1639-1713

English Clockmaker

Thomas Tompion was one of the greatest clock and watchmakers. He is often regarded as the father of English clockmaking. He made some of the first watches with balance-springs, helped to develop the quadrant, and produced clocks for prestigious clients. He is renowned both for the accuracy of his timepieces and for their beauty.

Thomas Tompion was born in Ickfield Green, a hamlet in the parish of Northill, Bedfordshire, in 1639. He was the eldest son of Thomas Tompion senior, a blacksmith, and his wife Margaret. Very little is known of Tompion's upbringing. However, the facts that are known allow us to trace Tompion's development as a maker of the exquisite clocks that ornamented the spacious salons of the English upper classes.

Tompion's grandfather was a blacksmith of limited means who guided his son's entry into the blacksmith trade. Tompion's father, however, was able...