by James Wisdom

from Brentford & Chiswick Local History Journal 3 (1982)

In 1755 the Brentford clockmaker, John Jullion, built a clock for the tower of Brentford’s Market House. The Market House was demolished in 1849 and the clock was transferred to the new Town Hall that was built on the site. When this building was reconstructed in 1950 (it was by then the Magistrates’ Court) the clock was retained, and it can still be seen from the High Street.

The trouble was someone had to climb up and wind it, so in recent years it was only accurate twice a day! The Brentford Chamber of Commerce investigated the cost of having it adapted with an automatic winding mechanism by an antique clock restorer, Mr V W Adams, and then organised the raising of the £1,000 that was needed. So from 1.00 pm on Thursday 15 July 1982 the Jullion clock has been accurate all day.

The members of the Brentford Chamber of Commerce deserve our thanks for their initiative.