1693-1776

English Horologist

Perhaps the most famous clockmaker of all time, John Harrison solved the problem of reliably calculating a ship's longitude while at sea. By designing a highly accurate clock that allowed mariners to chart their position on Earth far more precisely, Harrison solved one of the most important scientific and technological problems of the eighteenth century.

John Harrison was the eldest of the five children of Henry and Elizabeth Harrison. He learned carpentry from his father and picked up excellent craftsmanship and a detailed knowledge of woods. John began building clocks quite early, enlisting his younger brother James to assist him. The first known Harrison clock dates from 1713, and the brothers built two more long case (grandfather) clocks in 1715 and 1717. How Harrison learned the complicated art of horology remains a mystery. At this time, clocks were very expensive and not particularly common, especially in...