Sunil breathes new life into clocks and watches at Spalding Gentlemen’s Society

Although a broken clock is right twice a day, that’s not enough for talented horologist Sunil Silva, a member of Grantham’s Doric Lodge.

He has embarked on a long-term project to work on a collection of clocks and watches held by Spalding’s Gentlemen’s Society, a hidden gem that’s home to a treasure trove of historical artefacts and collections.

Sunil is one of the country’s finest and most experienced horologists, and a member of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. Having visited the Gentlemen’s Society he volunteered to repair the timepieces, which delighted Trustee Graham Dayes, a member of Hereward Lodge in Bourne. He said: “We are thrilled to have Sunil on board. Having witnessed his skills and experience, I am gobsmacked at his abilities to make these old clocks work and chime – something we have never heard.

“I am convinced that our founder would be thrilled to know that a Freemason and expert in the field of horology is volunteering to repair those timepieces, some of which are centuries old.”

The Society was founded in 1710 by Maurice Johnson, whose family lived in Ayscoughee Hall in Spalding. He was a lawyer in London and enjoyed the ‘coffee house’ culture of the day. When he had to return to live in Spalding due his father’s illness, he wished to continue this culture of discussing books, science, and philosophy of the day, and made that possible by working with his friends.

Johnson mixed with influential figures of the time who became members of the Society, among whom were several Freemasons and members of the Royal Society.

Johnson helped Dr William Stukeley, an active Freemason and founder of a Lodge in Grantham as early as 1726, to re-establish the Society of Antiquaries.

The constitutions of all these societies are very similar, in that members should be of mature years and in good standing in the community, and neither politics nor religion should be discussed at meetings, with membership accepted only by proposal and by ballot.

In the early years of the Society 26 of its members were influential Freemasons, including Dr John Theophilis Desaguliers, (a member of the Royal Society and Issac Newton’s Secretary), who was Grand Master in 1719 and Deputy Grand Master in 1722 and 1726;  Francis Scott, 2nd Duke of Buccleuch, Grand Master in 1723; Martin Folkes, Deputy Grand Master in 1724;  Henry Hare, Lord Coleraine, Grand Master in 1727; Peregrine Bertie, Duke of Ancaster; Dr Stukeley, and Alexander Pope.

Sir Issac Newton, a member of the Society and President of the Royal Society, was not a Freemason but is believed to have been influential in the forming of the Grand Lodge of London. He was also a close friend of Pope.

Sunil with SGS Trustee Graham Dayes. Pictures by Ralf Galloway.

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