Charles Frodsham & Co is the oldest chronometer manufacturers in the world – 1834
Charles Frodsham 1810 – 1871) was a distinguished English horologist, establishing the firm of Charles Frodsham & Co, which remains in existence as the longest continuously trading firm of chronometer manufacturers in the world.
In 2018, the firm launched a new chronometer wristwatch, after sixteen years in development. It is the first watch to use the George Daniels double-impulse escapement.
Frodsham founded his own business at Finsbury Pavement. He rapidly established himself in London chronometer maker.
With the death of John Roger Arnold, Charles acquired the Arnold business in 1843, moving his family and business address to 84 Strand, London. Trading as ‘Arnold & Frodsham, Chronometer Makers’ continued till 1858.
By the mid-1850s Charles had established himself as one of the period’s most eminent horologists. In 1854 upon the death of Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy, he purchased the goodwill of the business and, upon Airy’s recommendation, succeeded Vulliamy as Superintendent and Keeper of Her Majesty’s Clocks at Buckingham Palace.
This prestigious title aided the sale of clocks, watches and chronometers worldwide, Charles having overseas representation and agents in America, France and Spain. Charles was a liberal supporter and judicial advisor to the societies connected with horology, being one of the founding members, and later Vice President, of the British Horological Institute in 1858, and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, in which he served as Master in 1855 and 1862.
From 1884 the firm traded as Charles Frodsham & Co., becoming incorporated in 1893 and moving to new retail premises at 115 New Bond Street in 1895. With the rapidly emerging car industry in the first years of the 20th century, a new branch specializing in motor accessories was opened in nearby Dering Street in 1911, to sell speedometers and car clocks. These were supplied by Robert Benson North, later a director of Frodshams, from his Watford factory.
The main business moved again in 1914 to premises at 27 South Molton Street, London, where it remained until considerable damage caused by an air-raid in 1941, forced a move to the trading premises of Philip Clowes at 62 Beauchamp Place. Clowes had been in partnership with another horologist, Captain John Henry Jauncey, (Clowes and Jauncey 1932-39), who specialized in antiquarian horology and secured some of the important chronometers for the collections in the National Maritime Museum.
From the late 1940s through to the 1980s, the firm concentrated on the production of mantel and carriage clocks, producing amongst other things the ‘Princess’ clock, presented in 1947 to HRH Princess Elizabeth on the occasion of her marriage. In 1997 the Company moved to 32 Bury Street, where it continues today, specialising in English precision horology.
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