Clock this display, it's not a wind-up

10:19am Tuesday 19th June 2001

A RARE display devoted to the man who solved the problem of keeping accurate time at sea is running at the Royal Observatory.

The permanent display for Yorkshire clockmaker John Harrison at the Greenwich attraction has received a boost from the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers who have loaned some special items.

The earliest surviving timepiece, a wooden longcase clock movement, signed and dated 1713 and marine timekeeper H5 will be on display until October 14.

Timekeeper H5 was sent by Harrison to King George III's private observatory in a bid to convince the King he had had solved the problem with H4.

The King stated Harrison had been “cruelly wronged” by the Board of Longitude, which had refused to give him the prize he deserved. And Harrison finally received the full £20,000 prize money shortly before he died in 1776.

H5 will be displayed alongside K1, a copy of Harrison's watch, which Captain Cook took to the South Seas and called “my trusty friend, the watch”.

Admission is free for children and senior citizens and £6 for adults, for more information, call 020 8312 6575.

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