Edward John Dent
Encyclopedia
Edward John Dent was a famous English watchmaker
Watchmaker
A watchmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs watches. Since virtually all watches are now factory made, most modern watchmakers solely repair watches. However, originally they were master craftsmen who built watches, including all their parts, by hand...

 noted for his highly accurate clock
Clock
A clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...

s and marine chronometer
Marine chronometer
A marine chronometer is a clock that is precise and accurate enough to be used as a portable time standard; it can therefore be used to determine longitude by means of celestial navigation...

s.

He founded the Dent
Dent (watch)
Dent was a London manufacturer of luxury clocks and watches, founded by Edward John Dent. Dent began making watches in 1814, although it wasn’t until 1876 that the Dent triangular trade mark was registered...

 company.

Early years

Edward John Dent, son of John and Elizabeth Dent, was born in London on 19 August 1790. He was baptised on 18 October 1790, at St. Clement Danes Church in the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...

. Edward had a younger brother, William (born 11 February 1792). The boys' mother, Elizabeth, died while they still young – she was buried on 16 May 1793.

Interest in watchmaking

At the age of 14, Dent became apprenticed to his grandfather, John Wright Dent, a tallow chandler. Under the terms of the indenture
Indenture
An indenture is a legal contract reflecting a debt or purchase obligation, specifically referring to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, an instrument used for commercial debt or real estate transaction.-Historical usage:An indenture is a...

 – dated 20 August 1804 – John Wright Dent was expected to find suitable lodgings for his apprentice. Fortunately, Edward John Dent's cousin, Richard Rippon, was willing to have him. Rippon was an expert watchmaker
Watchmaker
A watchmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs watches. Since virtually all watches are now factory made, most modern watchmakers solely repair watches. However, originally they were master craftsmen who built watches, including all their parts, by hand...

 and Dent became fascinated by watchmaking and less interested in the business of making and selling candle
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...

s. Indeed, Dent became so interested in the watchmaking craft that, on 13 February 1807, his grandfather agreed to transfer the remaining years of the seven year apprenticeship as a tallow chandler to Edward Gaudin, Watchmaker.

1814–1829: "The Formative Years"

In 1814, when Dent was just 24 years old, he was becoming well known as a watchmaker and clockmaker of some distinction: in this year he supplied a Standard Astronomical Clock for the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...

, and at least one pocket chronometer for the Colonial Office African Expedition. As early as 1814, Dent was making clocks and chronometer
Chronometer
Chronometer may refer to:* Chronometer watch, a watch tested and certified to meet certain precision standards* Hydrochronometer, a water clock* Marine chronometer, a timekeeper used for celestial navigation...

s on his own account, but not in sufficient quantities to earn him a satisfactory livelihood.

During 1815–29, it is believed that Dent worked for a number of well known firms. One such firm was Callum Brothers of Castle Street, Long Acre. It is almost certain Richard Rippon had worked for them, and had introduced Dent to the firm.

In 1826 Dent submitted two chronometers, Nos. 54 and 55, for trial at Greenwich. This must indicate that he had made at least 55 chronometers by 1826. His submitting chronometers for trial brought him to the notice of the authorities at Royal Observatory, Greenwich
Royal Observatory, Greenwich
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich , in London, England played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and is best known as the location of the prime meridian...

. Indeed, in 1828 Dent was employed by Royal Observatory, Greenwich
Royal Observatory, Greenwich
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich , in London, England played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and is best known as the location of the prime meridian...

 to examine and repair chronometers. His charges for repairing chronometers were as high as 25 guineas – an apparently exorbitant cost, but one that was nevertheless accepted.

In a letter to the Board of Ordnance, dated March, 1829, John Pond
John Pond
John Pond FRS was a renowned English astronomer who became the sixth Astronomer Royal, serving from 1811 to 1835.- Biography :...

 – at the time Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675; the second is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834....

 – described Dent as "among the best workmen of the present day." Dent's reputation for precision eventually brought requests from the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...

 and the East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...

. His reputation was given another boost when, in August, 1829, Dent Marine Chronometer No. 114 won the First Premium Award at the Seventh Annual Trial of Chronometers. Dent took full advantage of his win, mentioning it wherever possible in his advertisements.

1830–1840: Arnold & Dent

In 1830, Dent learned of an opening available for a skilled craftsman in the firm of John Roger Arnold of 84 Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...

. But instead of becoming an employee of the firm, Dent became a partner. The partnership was signed on 30 September 1830. The partnership suited both men. Arnold, who was 61 at the time, could still have a say in the running of the business, and could now have time to spend on his hobby, which was inventing new mechanisms of all kinds. Dent, aged 40, was in a position to advertise his ability as a technician and to use his great business sense to put his firm on to a really sound footing.

To draw attention to the firm, now known as 'Arnold & Dent', Dent arranged advertisements in The Nautical Magazine
The Nautical Magazine
The Nautical Magazine is a monthly magazine published by Brown Son & Ferguson containing articles of general interest to seafarers. The magazine was first published in 1832 and has variously been known as The Nautical magazine and naval chronicle for ... and Nautical magazine and journal of the...

. Dent also sent the results of their experiments to the editor so that they would be published in this magazine. One of the first notices – published in May, 1832 – read:


Messrs. Arnold and Dent have just completed another of those beautiful specimens of art, in the shape of a pocket chronometer, showing at once both mean and sidereal time. This is the fourth of these machines that has been made.


In an article entitled Hints on Chronometers appearing in Nautical Magazine and dated February 1833, Dent reveals that chronometer No. 633 was sent with 21 other chronometers to Captain FitzRoy on board in 1831. In fact, several of these chronometers were by Arnold and Dent. A passenger on this, The Second Voyage of HMS Beagle
Second voyage of HMS Beagle
The second voyage of HMS Beagle, from 27 December 1831 to 2 October 1836, was the second survey expedition of HMS Beagle, under captain Robert FitzRoy who had taken over command of the ship on its first voyage after her previous captain committed suicide...

, was Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...

. Indeed, Darwin's observations on that voyage led to the publication of his Origin of the Species.

The last two years of the partnership between Arnold & Dent were unhappy ones. Dent's hopes of taking over the business were frustrated, and as a result, he became exasperated. Perhaps understandable when Dent possessed an almost fanatical determination to become the best chronometer
Chronometer
Chronometer may refer to:* Chronometer watch, a watch tested and certified to meet certain precision standards* Hydrochronometer, a water clock* Marine chronometer, a timekeeper used for celestial navigation...

 maker in the world.

And so on September 30, 1840, the partnership of Arnold and Dent came to an end.

Post 1840

On the 1st October, 1840, the firm, known as E. J. Dent, London began its existence at 82 Strand.

On March 21, 1842, Dent applied for a Patent, to be entitled "Certain Improvements in Chronometers and other Timekeepers". This Patent covered various designs of compensation balance and the invention of a Remontoire
Remontoire
In mechanical horology, a remontoire, is a small secondary source of power, a weight or spring, which runs the timekeeping mechanism and is itself periodically rewound by the timepiece's main power source, such as a mainspring...

 for use in Marine chronometer
Marine chronometer
A marine chronometer is a clock that is precise and accurate enough to be used as a portable time standard; it can therefore be used to determine longitude by means of celestial navigation...

s.

In January 1843, Dent opened his second premises, at 33 Cockspur Street, just off Trafalgar Square. The shop displayed timepieces made by Breguet – whom Dent had met during his time with John Roger Arnold – as well the owner's creations.

On July 1, 1843, Edward John Dent married Elizabeth Rippon – widowed when Richard Rippon died in 1835. Dent gained two stepsons (Frederick William and Richard Edward) and two-stepdaughters (Mary Elizabeth and Amelia Lydia Sophia).

Dent won the esteem of Sir George Airy, the Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675; the second is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834....

, who recommended him as the maker of a large clock for the tower of the new Royal Exchange. Dent's tender was accepted and was announced in the ‘’Herald’’ on 20 August 1843:


NEW ROYAL EXCHANGE

At the east end there is to be a Tower, one hundred and forty feet high, containing the Clock and Chimes which latter characteristic is to be revived. This Clock is to be the best specimen that can be produced of modern skill in clock-making, and is intended to furhish the Merchants and Captains with the most accurate record of time in the City of London. It is to be made by Mr. Dent, the Clock and Chronometer Maker, under the direction of the Astronomer Royal, Professor Airy. The Peal of Bells will consist of nine Bells. The tenor will weight one ton, and the others in proportion. These Bells are now being cast by Mr. Mears, who cast the Monster Bell for Canada.


Dent established a workshop in Somerset Wharf, Strand, to produce this excellent timepiece, which was installed in 1844.

In 1852 Dent won the commission to make the great clock—now popularly called Big Ben—for the Houses of Parliament at Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...

, but he died before completing the project. Edward John Dent died on 8 March 1853, at the age of 62 and his adopted son completed the Great Clock.

The Dent company

Frederick Rippon Dent finished Big Ben in 1854. Dent's stepsons, Frederick and Richard, took his name and succeeded to his business and eventually became E.Dent & Co Ltd which ceased to trade in 1966.
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