E. J. Dent and Co

1844 Dent dipleidoscope at the Deutsches Museum. Developed and patented by Edward Dent and J.M. Bloxam

c.1850 Dent dipleidoscope at the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford

Westminster Clock, the hour striking cams, the pendulum bracket and the winding motor. 1959 image

Westminster Clock. 1959 image

Westminster Clock, Striking Train, showing Locking Plate and Hand Winding Reduction. 1959 image

Westminster Clock, Chiming Train, showing Detents, Chiming Cams and Hand Winding Reduction Gear. 1959 image

Westminster Clock, Movement on Test in Dent's Factory - 1857.

2024. Dent clock at St. Pancras Station

of 61 Strand, 33 Cockspur Street, and 34 Royal Exchange, maker of chronometers

1812 Company established by Edward John Dent

1814 Dent constructed the first Standard Astronomical Clock for the Admiralty

1826 Trading as E. J. Dent

1830 Dent forms partnership with John Roger Arnold, then still one of the leading chronometer-makers in London; they form Arnold and Dent

1840 The partnership with John Roger Arnold ends and Edward John Dent starts producing clocks once more under his own name

1851 Extensive exhibits at the Great Exhibition

1853 Death of Edward John Dent; his will divided his business interests between his stepsons, Richard, who inherited the Cockspur Street premises but died, intestate, of a brain disease in 1856, and Frederick; the trading name became Frederick Dent

1854 Makers of clock for the tower ("Big Ben") at the Houses of Parliment

1860 After Frederick's death, Edward's widow Elizabeth Dent continued to run the business.

1864 E. Dent and Co formed

1865 After Elizabeth's death the firm was controlled by members of the Buckney and Gardner families, descended from Frederick's two sisters, and employed other members of the extended Dent family.

1876 Registered the Dent Triangle as a trademark

1897 E. Dent and Co Ltd incorporated

1920 M. F. Dent and Co was absorbed into E. Dent and Co Ltd

1968 the last Buckney emigrated, turning the business over to the managing director.

1975 it became a subsidiary of Toye & Co. Ltd.

2006 Dent were commissioned to build the new station platform clock for the refurbished St. Pancras Station. The original platform clock had been sold to an American collector, but it was dropped and smashed during removal. The pieces of the clock were sold for £25 to Roland Hoggard, a retiring train driver. Dent were commissioned to build a replacement, and were tasked with tracking down the original so that as many of the original features could be preserved, while other decorative features were replicated.

See company history webpage here.

See Also

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Sources of Information

• [2] Dent Watches