John Whitehurst of Derby. Clockmaker & Scientist. Hardback

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John Whitehurst of Derby. Clockmaker & Scientist. Hardback,266pg

Condition: Used, Perfect
Published by Mayfield Books, 1996
P&P in UK £5.95,
Can be collected (No P&P) with notice from Bakewell

Price: £95.00

Our verdict on this title : 9/10
A very nice book. Went out of print very quickly but very unlikely to be reprinted according to the publisher. Exceptionally hard to get hold of. This copy is in excellent order and signed by the author.

The book is quite wide-ranging. There is plenty of details on the clocks but his life as a scientist is fully explored. Essential reference for those contemplating the significant investment to buy one of his clocks.

Publishers full description of Title :
Hardcover: 266 pages
Publisher: Mayfield Books (Oct 31 1996)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0952327031
ISBN-13: 978-0952327035

John Whitehurst was one of a select number of men of science living and working in the working in the eighteenth century whose minds were as remarkabke for the breadth as their talents were for their diversity. Although remembered toady manily as a notable clockmaker from derby- the town in which he lived and workes for over forty years- Whitehurst was also an instrument maker, mechanical engineer, hydraulicist, home improver, meteorologist, the father of modern geology and he has a hand in the development of the steam engine.

This book presents a brief life of this talented and engaging man, draws together his varied attainments and described his wide circle of acquaintances, many of whom were fellow members of the influencial Lunar Society. He is also placed in a continuing tradtion of natural philosophers coming from Derby, which begins in the seventeenth century with John Flamsteed FRS - the first Astonomer Royal and ends with Herbert Spence over two centuries later.

Much that he achieved has left an intangible legacy, except, of course, his clocks and instruments, and this side of Whitehurst has been described in all its aspects, as well as the clockmaking of his family and succesors. Details are given of the many types of clocks that came from the Whitehurst workshops, from complex(and largely unattributed) movements made for Matthew Boulton to simple hook-and-spike wall clocksand watchmen's clocks made by his successores. Appendices include in details on all known Whitehurst turret clocks and angle barometers, the firm's aprenticed and known numbered clocks.

Since his death just over two centuries ago his achievements have been largely neglected, and this book rehabilitates the reputation of John Whitehurst, whose ideas were of great importance in the devopment of scientific thought in the eighteenth century.

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