Inventor, Clockmaker. He was born to Quaker parents in Cumberland, England and, by 1688, was apprenticed to London clockmaker Thomas Aske. He was accepted into the Clockmakers' Company in 1695. He was credited with inventing several design improvements to the pendulum clock inventing the mercury pendulum and also the orrery. He was made Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in 1722. During noted clockmaker Thomas Tompion's last years, Graham become his pupil and later a partner. He married Tompion's niece Elizabeth. After Tompion's death, he successfully continued with his business making the most accurate astronomical instruments yet seen in Europe among many other inventions. The deadbeat escapement is often erroneously credited to him since he introduced it around 1715 in his precision regulator clocks. However it was actually invented around 1675 by astronomer Richard Towneley. He was buried in the same tomb as his friend and mentor Tompion.
Inventor, Clockmaker. He was born to Quaker parents in Cumberland, England and, by 1688, was apprenticed to London clockmaker Thomas Aske. He was accepted into the Clockmakers' Company in 1695. He was credited with inventing several design improvements to the pendulum clock inventing the mercury pendulum and also the orrery. He was made Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in 1722. During noted clockmaker Thomas Tompion's last years, Graham become his pupil and later a partner. He married Tompion's niece Elizabeth. After Tompion's death, he successfully continued with his business making the most accurate astronomical instruments yet seen in Europe among many other inventions. The deadbeat escapement is often erroneously credited to him since he introduced it around 1715 in his precision regulator clocks. However it was actually invented around 1675 by astronomer Richard Towneley. He was buried in the same tomb as his friend and mentor Tompion.
Bio by: Linda Davis
Advertisement
