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Ref: CK-44 Longcase Clock

Clockmaker/By : Lot Barwise of Cockermouth.

Duration: 8 Day

Circa : 1760 (No.50)

Height : 84 inches.

Case :
Oak with boxwood feather inlay to hood door and to trunk door.
Turned brass capped pillars to hood and quarter pillars to trunk.
Dentil moulding and fretwork to hood, with shaped splats to rear of hood.
Long trunk door with wavy top and broad mahogany cross banding.
Canted mahogany sides to base and bracket feet.
Width at widest point 23.75 ins (hood).

Dial :
12" square brass dial with brass Indian head style spandrels.
Silvered Chapter ring with large half hour markers and quarter hour indicators.
Matted dial centre with ringed winding holes silvered second chapter ring and cartouche ' Barwise Cockermouth' above salt box calendar aperture.
Matching steel hour and minute hands.
Roman numerals.
Engraved on front plate behind dial -' LB B No. 50'.

Maker :
Clock making in Cockermouth was dominated by a few families and above all the Barwise - Mitchell - Metcalf family.

Lot's name does not appear to have been a shortened version of Lancelot. He was baptised Lot and died Lot and all known references to him are as Lot. He was out of apprenticeship in 1747.

Lot Barwise was born in 1726 in Oulton (Cumberland), married Sarah Hodgson in 1747 at Wigton and shortly after moved to Cockermouth, where he died in 1799. The Cumberland Pacquet of 19 November 1799 records his death : 'Thursday last at Cockermouth in an advanced age Mr Lot Barwise, many years an eminent clockmaker in that place'

On Lot's death the clock making business was carried on by his daughter Mary who was born in 1750 and married Robert Mitchell in 1774. Her son, Barwise Mitchell joined her in the business and gradually took over. Mary died in January 1817 and the Carlisle Patriot gave her a fulsome obituary:

"At Cockermouth aged 67, Mrs Mary Mitchell, clockmaker. From the operative labours of a mechanical profession in which she was acknowledged a skilful artist, and by which she long supported her family with reputation, this truly valuable women reserved a sufficient portion of her time for the faithful discharge of an arduous train of domestic duties".

Guarantee : 12 months.