Richard Hornby, Liverpool c1840

A 2-day marine chronometer signed on the silvered 3¾-inch diameter dial Richd Hornby Liverpool 1014.

The instrument is housed in its original 3-tier mahogany box.

The chronometer has blued steel hour and minute hands and subsidiary dials for seconds and state of wind; the bezel, with silvered sight ring, has bevelled glass.  To see pictures of the movement please go the the next page.

The 3-tier mahogany box has drop handles to the sides with brass inlays to the corners and a brass inlay to the top lid.

A bone plaque to the middle tier is engraved with the Government broad arrow mark and I Hornby. 1014.

Box size 6½ x 6½ x 7” high.

The box has the trade label of Poole & Co. London in the lower lid.

Richard Hornby, one of the earliest Liverpool chronometer makers, was working at Pool Lane (later renamed South Castle Street) by 1810. He died in 1849 and the business was continued by his son.

The Government arrow indicates that this chronometer has been in British Government service, the letter ‘I’ signifies that this chronometer was in use by the Government in India. The chronometer records at Greenwich show that this chronometer was one of a batch sold to the Indian Government in 1894.

The Poole family business was founded by John Poole in about 1840 so the trade label, indicating that they cleaned or rated the chronometer, probably dates from the 1890’s.

Stock No.: C1063