Patrick Comerford
The ‘house warmer’ hosted by Lichfield Discovered in the Old Grammar School, Saint John Street, last week was a joyful celebration and was an opportunity to meet many old friends. But it was also an opportunity to visit the premises of Lichfield District Council, and to see many of the historic exhibits on display.
One of the (literally) striking exhibits is labelled as a ‘Golden Clock for a Great Exhibition’. The Cathedral Clock is a cased striking clock made in the style of Lichfield Cathedral by Charles Thorneloe (1805-1885) of Tamworth Street and later of Bore Street for the Great Exhibition in London in 1851.
The Victorian clock is a reminder of the artistic craft work in Lichfield almost 200 years ago. It was described in the exhibition catalogue as a ‘Gothic Skeleton Clock which strikes quarters and goes 32 days. Lichfield Cathedral.’
The Great Exhibition in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park attracted 13,000 exhibitors from around the world. It was a celebration of Victorian progress and invention, showcasing the finest technologies from around the world, and was divided into over 30 different classes of objects, ranging from mining and minerals to the latest weaponry.
Charles Thorneloe was exhibitor number 43 among the 739 exhibitors who made up Class 10, Philosophical, Musical, Horological, and Surgical Instruments. He was a well-respected clockmaker and watchmaker based at Tamworth Street and later on Bore Street. His ornate striking clock at the Great Exhibition was designed in the shape of Lichfield Cathedral and displayed his skills as both a metal worker and a clockmaker.
There are records of watchmakers working in Lichfield since at least in 1741, and by 1818 there were five watch and clockmakers, including William Vale in Bore Street, still working in 1841. Edmund Vale was a brass founder employing 15 men and five boys in 1861 and was one of five clockmakers in Lichfield in 1864.
The Thorneloe family in Lichfield can be traced for more 300 years back to Richard Thorneloe and his wife Mary Bell. They had moved from Lancashire by 1705, when their first son, Richard Thorneloe (1705-1749), the ancestor of this family, was born in Lichfield.
Richard Thorneloe’s son, William Thorneloe (1733-1810), was born in Lichfield in 1733 and married Mary Bailes in Saint Michael’s Church, Lichfield, in 1770. Their son, Thomas Thorneloe (1771-1846), was born in Lichfield in 1771. He married Ann Knight (1769-1827) in Coventry in 1797, and they were the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters, including Charles Thorneloe, who was born in Lichfield in September 1805 and was baptised in Saint Chad’s Church on 8 October 1805.
Charles Thorneloe married Sarah Saunders (1797-1861) in Saint Mary’s Church, Lichfield, on 15 September 1831. By 1834, he was in business as a brass founder and clockmaker in Tamworth Street. He designed and manufactured clocks for over 30 years, and also served as a mentor to clockmakers.
After displaying his skills to the world at the Crystal Palace, Thorneloe returned to Lichfield with his clock. He continued to work at Tamworth Street as a clockmaker and watchmaker, but later moved the business to 25 Bore Street. He was the Mayor of Lichfield in 1861, the year his wife Sarah died.
Charles Thorneloe died on 21 December 1885. Although his siblings had children, whose descendants continued to live in Lichfield in the 20th century, Charles had no children. His business was taken over by John Salloway, who had worked as an apprentice clockmaker to Thorneloe in Tamworth Street from 1861.
John Salloway died in 1900, leaving the business to his brother William Salloway and wife Harriet Salloway. Harriet continued to run the shop and shifted the focus to jewellery and silver. Following a distinguished military career, William’s son, Frank Salloway took over the business in 1922 and eventually passed the baton on to his son John Salloway.
John and Mary Salloway were the parents of Nigel Salloway, who joined the company full time in 1984 and became the fourth generation of the family to run the firm. Salloways traded as a family-run business in Lichfield until 2018, when plans were announced to close shop.
When Nigel Salloway decided to retire, he told the local media that none of his three children wanted to take over the business. ‘Salloway has been a part of my life, man and boy. It’s going to be a very sad day when we finally close the doors,’ he said at the time.’
Meanwhile, Thorneloe’s striking clock designed in the shape of Lichfield Cathedral for the Great Exhibition was acquired by Lichfield District Council in 1983, and was put on display in the District Council House. It continues to impress people to this day, and it is a reminder of one of Lichfield’s finest craftsmen.
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