Bought from Auction, the lot came with a further Gents’ watchman clock, all from a collectors private collection.
Gents’ of Leicester Tel-Tale Watchman Electric Time Recording Clock, the 8.25″ white dial over a chart cylinder, within a light oak glazed case, 39.5″ high (pendulum and key) Not Slave.
Their purpose was to ensure the Night Watchman was doing his job and checking all doors, gates and other secure places within the premises, were indeed secure and locked and he was not having 40 winks. During his rounds which maybe once an hour or more frequent, as he went about his round at each location to be checked, he would insert a key into a contact box, which in turn was wired back to the Watch-Man Clock.
On turning the key this would make the circuit and cause the marker in the WMC to operate and leave a ink dot on the revolving paper chart fixed to the drum. The paper chart once his shift had ended could be checked to make sure all the check points had been and at what time he had checked each point. In this WMC the drum turns as with the clock every 12 hours, so is a 12 hour drum, some Watch-Man Clock’s had larger drums that only needed changing every 7 days, but was long enough to cover the Night Watchman’s shift period.
After a checking a new paper chart was fixed to the drum which is removable to make this easier to do and as the drum is a friction fit on its shaft, could be set to the same time as the clock. There would be time marks on the paper chart so that this to could be set to the time marks on the top of the drum when clipping it in place.
Roy Robinson
I’m in New Zealand and there have been many Gents Master Clock systems around the country. Master Clocks are often advertised on NZ’s Trade Me site. Programmer’s are less common with Tell Tale rarely offered (and I would love to get hold of one!). The Gents salesman obviously got in with Government departments and so Railways, Hospitals, Military, Electricity Generation all had Gents systems. I have 2 Master Clocks, 2 Programmers and several Slave Clocks. Please keep me in your loop[.
Hello Gents
Hello Roy,
Nice to hear from a fellow Gent from the other side of the world!! And even more interesting to hear that Gents’ of Leicester items are still traded in other parts of the world.
We often have watchman clocks popping up on eBay and at Auction in the UK. If you’re up for it, I can help ship a watchman over, I imagine it’ll be expensive as, from experience, any item would need to be wrapped in a wooden box!!! And professional packed.
I’d also be interested to see if your master clocks differ in design, feel free to post pictures to the index in the site. And if you know the original location please include that.
All the best
Simon
Roy Robinson
Hi Simon
Thanks for your reply, sorry for the delayed response. Have had a quick look at purchasing and bringing a watchman clock to NZ but without even factoring in the cost the freight is horrific. One needs to travel and bring one here as luggage and that’s not on my bucket list for the future. There was one on our “TradeMe” recently but it was missing the drum and possibly other parts so I didn’t chase it too hard.
Also have a Temco master clock which is under repair at the moment.
Regards Roy
Andrew
Hello Simon,
I am another down under New Zealander and I have just acquired a Gents’ of Leicester Tell-Tale Watchman Clock Rounds Dial Fusee driven. But and there is always a but, the recording unit, albeit the drum and the associated actuator pins, has all been removed. Besides the wooden case, the metal frame as well as the bottom tilt unit in which the recording drum sat in, is still there and the clock movement is still in place and working nicely. I am at a crossroads as to whether or not to remove the movement and build another smaller case for it, but still keep the case. What are the chances of coming across both the recording drum and the actuator pins ? You mention that they come up from time to time on eBay, but I take it, that they are complete clocks when they do. Also what year/period these types of Gents were manufactured in?
Hello Gents
Hello Andrew
Sorry for the delay. I’d say keep the case and find a replacement drum and backboard pin. I’d say there’s quite a good change of finding another watchman as there are plenty out there in the UK, would be a lot easier to ship those parts as oppose to the whole clock to NZ. You’ll need to know the size of the drum. Do you have an measurement and photos ?
Regards
Simon