The clock and watchmakers of Kilwinning
This post was written by Heather Upfield
![1. Abbey Tower (1).jpg](https://ahs.contentfiles.net/media/images/1._Abbey_Tower_1.width-600.jpg)
Kilwinning is a little town in south-west Scotland, which grew around the twelfth century Abbey (now in ruins). Following the collapse of the one remaining medieval tower in 1814, a new Abbey tower was built in 1816. James Blair, Kilwinning clockmaker, was commissioned to make the turret clock. As an interested local resident, I undertook research into James Blair for Kilwinning Heritage, in 2019.
![2. James Blair Turret.jpg](https://ahs.contentfiles.net/media/images/2._James_Blair_Turret_k0aXFsa.width-600.jpg)
The project grew exponentially, with a study of Whyte’s (1) compendium of around 8,000 people involved in clockmaking in Scotland. I discovered that James Blair was not the only Kilwinning clockmaker. There were eight men providing an almost unbroken stream of clockmakers in Kilwinning, from the mid-eighteenth century into the early twentieth:
James Stirrat longcase (1767-1790); James Blair longcase and turret (c1802-1836); David Loudon (c1836-c1850); William Allan longcase (c1816-1850); Hugh Millar longcase and turret (?-1860); James Gibson longcase (1867-1882)(2); Andrew Johnstone watches (1870-1893); and William Torry longcase (c1882-c1911). Years given are dates of trading in Kilwinning.
![3. James Stirrat.jpg](https://ahs.contentfiles.net/media/images/3._James_Stirrat_zTkPelG.width-600.jpg)
![4. James Gibson.jpg](https://ahs.contentfiles.net/media/images/4._James_Gibson_s2bztHN.width-600.jpg)
![5. William Allan.jpg](https://ahs.contentfiles.net/media/images/5._William_Allan_UxH2umC.width-600.jpg)
What makes this so significant for Kilwinning’s history is the fact that while much is known of the local large-scale industry (mining, brickmaking, the ironworks), clockmaking was a hitherto unknown and undocumented industry and trade, taking place at street level. It produced a seemingly extraordinary number of clockmakers for such a small town (population 1,934 in 1820). All of this information, plus the three Kilwinning turret clocks, was published by Kilwinning Heritage as Time Piece (3) in 2019.
![6. James Blair Drum-head longcase.jpg](https://ahs.contentfiles.net/media/images/6._James_Blair_Drum-head_longcase_wwXY7LP.width-600.jpg)
![7. James Blair longcase.jpg](https://ahs.contentfiles.net/media/images/7._James_Blair_longcase_ZwwTKNj.width-600.jpg)
Following publication, we have been contacted by several people from Scotland, England, and as far away as Vancouver, Canada, and Nevada, USA, all of whom, miraculously, own Kilwinning-made longcase clocks. We would be delighted to know if there are any other Kilwinning-made clocks and watches out there. If you have one in your possession, or know of others, then please contact Kilwinning Heritage at kh2011@hotmail.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!
References
- Whyte, Donald (2005). Clockmakers and Watchmakers of Scotland, Mayfield Books, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
- James Gibson closing shop and William Torry taking over, Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald, 15 July 1882. www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000962/18820715/025/0001. Accessed 7 August 2019
- Upfield, Heather (2019). Time Piece: a history of James Blair and the Clocks, Clock & Watchmakers of Kilwinning 1719-2019, Kilwinning Heritage, Kilwinning www.kilwinningheritage.org.uk
Photography
Abbey Tower and James Blair turret clock: Heather Upfield
All other photographs: Current clock owners. Reproduced with kind permission