In 1852, Dent was awarded the contract.Įdward John Dent died in 1853 and the clock mechanism was completed by his stepson Frederick Rippon (who changed his name to Frederick Dent). Tenders were invited and were received from three makers, Dent, Vulliamy and Whitehurst. In 1849 the famous horologist, Edmund Beckett Denison (later Lord Grimthorpe), pictured here, was appointed co-referee with Airy. The Astronomer Royal, Sir George Airy, was appointed as referee for the new clock and produced a specification in 1846. A key requirement of the specification was that the clock was to strike the first blow of each hour correct to one second in time. The dials were to be thirty feet in diameter, the quarter chimes were to be struck on eight bells, and the hours were to be struck on a 14 ton bell. The new design incorporated a clock tower. The old Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire on the night of the 16th of October, 1834. The correct title is "The Great Clock of the Palace of Westminster". The name Big Ben actually refers, not to the clock-tower itself, but to the thirteen ton bell hung within. Its name is Big Ben, right? Close but no cigar - as Groucho Marx would have said. The four dials of the clock are 23 feet square, the minute hand is 14 feet long, and the figures are 2 feet high. You even know when parliament is in session, because a light shines above the clock face. This giant clock is one of London 's best-known landmarks and looks most spectacular at night when the clock faces are illuminated.
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