British Horological Institute

It was founded by a group of clockmakers in 1858, and has its current premises at Upton Hall in Nottinghamshire, which includes a museum of clock history.

Their aim was to unify the British horological industry and trades in the face of large numbers of imports of clocks and watches from abroad.

The institute was an immediate success and within a year it had founded its own museum and library; it also began to offer evening classes in clock- and watch-making.

It also maintains a list of members[3] whom it considers sufficiently qualified to repair clocks and watches, and who adhere to a strict code of practice.

It is open to researchers by appointment, and its holding includes a number of rare documents, papers, letters and books, particularly dealing with the high points of British horology in the 18th and early 19th century, but its catalogue contains comparatively few titles published in the last several decades.