John Cronin
Horological craftsman and marine chronometer specialist, John Cronin, studied Horology at Bradford Technical College in the 1960s.
John attended Bradford Technical College two
days per week as an apprentice watchmaker at
Fillans & Sons in Huddersfield.
“I attended the old Horology course in the
early 60s. This was a day release course for
apprentice watchmakers linked to the British
Horological Institute. We had a suite of rooms
high up in an old Victorian building up lots of
rickety stairs. Mr Schofield, who was a craftsman
of the old school, was in charge.
I remember a trip round the Town Hall clock one
afternoon which mysteriously stopped shortly
after our visit! Nothing to do with us - Honest!”
John was a top student and he was awarded
a gold medal from the College and a British
Horological Institute prize for the national
exams. He was elected to Fellowship of the
Institute at the youngest possible age of 21.
“After finishing my apprenticeship I spent some
time in the trade ending up as a shop manager
in Cambridge, where I decided to take a history
degree and went into teaching. After 25 years
at the chalk face I took early retirement 5
years ago and went back to my old trade as a
watchmaker. I now have a business dealing in
watches and marine chronometers.
It just goes to show that skills learned are
rarely wasted. Watchmakers left the trade in
droves after the introduction of cheap quartz
timepieces, but now the few skilled craftsmen
left are in great demand.”
John was winner of the 1994 Artist Craftsman
competition of the Worshipful Company of
Clockmakers. More recently he has become
involved with the Institute of Conservation
(ICON), who are working to reorganise and
gather together all the various conservation
professionals engaged in museum
conservation and restoration work.
John is
one of 10 horological conservators who have
gained the new accredited conservator/restorer
qualification. He has been appointed as one
of the assessors who take part in the vetting
and assessing of conservators applying to join
the scheme, which is now a requirement for
any conservator working for publicly funded
organisations such as museums and the
National Trust.
Photograph supplied by John Cronin