Golding Young & Mawer
Los 133
An early 19thC oak longcase clock, with moulded swan neck and reeded pillared hood, with ball and spike finial, the reeded and canted trunk having full length angular arched top and crossbanded door with oval shell patera, plain base, the 30cm square dial painted with roses to the spandrels, having Arabic hour and quarter numerals, date crescent and marked John Tasker, FALKINGHAM, 30 hour movement, 213cm H. Tasker, John, Falkingham: Clock and watchmaker, ca.1798 1808, 1813, 1815 (LR& SM.) LR&SM Friday May 11th 1798. "Falkingham May 3rd 1798 John Tasker, watch and clockmaker, takes the earliest opportunity of returning sincere thanks to his friends and the public in general for the very liberal encouragement he has already met with and hopes by a due attention to the confidence reposed in him to merit their future favours. He has just laid in a fresh assortment of new clocks and watches." LR&SM Friday September 23rd 1808 "John Tasker, watch and clockmaker, Falkingham, returns sincere thanks to his friends for all favours conferred on him in the course of 11 years that he has been in business at Falkingham and informs the public of Tattershall Fair on the 26th and 27th instant, with a good assortment of new watches etc. which he will warrant to give satisfaction. September 20th 1808" His approach to business must have been successful as he advertised in a similar vein on September 22nd 1809 Perhaps pressure of work, but definitely ill health prompted the following press release. LR&SM Friday September 1813 "John Tasker, watch and clockmaker, Falkingham, respectfully informs his friends and the public in general, that he has engaged an assistant to clean and repair such clocks and watches as his friends may think proper to entrust to his care. J. Tasker is sorry his ill health has prevented him from waiting on friends but assures them that their orders will meet every attention and will be considered by him as a double favour under his present circumstances." Unfortunately John's medical condition gradually deteriorated and eighteen months later he had to retire from business as this statement published on Friday 24th March 1815 testifies. "John Tasker, watch and clockmaker and engraver, on account of his long indisposition having declined business in favour of William Foster - William Foster respectfully informs the inhabitants of Falkingham and its vicinity that he has just received a fresh assortment of jewellery and other goods in the above line." William Foster is known to be working at Coningsby in 1842
