George and John Bishop Redmile Longcase Clockmakers

George Bishop moved to Redmile in 1762 with his wife Mary. The Parish Register records the baptism of nine children, seven girls and finally two boys. John, the penultimate child followed his father's trade recorded at their deaths in the register as clockmaker. George died in 1805 at the age of 72. John died soon after in 1809 at the age of 34.

More tangible evidence of their presence is the distinctive brass or silvered dial grandfather, or longcase, clocks made in Redmile. Most of the brass dial clocks are engraved George Bishop (in script) and REDMILE (in bold block upper case). There are also painted, or white dial clocks. Known examples of the latter record simply, Bishop or specifically John Bishop. Twenty four Bishop clocks have now been discovered, pictured top left is a plain cased 30 hour brass dial clock engraved Bishop REDMILE. Centre is a white dial clock in the Newarke Houses collection at Leicester. Bishop Redmile confirms a later clock in line with the change of style from engraved to painted dials. The clock on the right has the less familiar round dial and case aperture. Below is detail of a typical George Bishop dial, the spandrels suggest it was made around 1770.

If you have a clock by either George or John Bishop we would be pleased to hear from you. Equally if you have family connections with the Bishops of Redmile or Asfordby please contact us at 1, Main Street, Redmile, Nottingham NG13 0GA. We are already aware of a descendant from George and Mary's youngest daughter who married Robert Newcomb of Redmile in 1797.

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