[time-nuts] The clocks at Windsor Castle, UK

[William H. Fite]

Jerry, what you're missing is the culture of the Castle. Having a
clock--let alone a bunch of clocks--stopped for an hour simply would not be
acceptable.

"We're Royals, the rules are different here."



On Friday, June 16, 2017, Jerry Hancock <jerry at hanler.com> wrote:

> I’m missing something here.   Advancing the clocks 11 hours is the same as
> setting it back one hour.  There was an article about a person that had 300
> clocks with the same problem and I don’t understand the issue and I might
> be overlooking something or not remembering it correctly.  If you have to
> set them forward, no big deal, you just wind them forward as this doesn’t
> violate the law (of winding them backwards) which is verboten;  If you have
> to set them backwards (+11 hours), you just stop the clock(s) for an hour
> or wind them forwards.  Setting them back an hour is the same as going
> forwards 11 hours or stopping the clock for an hour.  You might lose a
> second or two running around the estate but it doesn’t violate the “forward
> only” rule.
>
> I have an International Time Recorder (ITR) clock in my basement and I
> agree, though you can move it backwards (most have a slip-clutch with two
> plates and a spring pressing them together) you don’t want to do that as it
> is hard on the mechanism.  I also think that setting it backward would, or
> could, upset the chime mechanism timing.  When you slip the clock forward,
> it is usually just the final dial drive that is connected to the clutch so
> if it has a chime mechanism, that has to be adjusted separately.  I usually
> just stop the clock for an hour and if I miss the restart, I just catch up
> as moving it forward as stated, causing no harm to the mechanism.  So
> though running around the estate setting a couple hundred clocks would be a
> pain, it doesn’t require much thinking so I don’t get the issue.
>
> I sent this note to my best friend, Dave Dietrich, who resides in
> Connecticut and is the current authority on master clocks having hundreds
> (if not a thousand) master clocks as well as time recorders, mostly from
> International Time Recorder, the founding company of IBM, for whom we both
> worked for over 25yrs. Dave has been setting up displays of his clocks, one
> of which is the most stunning being in Stamford, Ct, at the Stamford
> building.  These clocks are mechanical works of art that he restores.  I
> recently suggested he join time-nuts as if he isn’t a time-nut, then I
> question the definition.
>
> Jerry
>
>
>
> > On Jun 16, 2017, at 6:09 AM, Bob kb8tq <kb8tq at n1k.org <javascript:;>>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi
> >
> > I would claim that anybody with 450 clocks to tend is indeed a Time Nut
> ….:)
> >
> > Bob
> >
> >> On Jun 15, 2017, at 10:37 PM, Bill Hawkins <bill.iaxs at pobox.com
> <javascript:;>> wrote:
> >>
> >> Happened to watch a PBS/BBC program called "Queen's Castle" episode 102
> >> - Four Seasons, that was filmed in 2005 at Windsor, not Buckingham.
> >>
> >> One of the segments was about the castle timekeeper, Steve Davison. He's
> >> responsible for 450 clocks, some 300 years old. His biggest challenge is
> >> the end of British Summer Time, when each clock must be advanced 11
> >> hours, stopping until striking finishes. Old clocks were not designed
> >> for Fall Back. Takes him 16 hours.
> >>
> >> There was a brief shot of his workshop, with a clock repair in progress.
> >> No sign of a time standard. No discussion of leap seconds, either.
> >>
> >> Tried to find him, but only found a 2013 ad for a time keeper to
> >> maintain 1000 clocks in various castles.
> >>
> >> Hope that wasn't too far off topic.
> >>
> >> Bill Hawkins
> >>
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-- 
William H Fite, PhD
Independent Consultant
Statistical Analysis & Research Methods