• Comprehensive detailed history
• Extensively illustrated
• New previously unpublished material
• Appeals to the specialist and the general reader
• Full technical descriptions of the clock and bells
This book covers the history of 'Big Ben', the great clock and bells at Westminster, from
the origins of Westminster as the seat of government right up to the celebrations of the
Great Clock's 150th anniversary in 2009.
The book begins by taking the reader through a typical visit to the Clock Tower, and then
begins the history of the palace of Westminster, covering the fire of 1834, the building of
the New Houses of Parliament and development of the clock and the bells, going into detail
on their design and installation. The book covers the famous cracking of the current bell
Big Ben in 1859, with sketches of all the characters involved, the two world wars, and
the disaster of 1976. The book ends with a detailed technical description of the clock mechanism.
The book is richly illustrated, and will appeal not only to clockmakers and horologists, but
to bell enthusiasts, and those with an interest in our rich Victorian heritage.
Readership: Historical horologists, practical horologists, bell historians, bell ringers, tourists,
the technically-minded public, historians of Victoriana.
296 pages | 260 b/w halftones, plus 8pp colour plate section | 246x189mm
978-0-19-958569-4 | Hardback | 27 May 2010
Updating
page content...