Ruth's Blog

When you come into the Panorama Gallery and look to your left there is a welcome addition: an attractive longcase (i.e. “grandfather”) clock made in Louth. It tells us the time and date, and it chimes.

The clock was made in the nineteenth century by watchmaker and silversmith John P Pearson (b 1797) who had premises in the Cornmarket near the Mason’s Arms. His obituary in the Stamford Mercury newspaper of 13th February 1880 reads, “An old resident of Louth passed away, in his 83rd year, on Sunday last, viz, John Pearson, who for many years was a jeweller and watchmaker in the Market place. Mr Pearson had been connected with the Methodist denominations for over 60 years, and was highly respected. His death was the result of bronchitis.”

The clock belonged to the donor’s grandfather William Harold Burditt (b 1887) who was a photographer. William’s early life was in Louth where his father Thomas Henry Burditt (b 1843) had his printing shop at No 2 Mercer Row - this was located at the extreme end of the road, just west of what is now Co-Jo’s.

We are very grateful to donor Matthew Thomas, to horologist Andy Doe for restoring the clock mechanism, and to Geoff Hill for restoring the woodwork.