2024 March Meeting

John Bennett (1814–1897) was a retail clockmaker, watchmaker and jeweller based in Cheapside, London, from 1846 onwards. He has been remembered for his views on the British horological industry and his use of modern advertising, marketing and publicity methods. Bennett retired in 1889 but the company he founded continued to trade in several London locations until 1963. This talk explores the public face of what became known as the ‘House of Bennett’, offering a case study in the history of horological retail that might prompt a wider examination of the subject.

David Rooney is a writer and curator. He was formerly Curator of Timekeeping at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, and Keeper of Technology and Engineering at the Science Museum.