to be of plated-frame construction About 1746 Joseph Donisthorpe in a small rural village there were few with pin-countwheel striking where all the was appointed as a Baptist pastor at controls. Nevertheless, an indenture was detents are on one arbor. The original Melbourne in south Derbyshire. He was drawn up and the necessary tax was paid. rope drive has been converted to chain described as ‘In the prime of life—being We can only speculate that Donisthorpe’s using a modern conversion kit. Both about 44 years of age—some 6ft in reputation was sufficiently high for a father Donisthorpe and Deacon always used height, rather stout, with brawny muscular to entrust his son’s career with him. rope for their pull-wind clocks and the limbs, clear strong voice, a sweetly By this time, or thereabouts, fitting of modern pulleys and click is to be serious and compassionate face …’ His Donisthorpe abandoned the posted-frame avoided whenever possible. From figures physical appearance is certainly what one construction of the two clocks discussed 31 and 32 note that Donisthorpe had would expect from someone who was a in Parts 1 and 2 and adopted plated-frame abandoned the solid dial sheets of Clocks blacksmith. movements for his 30-hour clocks. While 1 and 2 in favour of gapped dials. What

22 July 2014 clocksmagazine.com appears to be packing under the front of scratched ‘This is for No. 10’ and on the design, or perhaps the tenth of a batch? the movement actually sits under the lower hour wheel ‘For the 10th clock’. These two If it was the tenth clock Donisthorpe had pillars and is probably to help strengthen a movements are typical of those made made, then, taking into consideration sagging seatboard. subsequently by Donisthorpe, with the the two posted-frame clocks and the two The clock shown in figures 33-35 going great wheel almost on the edge of dated 1752 and 1757, this gives a very has a similar circular name plaque to the plate and the pendulum back cock set low production rate of less than one a the 1757 clock, but whereas that one way off centre. The slotted countwheel year. If it is the tenth plated-frame 30- is signed ‘Donisthorp Normanton’, this has been abandoned in favour of the hour, depending on when Donisthorpe slightly later clock has just ‘Donisthorp’, pin count-wheel, a system not often first made them, this might give a more both being without the final ‘e’, not a slip used outside the . While realistic production rate. I personally think that the clockmaker would have made if he was an apprentice Samuel Deacon that making a batch of ten clocks is rather he had done the work himself. On both made movements identical to this for too many at one time—half that number these dials the half-hour markers have his master, but once he was working for would be more realistic. disappeared, while the engraving is of a himself he developed his own design. This Joseph’s wife must have died sometime superior quality before May to Joseph’s 1760 when he own work on married again, Clocks 1 and 2, this time to especially the Mary Groves scrolls seen in (perhaps figure 33. On Elizabeth’s all these clocks sister) by the name is in licence, but he upright capital had no further letters and children. while it might be In 1762 he thought that this took Samuel is the easiest Deacon to produce, junior as an the converse apprentice. is the case. Deacon The slightest claimed variation in that he was height or not apprenticed being level in August sticks out like 1761, but a sore thumb, the indenture and letters like was signed ‘O’ need to be in February slightly taller 1762— otherwise an perhaps he optical illusion had been makes them taken on for a look too short. six-month trial. On the other How hand, with Deacon came flowing italic to work for copperplate Donisthorpe script these has been variation are recounted much less several times. obvious. A Samuel had more up-to-date been sent to feature of this work on farms dial is the use in Derbyshire of spandrels of and the cockleshell pattern, popular on small provincial dials in the 1740-65 period. Figure 34. Front of the movement with the Nottinghamshire and then to far-off This clock is punch dated 1758 on the date 1758 and the numbers 8 and 10 (almost Hertfordshire, all with members of the movement and confusingly is numbered obliterated by the pivot hole for the hour Baptist church. A visitor to the farm from both 8 and 10, also done with punches. wheel) stamped on the front plate. Leicestershire, who was impressed by a Since the number 10 has been almost pair of wooden nutcrackers that Samuel obliterated by the hole for the hand arbor had made, told him that clockmaker it must have been punched before the was based on the Donisthorpe type of Joseph Donisthorpe was looking for an holes were drilled, that is at the start of movement, but with some refinements. apprentice, presumably because John making the movement rather than at its Was the 1758 clock the tenth one he Dalton was about to finish his seven-year completion. However, behind the dial is made, the tenth of his new plated-frame training. Young Samuel Deacon

clocksmagazine.com July 2014 23 failings’. It is rich of Deacon to complain that his master wanted to earn money from him, when only a few days before his marriage Deacon sold silver spoons to his future wife—at a profit! Part of the problem may have been that his master was spending too much time on church matters in Loughborough, instead of being in the workshop giving Deacon the personal attention he clearly thought his ‘genius’ deserved. This state Figure 35. Rear of the of affairs could not continue and in 1766 movement showing the Joseph Donisthorpe and his remaining crossed-out pin count- family (three children having died and wheel, the off-centre back George, the eldest son, having gone to cock and the going great Birmingham in the early 1750s where he wheel overhanging the became an important clockmaker) moved edge of the plates. from Normanton to Loughborough. Further apprentices were taken on: John Chapman in 1767, who would have worked alongside Samuel Deacon for a few years, and Robert Earp in 1771. Robert Smith was apprenticed in 1774, but this must have been to Joseph’s son, also named Joseph. John Chapman became a leading Loughborough clockmaker and took several apprentices, making not only clocks but also pinions for the clock trade and other small iron components for the local stocking-knitting industry. Joseph’s second wife must have died by 1770 when he married thirdly to Sarah Thornton, who was 32 years his junior. But he was not to live much longer. On the last Tuesday of May 1774 he went to the 7pm evening service at the Loughborough Baptist Church and was in the act of giving out the second hymn when ‘his voice faltered, and he fell down insensible in the pulpit’. His apprentice Robert Earp probably continued his training with Joseph junior, who is likely to have been running the clockmaking business by then. Joseph Donisthorpe is an interesting and skilled self-taught clockmaker, who was fired with religious fervour and whose achievements have been belittled by Samuel Deacon. While his clocks are well made, they do not show the same degree of his undoubted talents, once declaring went back to Leicestershire to train with of technical sophistication as those of that the person who recommended him to Donisthorpe at Normanton, and the rest— his pupil—no musical clocks are known his master had appreciated his ‘genius’— as they say—is history. for instance. Without his passionate he was not one to hide his light under a Deacon, who wanted his side of the preaching his exploits would never have bushel. story to be recorded for posterity, wrote: been recorded and we would have been Later Deacon stated that he ‘soon ‘This Mr Donisthorpe is a man Posesed deprived of the story of his interesting life. of good Natural Parts, a Bright Witt and found that my master wanted a person to an Insinuating behaviour. One that has get him a great deal of money in a little Acknowledgements it in his power to Deceive People more time, and took pains only to teach me that I would like to thank Peter Billson, a direct than a many others. He appears to be which answered this end, so that I learnt descendant of Joseph Donisthorpe, for remarkable humble, But surely a prouder but little of the theory of my business much useful family history. He has traced Spirit never Inhabited a Body of flesh with him.’ This is in contrast to the picture the family back to the fifteenth century. & having a high opinion of himself. He of Donisthorpe portrayed by Historical Also thanks to W John Thornton, the was Varcely [scarcely?] Tender of his Memoirs. We may never know the truth of historian of Samuel Deacon, for much own honour. But after his conversion, the matter, but later in life Deacon could useful information and discussion, Colin he was very Zealous for the cause of be vindictive against anyone who upset Ferguson and fellow members of the Earl God … all his Children Soon turned their or disagreed with him. Significantly even Shilton Old Clock Club for information on back on religion.’ This was a case of the Historical Memoirs, a book that lauds the the 1757 clock and figures 29-32, and kettle calling the teapot black, for Samuel founders of the Baptist church rather than Brian Loomes for the loan of prints for Deacon himself had a very high opinion criticising them, says ‘Mr. Deacon had his figures 24, 33 and 34.

34 July 2014 clocksmagazine.com