Canterbury Auction Galleries
Lot 858
An early 18th Century ebonised table clock by George Thatcher of Cranbrook, the 7ins arched brass dialwith matted dial centre and silvered chapter ring with Roman and Arabic numerals, date aperture with cast gilt brass mask pattern spandrels, to the eight day single train movement with verge escapement and five turned and ringed pillars, engraved back plate and with pull repeat on three bells, contained in ebonised case with shaped bell top, moulded edges, base and twin fretted panels to sides, with block toes, 17.5ins high Note: George Thatcher, Cranbrook, recorded as born 1676 and died 1757. An interesting maker from the Weald of Kent. Little is known about his early life. Obadiah Body was apprenticed to him in 1716. Owing to the similarity between Thatcher's lantern clocks and a similar example signed by John Kingsnorth who had moved to Tenterden from London after completing his apprenticeship in 1695, it is highly likely that Thatcher was trained by Kingsnorth. George Thatcher was married at an unknown date to Constant who pre-deceased him in 1750. Their joint grave is in St Dunstan's Church, Cranbrook and records him as a Clockmaker. His will written on the 10th June 1754 makes it clear he had prospered both as a Clockmaker and a landowner. His eldest son George was left a house and farm in Frittenden and property in Cranbrook and Hawkhurst. His second son was left another property and farm in Hawkhurst. His third son Thomas was left a house, farm and land in Bexhill together with £55. Another property "adjoining to the meeting house" together with his pew in the meeting house was left to this daughter Lydia. This is in addition to financial bequests to his four grandchildren. The final bequest relates to his personal property, including a quantity of silver to his sons and daughters and to the eldest son George "...the clock in the kitchen and my little Spring clock". The youngest son Thomas, trained by his father, also worked as a Clockmaker but all his known clocks are signed at Tenterden. After Thomas died in the late 1760s the Thatcher's business was taken over by Abraham Body (Obadiah's son) who may have managed the business for the surviving sons and carried out repairs to the Cranbrook church in 1769. Brackets clocks by Kent makers from the late 17th/early 18th Century are very rare and only nine known examples have so far been recorded. This is the only known bracket clock by Thatcher. We are indebted to Mr Michael Pearson, author of "Kent Clocks and Clockmakers", by Mayfield Books 1997, for the additional information regarding George Thatcher.
