The George Pyke Clock

The film explores the workings of the magnificent musical clock and automaton made by the royal clockmaker George Pyke in 1765. It is one of the great treasures of Temple Newsam and was comprehensively restored in 2014 and brought back into full working order for the enjoyment of our visitors. We see how the automata spring into action when the hour is struck and one of the eight popular tunes begins to play from the concealed barrel organ. Figures begin to dance, musicians to play, windmills and watermills to turn, animals chase each other and ships sail away into the horizon.
The Pyke Clock has been inspiration for the Osmondthorpe Creative Writing group, based in East Leeds, to produce poetry and prose. Their work is exhibited beside the clock at the bottom of the Oak Staircase at Temple Newsam and is also part of The Common Threads 2 Exhibition at Armley Industrial Museum from September to the end of November 2015.
With grateful thanks to both Jan Wells and Dean Hinchcliffe for their expertise in producing these films.
Transcription disclaimer
(Please note: the transcription provided for this film is a work in progress. Please let us know if you spot any errors by commenting below or emailing us at [e-mail])

[@gorp27]

I actually got goose bumps when the organ fired up and the figures started moving. What an incredibly complex machine. Just think of the engineering and man hours that was put into its creation, I doubt if any present day person could accomplish such a feat.

[@michaelbauers8800]

Certainly people could accomplish it. Unless there was some artform used on it, that was lost in time. I didn't see anything like that. Heck, it's easier now with computer design and prototyping and CNC. But it could be made the way it was made. Take for example, George Daniels, who did not die that long ago. He hand made watches. In his workshop. Working alone. Using lathes and special tools and such. And his apprentice, is still making watches essentially by hand ( with assistance from non computerized tools.) People may not be smarter than they were 100s of years ago, but they are not dumber, and benefit from being able to inspect what other people have done.

[@rajkumarthomas5698]

To see a clock like this in working order is amazing, these treatures should be preserved for the younger generations. Rajkumar Thomas

[@dianetaylor10]

just visited Temple Newsam and seen this wonderful clock for real......what a trat.

[@teresawaldrop3169]

The intricately of detail, amazing beauty, and the fact that it has moving scenes and music all gingerly maintained for two hundred and fifty years in pristine condition. This really is like experiencing a type of time capsule. Just imagine how impressive it was that long ago without having electricity, automobiles, the telephone, (especially cell phone) and all the other many advances. It's really interesting vto see what high end entertainment looked like so long ago. It's says alot about who would have been entertained and what it would have taken to impress. Using micro parts of this gorgeous clock to not only keep time but bring a great sense of opulence and joy.

[@angelinimartini]

This is quite entrancing. What talent went into this!

[@KarlSheen]

OMG.....no mention of the last person to restore it.......I was the apprentice who tuned and restored the organ section!

[@ricardobonomini5208]

Hermoso! Una pieza increíble digna de admirar!

[@abkornburee]

Wow, amazing! Unbelievable that clock made from 250 years ago

[@ArmchairWatchmaker]

Awesome masterpiece. 12 rival clockmakers put dislike.

[@smoknbear5610]

...sounds like a carnival shooting gallery. 🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢

[@sahilsardar1237]

wonderful n wonderful musical clock.

[@musicloverlondon6070]

3.14 - just astounded. How beautiful! :-)

[@fernandamariafagundessique9355]

Beautiful.

[@claudioalejandrosantislara2597]

Una Maravilla del Ingenio Humano.

[@fernandomazzini4326]

Beautiful

[@minicar47]

Wat prachtig dit is een kunstwerk 🙏

[@makeupbytony]

Simply Amazing!

[@daffers2345]

I volunteer at the National Watch and Clock Museum in Pennsylvania (United States). It's home to the Engle Monumental Clock, which the museum purchased in the 1980s. Like this clock, the Engle uses handmade barrel organs to provide music while the pieces move. I'd be interested to learn a little more about the history of the construction and the workings of this Pyke piece. It's beautifully restored and from this video it seems to work very nicely, but there doesn't seem to be much information about it on the internet. I'm curious if the automata have any special significance, i.e. if they tell a story. What a fascinating horological piece!

[@annecohen8927]

What an amazing clock!!!!

[@RollaArtis]

I want one

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

3:11 So this piece of music was written by Hayden for this Clock.

[@harleygoff1960]

spactactular

[@createinside4613]

wundervoll

[@jackfisher9486]

Fire

[@noelaruldas1152]

Hurrah! what a pleasant and wonderful music played by the clock. Today the tune played by this organ clock is electronically imitated by some quartz clocks because they contains electronically programmed circuit board of sound chips connected to speaker. Such quartz clocks has electro mechanical arrangements that shows dancing moments of animated figures and automatons. Citizen, Seiko and Rhythm are the most well known brands to manufacture such clocks. In Citizen, Seiko and Rhythm the quartz musical clocks only play melody with showing dancing moments but they do not strike the hours. But quartz musical clocks of other brands play melodies for each hour like music-box or barrel organ mechanism followed by hour strike sound like small dome shaped bell or thick and hard coiled wire everything recorded and programmed in electronic circuit board of sound chips connected to speaker and installed in quartz clock moments. Such clocks do not show dancing moments of animated figures or automatons. Those clocks just play melody and strike the hours. In India Ajanta, Promise and prestige are the well known brands of manufacturing such musical striking clocks. Musical clocks with automatons by Citizen, Seiko and Rhythm are much expensive but musical striking clocks without automatons of other brands are not so expensive as Citizen, Seiko and Rhythm.

[@netram28]

The moving figures call to mind the cut-out cartoons animated by Terry Gilliam in Monty Python's Flying Circus.

[@nelsonx5326]

The 'gilt bronze', I think is more likely mercury gold on brass. I don't know because I haven't examined it, but that was the way back then. I know because I've restored hundreds of metal art objects from this period.

[@socrispy7114]

i agree amazing!

[@acastrohowell]

Where and when did all this craftsmanship disappear? 😳

[@erickpaolosantos7016]

What organ music titled is that

[@musicloverlondon6070]

Hi Erick, You might already have discovered this by now on a replay but just in case you missed it, the presenter mentions that it is called 'The Call of the Quail' by Haydn. (3.04). He says it's one of eight tunes the organ plays. Lovely music for a wonderful clock. :-)

[@user-bd5ye4td3f]

At last I can hear etalon English.

[@andiarrohnds5163]

gaudy, but all that 18th century machinery means it not trash anymore

[@tymz-r-achangin]

So why is there a guy sharpening an axe right next to people dancing?

[@njkip]

It's not an axe!

[@tymz-r-achangin]

@@njkip So go ahead read that and watch the video again to see if whether its an axe or not has anything to the actual point I made

[@fredflintstoner596]

Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view!" Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam." Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!" Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..." Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!" Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky." Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction." Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment?

[@fredflintstoner596]

YOU WILL ALSO GO ON THE LIST WHAT IS YOUR NAME ? DON'T TELL HIM PYKE !

[@dinosaurnova2211]

It is an automaton; not an "automata" ... what a remarkable mistake!

Depending on the accent of certain people's pronounciation, the 'n' at the end is silent.

[@phillippasteur3904]

You're not from Britain, are you?

[@cjjuddaustralianartist]

Sure beats my $10 quartz 💩

[@michaelbauers8800]

Except for keeping time. Your quartz watch keeps much better time than this thing would. Guessing it uses a verge escapement, one of the worst possible escapements. In the worse case scenario it could be off by 30 minutes to an hour in the same day. Quartz is accurate to about 15s a day. But your quartz watch probably won't be in a museum :)

[@HyShroomOfficial]

@@michaelbauers8800 It will in 250 years lmao

[@andyc1175]

Are you serious.

[@BobdeGroot5]

So, if it was property of Marie Antoinette it should return to Versailles

[@DeeDee-lz8zx]

Amazing work done without power tools. The only thing I do not like is the use of Greek gods - most people in Britain in that century were Christians.

[@daffers2345]

Well, that sort of thing was a common motif in both the UK and the United States. It was simply thought of as artistic and exotic, and many people would be very familiar with the images of Greek deities. The Engle Monumental Clock (created in 1877 in the US) has both Greek mythological automata and Christian-themed ones, along with others that are not specifically religious. Many clocks through the ages have things other than Christian symbols simply because of the artistic value and popularity.

[@fan2jnrc]

How stupid you can be. That's a joke, right ?😅

[@bumblebeevision]

Tell me you know nothing about the history of 18th century art without telling me you know nothing about 18th century art

[@bumblebeevision]

@@daffers2345Someone with something of value to add!

[@douchelellouche7741]

Bronze castings are of below average quality. I doubt this clock was ever in royal possession. This is a clock made for rich merchant not aristocracy that knew quality and demanded it. Almost every aspect of this clock's craftsmanship is crude.

[@todaywithjesimielmillar1556]

Great Video! (Jesimiel Millar Fernåndez) 1M1K207