| John (2) was baptized at Arthuret Parish Church (Longtown) on 29th May 1774 as John Blacklock. He died at Carlisle in March 1821 aged 46. William (1) was baptized at Arthuret Parish Church (Longtown) on 27th February 1777 as William Blacklock. He died, (probably at Carlisle), on 11th January 1832 aged 51. Both are buried in Arthuret churchyard. The two brothers inherited the business from their father John (1) in 1803 and continued to work in Longtown until circa 1817 when the business was moved to Carlisle. William (1) was the father of John (3) who became the greatest of the Blaylock Clockmakers.
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Dial of Longcase Clock by John & William Blaylock of Longtown LC5
13" Dial with matching steel hands and moonphase to the arch The painted dials of eight day clocks often have a separate plate fitted between the rear of the dial plate and the movement. These separate plates are called falseplates and they allowed the clockmaker to fit the dial to his movement in correct alignment with the winding squares and driving pipes for the clock hands. The falseplates are usually made of cast iron and often have the name of the dial maker cast into them. The falseplate to this dial bears the names Whittaker & Shreeve Halifax at the top and Beilby & Hawthorn Newcastle at the bottom. These dialmakers were in business from about 1795 to 1815 but some confusion exists as to who actually made the dials and where? The corners of the dial are decorated with pictures of a girl dressed in pink attire depicting the four seasons of the year. The gold band to the chapter ring and edge of the dial together with the pictures of the girl in the pink dress are typical features of Halifax-Newcastle dials. The fact that the Blaylock family used these dialmakers is interesting. Ralph Beilby, one of the names on the falseplate, is known to have been associated with Thomas Bewick, the famous engraver of Newcastle. Thomas Bewick is known to have engraved brass dials for the clockmaker Archibald Lawrie of Carlisle to whom John Blaylock (1) was apprenticed. Some authorities maintain that Thomas Bewick also engraved brass dials for John Blaylock (1) but I have not found any proof of this myself. Alternate View of Moon Disc
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