UK-To most people this year's big anniversary is, quite rightly, the centenary of the commencement of hostilities in the Great War. To maritime historians however there is a clear rival with the tercentenary of the Longitude Act 1714, a chapter in history that arguably produced a result even more influential in historical terms than the horrific slaughter which began two hundred years later. Now one of the most exciting collections of clocks ever amassed is going on show at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London to celebrate the event.
The display, titled , will be bringing together a wide range of timepieces to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Longitude Act 1714. The exhibition tells the fascinating story of the race to calculate longitude position at sea, solving the problem of navigation and saving sailors from the fate of shipwrecks and starvation. The noted inventor and avid horologist OBE is delighted to be contributing some of his extensive clock collection as part of this unique exhibition.
The gallery will in part be paying tribute to John Harrison, the man who won the first Longitude Prize in 1714, earning £20,000 for his work in making navigation at sea far more accurate using time and, thanks to Dr Taylor providing his clocks to the exhibition, all of Harrison’s timepieces that are known to exist will be together in the same place for the first time ever at the exhibition which will run until Sunday 5 January 2015.