Antique clock repairer prepares to wind back 200 timepieces

By Elizabeth Hunter

One of Britain's last antique clock repairers is preparing to wind back his collection of 200 timepieces.

Master clockmaker and restorer Grant Lees specializes in repairing, conserving and winding historic clocks.

He is now preparing for his busiest day of the year with daylight saving time moving clocks back an hour on Sunday morning.

Grant, from Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, developed a fascination with clocks when he was just 10.

Over the last 50 years, he has built up a huge collection of over 200 clocks, many of them grandfather clocks, spanning from the 17th to 20th century.

They have a permanent home in his workshop, ranging in size, many of which will need to be manually adjusted ahead of this weekend's time change.

Some of Grant's 18th-century grandfather clocks can be adjusted by simply stopping the clock for an hour and restarting it, while others permanently remain at the wrong time to avoid risking damage due to their age.

He said: "Clocks have been a fascination for me since I was about 10.

"The collection I have now has gotten a bit out of hand.

"I was always interested - the way they move, the noise they made - it became an obsession.

"My work is mainly in mechanical clocks, mainly 18th- and 19th-century clocks.

"Things that were made by hand, not in a factory."

Grant's extensive knowledge has led people from all over the world to seek him out to restore and repair antiques of all ages.

Currently, the oldest clock in his collection dates back to 1649, and was constructed in London by clockmaker Richard Ames.

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"I travel all over the south of Scotland and north of England, and I've had work from Trinidad, America, London and the Scottish islands," said Grant.

"I've had people at the door from all over the place.

"I'm mostly interested in Scottish clock, most of my collection is Scottish, but I do have English, French, American and German.

"One of the oldest clocks I've worked on was made by Richard Ames, in London, who was an apprentice in 1649 - he would have been about 15.

"He became a master clockmaker seven years later, and was in business until 1790.

"It was in a box, in bits, for the last 20 years.

"The owner brought it up to me from Carlisle, hoping I could put it back together."

Despite his experience, Grant worries for the future of his craft - as he has tried many a time to take on an apprentice, but says he is yet to meet a young person with his love for the job.

"There are very few of us left doing this job," Grant said.

"When I started in the '70s, there were no apprenticeships - so I never served as an apprentice.

"Over the years, I've tried to get kids interested, but they haven't been interested in the work to the extent I have.

"When I go, there's nobody to take on the skills that I've learnt over the years."

This has brought on concerns over the fate of his collection over the next few decades - as whoever takes on the clocks will need to ensure they have the appropriate care to keep them running.

"There's obviously a demand for it - and that will continue, I'm sure.

"I'd like to leave my own collection somewhere so they can be exhibited - but who will maintain them?"