WILLIAM PORTHOUSE of PENRITH c1740

(1706-1790)

Interesting 30 hour longcase clock by eminent Cumbrian clockmaker

William Porthouse is generally considered to be amongst  the most eminent of Cumbrian clockmakers and made many fine clocks. He married Mary Nicholson in1725, and three of their 10 children, John, William and George all joined the family business.

 They operated from Little Dockray which is one of the ancient townships of Penrith. For 25 years from 1740 to 1765 he was in charge of the clock in St Andrew’s Church, Penrith and in 1763 he supervised the hanging of new bells. In 1778 he supplied new chimes to Cockermouth Church and it was reported at that time in The Cumberland Chronicle that “It would not be doing justice to the merit of Mr Porthouse, were we not to remark, that the above  is esteemed a most excellent piece of mechanism and is as small a compass as any thing of the kind in England”  He is mentioned in Brian Loomes’ ‘Watchmakers & Clockmakers of The World Vol 2’ 2nd edition, The Longcase Clock by Tom Robinson (p293), and The Clockmakers of Cumberland by John Penfold. In his “British Clocks Illustrated” (p125), Brian Loomes describes an 8 day movement dating from 1750 which bears a plaque at the top of the dial centre engraved with the name of the first owners, William & Margaret Fawcett.  This clock was probably a wedding present and is known as a ‘Marriage Clock’.

This fine example of his work is housed in a (most probably originally) carved oak case of small and pleasing proportions, and the high quality brass dial has a finely engraved chapter ring and name plaque, and retains its original steel hands.

Height; 80.5” (245cm)

SOLD

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