Henry Hindley

Who was Henry Hindley?

Henry Hindley was an 18th-century clockmaker, watchmaker and maker of scientific instruments. He was the inventor of a screw-cutting lathe, a fuse cutting engine and an improved wheel cutting engine amongst others. He made one of the first dividing engines, These devices are essential for the construction of accurate graduated arcs on scientific instruments.

Hindley was a Roman Catholic born in Wigan in 1701 it is not certain who he was apprenticed to he made clocks in Wigan in 1726 - 1730 and moved to Petergate York in 1731 and moved to Stonegate York in 1741 until his death in 1771, he was succeeded by his son who died in 1775 ref Loomes 'Watch and Clockmakers of the World' NAG Press London, 2006 ISBN 0-7198-0330-6.

He made turret clocks for York Minster and the Bar Convent amongst others.

He made watches in some numbers and examples exist in the Science Museum, the Victoria & Albert and the Castle Museum, York. They are of the high quality typical of all of Hindley's work.

He made bracket clocks, an example of which may be seen in York Minster.