Longcase Clock THOMAS HARDWICK of RIDGMONT, Bedfordshire ~ circa 1750 The Hardwicks of Ridgmont & Eversholt were descended from Thomas Hardwick, the baker to the Duke of Bedford. Thomas Hardwick married Ann Cook in 1745, moving to Ridgmont where their four children, including son Thomas, born 1753, were baptised between 1748 & 1756. Thomas inherited his fathers estate in 1780. The Ridgmont Inclosure Award shows that the house & workshop of Thomas Hardwick were situated on the north side of the High Street near the lane leading to Lidds Hill. After his death in 1824 the estate passed to Thomas Hardwick II who died in 1833 & with him the family business in Ridgmont came to an end, but his son William later worked as a watchmaker in Eversholt. Thomas Hardwick I was apprenticed to William Emerton of Wootton & after completing his apprenticeship returned to Ridgmont where he took William & John Whitbread as apprentices. He married Mary Norris in 1782, having 2 children. His wife died in child birth in 1785. Thomas married his second wife, Sarah Pearce in 1791 & they had two further children including Thomas Hardwick II who continued in the family business. The 12" arch brass dial is of excellent quality having the luxury feature of a strike / silent lever in the arch. The silvered chapter ring encircles the nicely engraved & signed dial centre with subsidiary seconds dial & wide semi-circular date aperture. Complimented by very finely detailed scrolling foliate spandrels. The original 8 day duration, 2 train movement is of the excellent hand made quality one would expect of this maker & period. The plated 5 pillar rack striking movement sounds the hours on a bell. Rich patination & good dark colour are to be seen in the elegant oak case. The style is typical of this date & area with London influences, with a pagoda hood, moulded frieze & integral pillars, arched long trunk door with ovolo moulded edge mirroring the hood door for symmetry, standing on a plain base & flat moulded plinth. Of slender proportions & standing 85" tall excluding the brass finials.
An archetypal fine quality Georgian brass dial oak longcase clock from a good family of clock makers with interesting historical links. Local delivery, setting up and 12 months guarantee on the clock movement is included in the price of £6850.

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Antique Furniture ~ Clocks ~ Paintings
Oaktree Antiques • The Drapers House • Main Street • Lubenham
Market Harborough • Leicestershire • LE16 9TF • England
Open 10am ~ 6pm • Wednesday ~ Sunday
01858 410041
www.oaktreeantiques.co.uk