Shropshire Star - January 2020
Tommy brings clock making back to Ellesmere
Tommy Jobson always wanted to follow in the footsteps of his family's clockmaking connections going back six generations.
He found himself work experience from school and a Saturday job involving clocks and watches then embarked on a career working with some of the top horologists in the country. Now a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers the 34-year-old horologist has returned to his home town, Ellesmere to base his own workshop in one of the town's historic buildings. Tommy, director at Horologium Precision LTD, makes and restores clocks in the former library in Scotland Street and says it is wonderful to bring clock making back to Ellesmere. "I look at buildings wherever I am and think 'that would make a great workshop' so when the library became a possibility I decided to go for it." "I used to go to the library myself and although it is sad that it had to move, I am glad that I have been able to give it a new lease of life." It was his great, great, great, grandfather, Samuel Sims, that was the first clockmaker in the family. His business ran in the town for half a century, from 1837-1887. Tommy's great grandfather was also a clock maker and for his father, Christopher, it has been his life long hobby. He still has a cabinet full of Samuel Sim' precision tools. A former schoolmaster and a local history expert, Mr Jobson said Ellesmere had a long connection with clock making including Edward Bullock in the 18th century. He said Tommy had always been interested in clocks. "When he was a Lakelands School he organised his own work experience, telling staff he wanted to be a clock maker," he said. "Then when he was 16 I bought a clock that was in little pieces and he completely rebuilt it." Tommy said he was lucky enough to get a Saturday job at Ellesmere's Sanchi's Jewellers and said the owner, Vito, encouraged him to work on the watches and clocks. "I have learnt most of my trade on the bench alongside other horologists," he said. "I have been lucky enough to work on some very prestigious clocks." Now Tommy has commissions both to build and restore clock from across the world, including America and Germany. "I do not have a shop here but people can contact me by appointment only," he said. People can also contact him through his website, horologiumprecision.co.uk, and through social media.
By Sue Austin Chief reporter of the Oswestry/Mid Wales office. Shropshire Star 28th January 2020.
