John Alker
John Alker | |
|---|---|
 Alker of Wigan clock c.1794 | |
| Born | 15 April 1775 Wigan, Lancashire |
| Died | July 1850 Wigan, Lancashire |
| Occupation | Clock and watch maker |
| Years active | 1794-1832 |
John Alker (1775[1]–1850[2]), or simply Alker of Wigan, was a renowned long case clock and pocket watch maker and member of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers[3] active in Wigan, Lancashire.[4]
Life and Career
John Alker, son of James Alker, was baptised on the 15th of April 1775 at All Saints' Church, Wigan.[1] He was first recorded as a clockmaker in his marriage to Margaret Hickman in 1794.[5] John and Margaret would go on to have six children together, with several also becoming reputed clock and watch makers, before her death of consumption in 1808.[6]
From their storefront on Market Place in central Wigan, John and his family would craft intricate longcase clocks for use in the home and large turret clocks for public spaces.[7][8] In 1813 he installed one such turret clock at St Wilfrid's Church in Ribchester.[9]
John was described as having a preference for the newer fashions of his time, as shown through his use of painted dials.[10] A number of his clocks survive, and frequently present features of special interest.[11] One of his longcase clocks, dated to around 1830, was featured on Antiques Roadshow and valued between £7,000 and £10,000.
John passed away at his home in Scholes and was buried on the 14th July 1850 at All Saints' Church, Wigan.[2]
Legacy
John Alker began a legacy of clock and watch manufacturing within his family, spanning over 100 years. The original storefront in Wigan was in operation from at least 1794[5] to 1860,[12] being run by John and subsequently his sons and extended family. Eventually expanding to a second store in Chorley that was active until the late 1800's.[13]
- Thomas Alker (1794[14] - 1847[15]) Son of John Alker. Clockmaker in Wigan.[4]
- Nicholas Alker (1803[16] - 1871) Son of John Alker. Watchmaker in Wigan and Chorley.[17][4]
- James Alker (1818[18] - 1889[19]) Son of Thomas Alker. Clockmaker in Wigan and Chorley.[4]
- John Alker (1819 - 1859[20]) Son of Thomas Alker. Clockmaker in Wigan.[4]
- Nicholas Alker (b. 1828[21]) Son of Thomas Alker. Watch finisher in Chorley.[22]
Gallery
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Dial and hood of clock by John Alker, c.1794. -
Mahogany longcase clock by John Alker, early 1800's. -
Example of John Alker's use of painted dials. -
Signed John Alker pocket watch, early 1800's.
References
- ^ a b Wigan Baptisms Register 1754-1778. 15 April 1775. p. 192.
- ^ a b Wigan, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1979. 14 July 1850. p. 198.
- ^ Hawkes, Arthur J (1950). The Clockmakers & Watchmakers of Wigan (1650-1850). pp. 69–72.
- ^ a b c d e Davies, Edmund (25 January 2007). Greater Manchester Clocks and Clockmakers. Mayfield Books.
- ^ a b Wigan Marriage Registers 1787-1799. Wigan Archives. 21 April 1794. pp. 141, Entry 566.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Wigan Burials 1779-1809. Wigan Archives. 9 December 1808. pp. 461, Entry 7.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Wigan Election Poll Book. Lancashire Archives. 1832.
- ^ Pigot's Directory. 1832. pp. Watch and Clock Makers.
- ^ The History of the Parish of Ribchester in the County of Lancaster. Lancashire Archives. 1890. pp. Chapter 103.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Hawkes, Arthur J. (1950). The Clockmakers & Watchmakers of Wigan (1650-1850). p. 70.
- ^ Hawkes, Arthur J. (1950). The Clockmakers & Watchmakers of Wigan (1650-1850). p. 82.
- ^ "The Oldest Establishment in the Neighborhood". Wigan Observer and District Advertiser. 7 December 1860. p. 4.
- ^ "Partnerships Dissolved". Morning Herald (London). 16 December 1857. p. 3.
- ^ Wigan Baptisms 1779-1799. Wigan Archives. 2 November 1794. p. 365.
- ^ Wigan Burials 1847-1848. 26 December 1847. pp. 55, Entry 436.
- ^ Wigan Baptisms Register 1799-1812. 21 August 1803. p. 121.
- ^ "Serious Charges Against a Chorley Pawn-Broker and Another". Preston Herald. 30 January 1864. p. 12.
- ^ Wigan Baptisms 1799-1812. Wigan Archives. 3 May 1807. p. 236.
- ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915. 26 December 1889. p. 383.
- ^ Wigan Burials Register 1858-1867. 7 April 1859. pp. 46, Entry 367.
- ^ Wigan Baptisms Register 1830-1833. 1 November 1830. pp. 12, Entry 94.
- ^ "England Census, Lancashire, Chorley, District 22". Ancestry.com. 1901.
External links
Media related to John Alker at Wikimedia Commons