The Cheltenham Branch June 2025 Summer Outing, took a party of Cheltenham and former Oxford Branch members to London, visiting two important horological collections. The party met for coffee in the Science Museum and were given a private tour of the Clockmakers Collection by Andrew Canter, the Collections Chair. Andrew used examples from the collection to illustrate the early development of horology in Europe with renaissance pieces from Augsberg, then through the English golden age via Tompion, Harrison and Vulliamy and into the C20th with the George Daniels Space Traveller watch. On the way, Andrew highlighted some of the Worshipful Company’s history via the provenance of the items in the collection.

After lunch at the Science Museum, members progressed to the British Museum where Oliver Cooke, Curator of Horology gave a private tour of the Sir Harry and Lady Djanogly Gallery. Highlights included a hands-on demonstration of the carillon and automata of the 1589 Habrecht clock, and the Edward East longcase night-clock. Interesting also was the explanation of the inherent unreliability of one of the earliest original Congreve rolling ball clocks.
Members are especially grateful to Andrew and Oliver for sharing their insights with the group and making the branch summer outing an event to remember.