The Conservation of the Great Clock of Westminster, Big Ben.
Overview
Talk title: The Conservation of the Great Clock of Westminster, Big Ben
Speaker: Keith Scobie-Youngs FBHI ACR
18:15 - 19:00: registration
19:00 - 20:30: lecture and Q&A
N.B. Registration is required in advance to attend this event. All timings mentioned refer to UK time and the event is scheduled to take place in person. Please familiarise yourself with the current guidance for visitors attending in person events at City and the terms and conditions for attending public events at City.
To plan your journey, please feel free to use our campus map and recommended travel advice.
Speaker
Keith Scobie-Youngs FBHI ACR
The story of the work undertaken to the Great Clock during the Elizabeth Tower project, covering all aspects including the removal, conservation and reinstatement of the Words most famous public clock.
Keith studied Horology at the School of Jewellery and Silversmithing and following graduation in 1984, he worked for six years at Public Clocks in London.
In 1990 he established the Cumbria Clock Company Ltd with his wife Lynn, which is situated in the small village of Dacre in the Lake District National Park.
Keith has grown Cumbria Clock Company into a sizeable business, employing 22 members of staff consisting of the
office team, the workshop conservators and external horological engineers. Four of the external horologists are situated in Dorset, Devon, Yorkshire and Shropshire, with the Technical Service Manager working from an office in Whitchurch.
The Company is responsible for the annual maintenance of over 1,000 church and public clocks situated throughout the UK and has undertaken conservation projects to some of country’s most prestigious church and public clocks.
Keith’s experience includes working on the country’s oldest clock at Salisbury Cathedral, the Astronomical Clock
at Hampton Court Palace, as well as major projects at Canterbury, Durham, Hereford, Gloucester, Worcester, Truro and Manchester Cathedrals. Other commissions include the Westminster Clock, better known as “Big Ben”, and the Royal Liver Building, Liverpool.
The company also designed, manufactured and installed the world’s largest internal bell hammer, which struck the Olympic Bell and started the London 2012 Games and the conservation of the Government Buildings clock in Fiji.
Other clients include the Royal Household, Historic Royal Palaces, English Heritage and the National Trust.
Keith is a Court Renter Warden of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, London, Director of the Antiquarian Horological Society, Director of the British Watch and Clockmakers Guild, a Fellow of the British Horological Institute and an ICON Accredited Conservator Restorer and ICON Mentor.
Attendance at City events is subject to our terms and conditions.