Reuben Bosworth (ca.1797 – 26 July 1883) was a watch and clockmaker in Nottingham.

Life

He was born around 1797 in

Smisby Smisby is an ancient manor, civil parish and small village in South Derbyshire, England. It is from Melbourne and near the Leicestershire border

, Derbyshire. He married late in life in 1856 to Sarah. He was a watchmaker and clockmaker in Nottingham. He was apprenticed

John Whitehurst John Whitehurst FRS (10 April 1713 – 18 February 1788), born in Cheshire, England, was a clockmaker and scientist, and made significant early contributions to geology. He was an influential member of the Lunar Society. Life and work Whi ...

in Derby, and then moved to Nottingham and succeeded William Hall, taking over his duties in regulating and winding the Nottingham Town Hall clock in 1833. In the financial year 1 September 1842 to 1 September 1843 it was reported that he received the annual salary of £18 18s. 0d (equivalent to £ in ) for winding up and regulating the Exchange and Town-hall clocks. In 1842 he was employed by the Leicester corporation to illuminate the Exchange clock at Leicester with a single plate of glass, which would be the largest in the East Midlands. In the ''Nottingham Review'' of 15 March 1844, an article appeared praising his work.

The Exchange Clock. We beg to draw the attention of our readers to the superior performance of this time keeper. The clock was made by Mr. Reuben Bosworth….and to such great accuracy has Mr. Bosworth regulated its rate of going, that, from the second of November last to the present time arch 1844a period of four months, it has not varied half a minute.

He made turret clocks, some of which are still found in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, wall clocks which he sold to the

Midland Railway The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...

which were used in railway offices and signal boxes, and longcase clocks and watches. It is suggested that some of his turret clock business was taken over in 1845 by G. & F. Cope. He died on 26 July 1883 leaving £7,861 3s 9d. (equivalent to £ in ) to his wife.

Works

He produced turret clocks for the following buildings: *

Nottingham Exchange Nottingham Exchange was built in the Market Place in Nottingham between 1724 and 1726 as the main offices of the Nottingham Corporation. History The Nottingham Exchange was erected between 1724 and 1726 replacing a shambles of buildings on the ...

1837 * Priory Church of St. Peter, Thurgarton *

St Peter's Church, Nottingham St Peter's Church, formally The Church of St Peter with St James, is an Anglican parish church in the city centre of Nottingham, England. It is part of the parish of All Saints', St Mary's and St Peter's, Nottingham. The church is Grade I lis ...

1847 *

St Lawrence's Church, Gotham St. Lawrence's Church, Gotham is a Grade I listed parish church in the Church of England in Gotham, Nottinghamshire. It is part of an informal grouping of five churches that are known collectively as "The 453 Churches" as they straddle the A ...

1848 * St James' Church, Shardlow 1852 * St Swithun's Church, Woodborough, 1854 * St Michael's Church, Sutton Bonington 1860 *

All Saints' Church, Cotgrave All Saints’ Church is a Grade I listed Church of England parish in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham in Cotgrave. History The church dates from the 12th century, and was restored between 1877 and 1878 by Evans and Jolley. An arson atta ...

1865 *

St. Stephen's Church, Sneinton St. Stephen's Church, Sneinton is a parish church in the Church of England. The church is Grade II listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as it is a building of special architectural or historic interest. The parents of D ...

, 1865 *

St James the Apostle's Church, Bonsall St James the Apostle's Church, Bonsall is a Grade II* listed parish church in the Church of England in Bonsall, Derbyshire. History The church dates from the 13th century. In time it was filled with galleries and the chancel and tower were cut o ...

1865 * St. Mary's Church, Arnold, 1867 * St Mary and All Saints' Church, Hawksworth ca. 1867 *

All Saints' Church, Collingham All Saints' Church, Collingham is a Grade I listed parish church in the Church of England in Collingham, Nottinghamshire. History The church dates from the 12th century. It is part of a group of parishes which includes * St Bartholomew's Churc ...

, 1867 *Lambert's Factory, Nottingham *

St Mary's Church, Clifton St Mary's Church is a parish church in the Church of England in Clifton, Nottinghamshire. The church is Grade I listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as a building of outstanding architectural or historic interest. H ...

All Saints' Church, Strelley All Saints' Church, Strelley is a Grade I listed parish church in the Church of England in Strelley, Nottinghamshire. History The church dates from the 13th century. It was rebuilt from 1356 by Samson de Strelley. The clerestory was added in the ...

1868 *

St Katherine's Church, Teversal The St Katherine's Church is on Buttery Lane, Teversal, Nottinghamshire, England. It is an active Church of England parish church in the deanery of Newstead, the Archdeaconry of Newark, and the Southwell and Nottingham diocese. Its benefice h ...

1876 *

Nottingham Mechanics' Institution The Nottingham Mechanics' Institution was founded in 1837 in Nottingham to improve the knowledge of working men with classes and lectures, the provision of libraries, performances of music, drama and readings, and through social contact with a g ...

1877

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bosworth, Reuben English clockmakers People from Nottingham 1790s births 1883 deaths People from South Derbyshire District Turret clock makers of the United Kingdom