Dava Sobel – Finding Longitude
The story of John Harrison’s lifelong efforts to solve the longitude problem by constructing a series of precision timekeepers enthralled NAWCC members attending the 1993 Longitude Symposium at Harvard University. Dava Sobel covered that event as a reporter for Harvard Magazine. Her article drew the attention of a New York publisher who challenged her to expand the story to book length. Longitude became a surprise best seller in several countries, especially England, and led to a “Nova” documentary, a made-for-TV movie starring Michael Gambon and Jeremy Irons, a stage play by Sir Arnold Wesker, and a permanent tribute marker in Westminster Abbey, ceremonially unveiled in 2006 by HRH Prince Philip. Research into Harrison’s horology continues to the present day, with findings that validate claims considered “unbelievable” in his lifetime.
Bob Frishman – The Mullikens: Massachusetts Clockmakers
Bob Frishman will present an overview of a forthcoming book -http://www.mullikenclocks.com/ – on three generations of Mulliken clockmakers working in northeastern Massachusetts during the 18th century. He has documented more than two hundred examples of their work, and with his co-author Damon DiMauro is researching and drafting a comprehensive treatise on the histories and clocks of two Samuels, two Nathaniels, a Jonathan and a Joseph.
An NAWCC Silver Star Fellow, Bob chaired the NAWCC Time Symposium Committee and organized five international conferences between 2016 and 2022.
Aaron Stark – Disrupting Time
In the fall of 1876, two Swiss spies came to America and conducted some of the most covert and consequential industrial espionage in history, changing the course of the global watch industry forever. Disrupting Time is a true historical narrative of business strategy, espionage, and consequences. It details the story of Jacques David and Theo Gribi who, in 1876, were commissioned by the Society of Jura Industries, a Swiss trade association, to acquire the secrets of America’s technology sector – the American watch industry. They captured their intelligence in a 130-page report that would remain mostly secret until 1992. Disrupting Time details the never-before-told story of David and Gribi’s secrets and mission, showing how they used disguises, agent recruitments, and other classic espionage methods to steal the secrets of America’s technology sector of the era. In praise for Disrupting Time, Hodinkee’s former Editor-in-Chief Jack Forster wrote “Aaron Stark pulls back the curtain on perhaps the single most important case of industrial spying in the history of watchmaking – and one whose full details, incredibly, weren’t fully known until just last year.” Additionally, the anonymous CIA officer behind the wildly popular Watches of Espionage wrote: “Disrupting Time is a fantastic story of real-life watches of espionage. It is a thrilling read, full of details that will change everything you thought you knew about the origin of Swiss watches – definitely not the narrative the watch industry has told you. If you are into watches, intelligence, history, or business, this book is a must read!” Join us for author Aaron Stark’s lecture where he will talk about his journey of discovery, research, and how these events changed the course of history.
Sara Schechner – William Cranch Bond and Sons: Astronomers and Horologists
William Cranch Bond was the first Director of the Harvard College Observatory. His sons, George, Joseph, and Richard, also worked at the Observatory. Together they were partners in the family clockmaking firm, William Bond & Son. This talk will look at their legacy in astronomy and precision timekeeping. William Cranch Bond devised what became known as the “American method of astronomical observation,” which employed new instruments invented by the Bonds for timekeeping, time recording, and time signaling. The new method improved the precision of observing star positions and regulating clocks. It also led to the creation of the first time zone in America—a spidery network shaped by thousands of miles of New England railroad tracks that operated on Bond standard time, which the firm received from the Harvard College Observatory.
The entanglement of the Bond business and the Harvard College Observatory can be traced through the business records of the Bond firm and the scientific instruments owned and used by William Cranch Bond and the Harvard College Observatory. These materials are part of the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments at Harvard.
Damon Di Mauro – The Early Clockmakers of Boston
This presentation developed in preparation for a book-length study on the Mulliken clockmaking family of the North Shore. The Mullikens were known to have business ties in Boston in the 1730s. Though they were blacksmiths by trade, it was in the major coastal port that they may have learned the first rudiments of clock “mending” and clockmaking. What was that milieu like? After an initial foray into early timekeeping in Massachusetts Bay and the appearance of the first tower clocks, the presentation will focus on the dozen or so immigrants with horological credentials who settled in Boston. Research reveals that the vast majority failed, either going into another line of work or leaving town. Indeed, it was a rough-and-tumble world of lawsuits and countersuits, while a number knowingly worked with slave-traders or owned slaves themselves.
Mary Jane Dapkus
This lecture provides an update on her research into the life and times of clockmaker Aaron Willard, Jr. (1783-1864), connecting him with little known New England seafaring voyages, adventures, wars, embargoes, blockades, and (of course) Willard family clocks.
Greg Gorton – The Calendar Clock Company of Curtisville, CT
Before the Seth Thomas Clock Co., B.B. Lewis and the Bristol Boys, and the Ithaca Calendar Clock Co started producing thousands of American Perpetual Calendar Clocks; there was the “Calendar Clock Company” of Curtisville, CT. This presentation will cover the beginnings of the company in the early 1850’s, the people involved and the clocks they made.
Rich Newman – Watchmaking in Early America
The first watchmakers emigrated from England to the American colonies over 300 years ago and mark the true beginning of the American watch industry long before the idea of mass production entered the minds of the Pitkin brothers and A. L. Dennison. This presentation focuses on 18th century American watchmakers, their timepieces, and the environment in which they worked.
Andy Dervan – Richard Cranch and his daybook
Richard Cranch was an unknown Colonial watchmaker until Robert Mussey approached the NAWCC in 2021 and offered to donate all his research about him and his daybook documenting his watch repair business in Boston from 1769-1774 just prior to the Revolutionary War.
He becomes an interesting personality when he married Mary Smith in 1761, he introduced his best friend, John Adams to Mary’s younger sister, Abigail. John Adams married Abigail Smith in 1764.
He started a watch repair business in Salem in early 1766 and moved it to Boston in late 1767. He acquired a new daybook in 1769 and recorded watches that he took in for repair from his numerous clients. The daybook has survived in Bostonian Society Library.
The program provides a short biography of Richard Cranch and focuses on the daybook analysis.
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October 22, 2024 – Tuesday Morning Lectures
- Dava Sobel (James Arthur Lecture): Finding Longitude: The backstory of her book Longitude and its impact on the public’s knowledge of horology and specifically marine timekeeping.
- Aaron Stark: Disrupting Time: Industrial combat, espionage, and the downfall of the Waltham Watch Company.
- Sara Schechner: William Cranch Bond and Sons: Astronomers and Horologists.
- Damon DiMauro: The early pre-1740 clockmakers of Boston.
October 22, 2024 – Tuesday Dinner Speaker
- Robert Frishman: The Mullikens: Massachusetts Clockmakers
October 23, 2024 – Wednesday Morning Lectures:
- Mary Jane Dapkus: Aaron Willard, Jr. and the Sea Captain’s Widow.
- Greg Gorton: The Calendar Clock Company of Curtisville, CT. The story of an early perpetual calendar clock manufacturer.
- Richard Newman: Watchmaking in Early America.
- Andy Dervan: Richard Cranch and his daybook; a colonial watch repairman from Boston and great friend of John Adams.