James Woolley or James Wolley (ca.1695 – 22 November 1786) was a watch and

clockmaker A clockmaker is an artisan who makes and/or repairs clocks. Since almost all clocks are now factory-made, most modern clockmakers only repair clocks. Modern clockmakers may be employed by jewellers, antique shops, and places devoted strictly t ...

from

Codnor Codnor is a village and civil parish in the Amber Valley district of Derbyshire, England. Codnor is a former mining village and had a population of 3,766 (including Cross Hill) taken at the 2011 Census. It is approximately 12 miles from Derby ...

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south a ...

Life

He was born ca 1695, the son of Samuel Woolley and Abigail Pinegar. He made turret clocks, one of which was installed in the Nottingham Exchange, which he gifted to the Nottingham Corporation, and in return he was made an honorary burgess of Nottingham. He also made longcase clocks known to be signed "J Woolley", brass and silvered face with moon dial c.1780's. He died at his house on Codnor Common on 22 November 1786,

Derby Mercury The ''Derby Mercury'' was a local, broadsheet newspaper, based in Derby, Derbyshire, England. It ran from 1732 until 1900. References

Publications disestablished in 1900 1732 establishments in England Publications established in 1732 New ...

- Thursday 23 November 1786 a bachelor, and left his fortune to his two nephews. He signed his clocks "Wolley". Therefore this article should list his name as James Wolley or James Woolley.

Works

Public clocks include: * Nottingham Exchange 1726, moved to

St Nicholas' Church, Nottingham St Nicholas Church, known locally as St Nic's, is a parish church in Nottingham city centre under the Anglican diocese of Southwell. The church, since 1953, is Grade II* listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as it is a ...

1830. Now in the

Nottingham Industrial Museum The Nottingham Industrial Museum is a volunteer-run museum situated in part of the 17th-century stables block of Wollaton Hall, located in a suburb of the city of Nottingham. The museum won the ''Nottinghamshire Heritage Site of the Year Award ...

References

English clockmakers 1690s births 1786 deaths People from Codnor {{England-bio-stub