John (3) was baptized at Arthuret Parish Church (Longtown) on 26th December 1806 as John Blaycock.

 

He became head of the clockmaking business on the death of his father William (1) in 1832.

 

In association with the inventor Thomas Edmondson, he produced in large numbers railway ticket dating and printing presses. One of his ticket printing machines is in the Science Museum, London.

With William Pratchitt, John (3) formed the engineering and ironfounding  firm of Blaylock & Pratchitt, Carlisle. This was in 1859. The centre of their production was the Long Island Ironworks, Carlisle where John (3) had built a large workshop in 1848.

By 1861 the firm of Blaylock & Pratchitt were described as Engineers, Millwrights, Machinists, Boiler Makers, Iron and Brass Founders.  

 

From 1862 until 1873 John (3) was in partnership with William Dudson for his domestic  clockmaking production. The father and brother of William Dudson were furniture dealers and my suspicions are that William Dudson supplied the cases for clocks signed "Blaylock & Dudson, Carlisle".

John (3) apparently took retirement in 1873 and he died in 1877.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Painted Dial of LCR8 made by Samuel Baker of Birmingham

The matching steel hands are original to the clock. 

Movement of LCR8 by John Blaylock (3) of Carlisle c.1825

This movement by John Blaylock (3) was made in the early part of his career. It follows the traditional Blaylock style as regards the strike mechanism but has the additional feature of a Graham deadbeat escapement. It can been seen that what may be termed standard size longcase plates were used but which required raised front and back cocks to accommodate the deadbeat pallet arbor. The design of deadbeat escapements used in antique clocks required the pallet arbor to be located at a much greater distance from the escapewheel than is the case with the more conventional recoil escapement. The tail of the lifting piece has been made particularly long in order to minimise  the drag imposed on the going train when the pin of the reverse minute wheel begins to operate the strike mechanism. The rack tail spring was originally mounted in a brass block which has been lost or damaged at some time. A past repairer has utilised a piece of steel strip bent to shape as an improvised replacement.

Side view of the movement showing the maintaining power ratchet wheel

View of the deadbeat escapement

The pallet nibs are attached to the pallet arms by a screw and steady pins. This allows the nibs to be replaced in the event of wear without the need to manufacture a complete pallet frame.

Underside view of Seatboard

The large hexagonal nuts used to secure the seatboard hooks are typical of the work of John (3)

  VIEW CLOCK LC9

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Page last updated

20 May, 2003