Platform Escapement Course at Upton Hall Part 1

As part of the George Daniels Education Trust, students on our course were offered a place on 'Service and Repair of Platform Escapements' with Paul Shrouder FBHI (http://bhi.co.uk/courses). Me and one other student, Stuart Andrews, attended the first weekend at Upton Hall, the home of the BHI.

Enamelling

As part of the 'Manufacturing and Finishing Techniques' module, the second years had the first of three sessions on enamelling, which will culminate in an enamelled dial for their mini clock.

Whitehurst of Derby Hook and Spike Alarm Clock

I was given this clock by an old neighbour of mine whom I have known all my life and so was very happy to be able to help when he mentioned he had a clock that needed repair. The clock and a matching one had been given to his mother and her sister in 1922 as wedding presents, as they wed around the same time, but it had been sitting in a box for 30 years after a move and was extremely dusty.

19th Century Pocket Watch

So I received this 19th century verge escapement pocket watch from my dad, his father bought him it as a present around 40/45 years ago and he hadn't wound it in many many years, unfortunately over the years the case went missing then over Christmas he gave it to me to have a play with as I found it really interesting and see if I could even do anything to fix it! 

Support from LVMH

Good news for the course, as LVMH, the brand known for Tag Heuer, has agreed a partnership with the BA Horology course at BCU. It will allow students to take part in a summer placement giving them "practical experience of working in a commercial watch environment and the chance to build up technical skills outside of the classroom"

The year so far

As we begin the second week of the second term of our 2013/14 year, now is a good time to give a brief overview of the year so far. We currently have 20 students on the degree program, with 7 in first year, and 13 in second year, and they all have been very busy in the first ten weeks!

Welcome to the BA Horology Blog!

Almost  two years ago Birmingham City University finalised the conversion of its Horology course from an HND based largely on the BHI Distance Learning Course to an Honours Degree. In this period some major advances have taken place. Students and external examiners are noticing the changes in academic style.

                                                                                                                                    

The new degree promotes a culture of self directed study. Research sits alongside analysis and evaluation, but we also endorse the traditional route...  repetition of rigorous practical tasks. Our objective is to encourage personal development; the undergraduates are developing new employability and life skills which will enhance their future prospects.

We are inspired by the many blogs and web sites that we have seen from the world of watches, clocks and other horological subjects such as Astronomy, Physics, Engineering as well as the philosophical debates upon the meaning of time itself. 

The students now think it is time to let that world see some of the excellent work that they are doing.

I wholeheartedly agree with them!

Jon Parker MEd

BA Horology Lecturer