The Washington herald., 1909-04-18
OFFICIAL TTNEKEEPER
Woman Holds Place-CariOus BuSI
ness Sfarfed Serent,- Years A


ness started Seventy Years Ago.
I OF the many unusual occunarfors fol-
lowed by women. probably the most cur
] ious, and by no means the least interest
ing is that OF the Official tirnekeeDe- ofi
London. 20 whom practically every big
watch and clock maker IN the metropolis
f pays q Zee once e week TO learn the cor
4 rect time. says Tit-Bits-
What is more said Mss BeUevius.
4 the woman in question. recently. my
father and mother before me earned a
1 very good income by providing London
with the correct time. As a matter OF
fact. my curious little business origfns--
+ ed some seventy years ago. In those DAYS
+ II was extremely difficult 20 Obtain the
exact time IN LcnGcn- The principal
watch and clock makers had nothing 10
guide then II they sent 70 the Green
wich Observatory there was no outsiCs'
clock. and the department. Of course. did
not exist Tor The purpose OF supplying
-wsVchmakers with the tine.
Ultimately. Mr. Pond. the astronomer
royal Of the period. was approached and
asked r anything could be done aIy
father, John Henry BelievilIe. was AZ thaI
time chief assistant o. the astronomer
royal, and also a ward Of his. and 1Ir.
Pond suggested % him that on certain
days<ny father should take around the
right time 10 London firms by means Of a
corrected chronometer
This my father did. the firms paving
him a stipulated amount Der arnur. ans
The innovation proved so successful that.
az the time OF his death. ne was drawing
an income from this source OF between
efoa and E5c1 a year. After his Geath nv
mother was granted the privilege OF hay
Ing her chronometer corrected at Green
wich whenever she pleased. in order that
she might carry On the business CT time
Keeper and when she save IL up in 1Ss2
took her place. and have carried on the
business ever since. with the permission
az Sir William Christie. the present as
tronOmer royal
Every Monday morning Miss BeIIevilIe
gees from Maidenhead. where she resides.
% the observatory al Greenwich. and IS
there given an Official document SAYING
that her Ch-Cnometer. differs from mean
tine by 50 many SECONDS and tenths o.
seconds Such favor IS granted 10 I'd
other person. and armed with this ez-
elusive Credenual, Mss BeUeviUe saTIies
forth 10 correct the timepieceS OF London.
She has about forty customers IN trs
=
permits them 10 correct their. time in ac-
COrdanCe with that Of her O1n chrOnom-
eter and the official document And from
the forty customers whom Mss Belle
vile visits for this purpose the rest OF
Lo1dOn gets its time FOR the customers
include such firms as DenTs-the makers
OF Big Ben-Benson's. &c
To the Ti1-Bits man Miss BeI1avfl1a
showed the chronometer which enables
her % carry or her unique business. L
IS watch Of the -turnip~ type. and q
very venerable appearance. It's history
IS decidedly interesting.
IL was made. said Its owner. .fn IS
by Arnold one Of the most famous
watchmakers that ever lived fer the
Duke CT Sussex. a son Of George III.
After possessing il a short time the noble
owner discarded Il because Il was too
clumsy. and my father b0uEht il AT A
fancy price. At that time the chronom-
eter had gold case. bur my father had
q replaced by a silver one. as ne had 10
visit many London slums. and thought
it would be safer II il looked less inn
posing.
rs ms business s;iE a SUCCESS. You
ask On yes otherwise 7 should not
carry L on You see. although there are
some firms which have had their clocks
electrically synchrOnizcd. there are others
VINO do not care for The idea. and are
stiu glad 90 have the assistance Of my
chronometer. and IL 7 neglect 20 call they
soon send Tor me