Frederick William Dent

1856. Big Ben or the Great Westminster Clock. Completed by Frederick Dent.

1856. A notice inscribed on the clock reads : "This clock was made in the year of Our Lord 1854 by Frederick Dent of the Strand and of the Royal Exchange from the designs of Ed. Beckett Denison Esq."

William Frederick Rippon Dent (1808-1860)

1808 Born William Frederick Rippon in London, son of Elizabeth Rippon (nee Davis) and her husband Richard Rippon, cousin of Edward Dent

May have worked for Arnold and Dent, helping Edward John Dent experiment with glass balance springs.

1840 After the end of the partnership of Arnold and Dent, Dent traded under his own name as Edward Dent; Frederick moved with him to 82 Strand.

1843 Edward John Dent married Elizabeth Rippon, widow of his cousin Richard Rippon; her 2 sons (Frederick and Richard) later took the Dent surname.

1851 Frederick Rippon 40, chronometer maker, lived in Charing Cross, London with his wife, Louisa Rippon 37

1853 Edward John Dent died; he had divided his business interests between his stepsons, Frederick inherited the business at 61 Strand and the Royal Exchange; Richard inherited the Cockspur Street premises but died, intestate, of a brain disease in 1856. In accordance with Edward's will, Frederick and Richard changed their names to Dent.

1858 Louisa Dent died, of 61 Strand, St Martins in the Fields, London, age 46

1860 Frederick died but before then he had destroyed his will and codicils, triggering a lengthy legal dispute which was won by his mother.

See Also

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Sources of Information

• Biography of Edward John Dent, ODNB