Discovered in Southern Tasmania in 2019, this is one of the earliest known Australian Colonial Constructed Long Case Clocks with a Tasmanian provenance. Made from beautifully grained cedar, the case contains an early 19th century movement, white enamel dial and painted pendulum, all typical of examples found in provincial areas of Scotland around 1820–1830.
The Family Provenance of ownership can be dated with certainty back to the late 19th century or early 20th century when it stood at Barton Vale in West Hobart, the residence of Joseph Bidencope. It was purchased directly from one of his descendants.1
Joseph Bidencope was a highly regarded businessman who was born in Poland in 1837 and emigrated to Hobart Town in February 1858. He was initially employed as a tailor by Henry Cook but soon opened his own business in Collins Street. By 1862 the firm of Bidencopes had become a well-known fashion house that amongst its stock supplied military uniforms and in 1869, hats. Their hats would gain medals and awards for samples sent to exhibitions in Philadelphia in 1876 and Sydney in 1877.2
In 1874, Bidencope purchased Barton Vale, Salvator Road in what is now West Hobart. The garden became a show piece and was visited by many prominent citizens of Hobart.
It was at this home that the longcase clock resided.
Bidencopes continued to prosper, gaining Government Contracts for Military, Police, Tramway workers and miners.
Joseph Bidencope died on the 19th February, 1915.
So Where Could the Clock Have Come From Prior to Bidencope Owning It?
While it’s not yet known who constructed the cedar case, there were certainly local Hobart cabinet and furniture makers capable of producing one of this quality in the 1830s.
A likely candidate for supplying the clock movement, dial and painted pendulum housed inside the cedar case, is David Barclay.
Barclay, a native of Montrose Scotland, arrived in Tasmania in 1830.
Within a very short period of time he was advertising in the local newspaper.
His advertisement in The Colonial Times 12 November 1830 read:
“Watch & Chronometer Maker, Elizabeth Street, next door to Mr G Langford’s.
David Barclay, from Mr Murray’s, Watch and Chronometer Maker, Cornhill, London, having arrived in this colony by the Brig Resource, with the intention of establishing himself in the above line, begs to solicit a share of the public favor. The strongest testimonials as to character and abilities can be produced from the most respectable people in the trade in London; in addition to which, D.B. begs to offer as references, the following Gentlemen:—
A Moodie, Esq., Commissary,
W A Bethune, Esq., and
W Walkingshaw, Esq.
N.B. — The clocks and watches which D.B. has on hand, he can confidently recommend as being of a very superior description. Nov. 11, 1830.”
Evidently, from the start, Barclay had a supply of clocks and watches he’d brought with him when he emigrated from the UK.
As a newly arrived free man he would had access to local merchants, including cabinet makers and furniture manufacturers. It is more than likely that choosing a case for the movement and dial, he would have been strongly influenced by styles he was familiar with in and around Montrose, prior to emigrating from Scotland.
The clock’s cedar case bears remarkable similarities to provincial Regency Scottish cases from the Montrose and Perth areas, apparent in the recessed door and lower panels, quarter pillar columns, moulded and shaped pediment and finely worked bracket shaped foot.
The use of wide grain single boards of cedar though out the construction of the case and the simple unadorned “Georgian” style supports a date 1830s.
A very similar clock of Scottish Origins was sold by Bonhams in The Scottish Sale in Edinburgh on the 25th August, 2005. It is pictured below next to The “Bidencope Clock”.
The similarities mentioned above are quite evident.
The clock has been professionally inspected and the movement, enamel dial, two subsidiary dials and the painted pendulum are confirmed to be typical of Provincial Scottish Clocks of the early 19th century, circa 1820–1830.3
The Barclay — Golding — Nielson Connection
The case for Barclay as the supplier of the workings and manufacture of the clock case is further strengthened by the connection to his apprentice William Henry Golding and then to the watchmaker and jeweller, Olaf Nielson, his now scratched out and barely legible name, along with Hobart, appearing on the painted dial.
Golding was apprenticed to Barclay, for whom he worked for a period of 15 years. In 1875 Golding started went into business for himself, purchasing Edward Prescott’s watchmakers and jewellers at 52 Murray Street Hobart. In 1878 Golding purchased Barclay’s stock.4
Barclay advertised…
“I beg to inform my friends, and the Public, that I have Disposed of the Goodwill of my business and the whole of My Stock to Mr William Golding, who was in my employ for fifteen years. From my long knowledge of Mr Golding, I can confidently recommend for him a continuance of the support so long accorded to me.”5
Olaf Nielson arrived in Tasmania in the late 1880s where he gained work with William Golding for two years. He left Golding and by 1888 he was advertising in his own right at 80 Collins Street, Hobart, opposite The Ship Hotel.6
Could it be that Nielson purchased the clock from Golding who had previously bought it from Barclay in 1878?
Given Barclay’s Montrose origins and his connections to Golding and Golding’s connection to Nielson, it is highly plausible that the clock case was made locally to house the Scottish movement, dial and pendulum, where it remained in Hobart, Tasmania its whole life.
The clock was undoubtedly in Nielson’s possession and may have been his shop regulator, hence his name being later painted onto the earlier dial. As to why his name was scratched out, we can only speculate.
Without doubt the clock was obtained by Joseph Bidencope between 1890 and his passing in 1915.
It is likely that Bidencope knew Nielson as both were businessmen in Hobart. It is quite plausible that he purchased the clock directly from him.
The clock case retains its original patination and other than some minor repairs to the bracket foot, where it has been worn down over time, appears to be in remarkable original condition.
Provenance
Bidencope Family
By descent from Joseph Bidencope 1837–1915.
Provenance Trail
The clock was owned by Joseph Bidencope and was passed down the family line to his great great grand daughter, Kadie Pretyman.
Joseph Bidencope married Emily Maggs in 1894 in Melbourne, it was his second marriage after his first wife Emma Jane Booker in 1892.
Emma gave birth to four children, the second child, Kathleen Mary, born 16th October 1896.
Kathleen married Ernest Roy (or Ray) Pretyman. She had a son, Cedric John Pretyman.
Cedric had a son John Pretyman
thence to his daughter Kadie Pretyman.7
15/10/2019 – Purchased from Kadie Pretyman.