Clockmaker/By : Redshaw of Newcastle
(Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire)

Duration : 8 day.

Circa : 1750.

Height : 86 inches (excl finials).

Case:
Oak square hood with original shallow caddy top.
Slim oak pillars (4) to hood.
Long trunk door with square top.
Mahogany cross banding to hood, and trunk doors and base.
Width at widest point 21" (Hood).

Dial :
Brass square dial 11.75".
Foliate engraved matted centre with quarter-circle date dial and recessed seconds dial.
Silvered minute chapter ring, calendar dial and seconds dial.
Good quality Indian head style spandrels.
Matching steel hour, minute and second hands.
Roman numerals.

Maker :
At the time this clock was made there were two makers of this name working in
Newcastle-under-Lyme named Redshaw.

John - His known working dates were 1712-60. Born 1691 and apprenticed to Thomas Swinnerton of Newcastle-under-Lyme but continued it under John Swinnerton after Thomas died.

John became 'Free' of his apprenticeship in 1711/12 and took John Beech as an apprentice in 1718. John Redshaw became a trustee of Presbyterian Meeting House and died in 1760, aged 69.

Thomas - His known working dates were 1742-81. Born about 1721 and 'Free' of his apprenticeship in 1742.

Thomas Swinnerton Note:
Born in 1653 and 'Free' of his apprenticeship by purchase in 1674. He was an overseer of the poor, a sergeant, churchwarden, bailiff and made a Capital Burgess in 1689. He was a Presbyterian and his house was used for worship. Thomas Swinnerton died on 14 July 1708.

It is interesting to speculate whether his John Redshaw named his son Thomas after Thomas Swinnerton, who from the above must have been a man of some influence and good. In addition John became a Presbyterian himself in later life.

It is not known if Thomas was apprenticed to his father or to another local clockmaker.

The maker being of this clock, shown as 'Redshaw' makes it probable that John and Thomas, father and son, were the joint family makers of this clock and they were in business together after 1742. There has also been another clock recorded as having been made by 'Redshaw - Newcastle'

Price : £ 4,750

Guarantee : 12 months.