George Daniels Memorial Lecture

Tobias Birch
‘Thomas Mudge and William Dutton, A Perfect Partnership’

For our annual George Daniels memorial lecture we welcome Tobias Birch, who gained an interest from his grandfather, Burton Bass at a very young age and received a distinction at West Dean College in 1989 at the age of nineteen. Toby was inspired with an article by George Daniels in 1981 titled “Thomas Mudge the complete horologist”. George Daniels article finished by saying that Mudge’s beautiful constant force timekeepers where a monument to his patient labours and the inspiration to each succeeding generation of aspiring horologists. Daniels felt that Thomas Mudge’s invention of the lever escapement, which continues to be used today, combined with his love for the horological arts, produced so many original beautiful clocks and watches that made Daniels choose Thomas Mudge as the freeman of the Clockmakers’ Company who added the most to the prestige of British horology.

William Dutton was also a highly skilled clockmaker and somewhat overshadowed by the great Thomas Mudge. William produced some of the finest clocks and watches of their time. Both men were apprenticed to George Graham and formed a partnership in 1765. Thomas Mudge, due to ill health and his ambition to make seagoing clocks was able to confidently leave his business partner and friend William Dutton to run his business in London and moved to Plymouth with his wife Abigail and two sons.

Tobias has handled some of the most magnificent and rare masterpieces over the last 35 years, being a highly respected dealer, with BADA and LAPADA accreditation. Yet he started working at the bench with his grandfather many, many years ago, and is a highly skilled clockmaker, conservator. The love of what he does, with high quality work and workmanship is reflected in the items he deals with. He is both an assistant tutor at West Dean and a Liveryman of the Clockmakers’ Company.

Duncan Greig.