Benjamin Vulliamy

Benjamin Vulliamy
From a painting in the Science Museum, London
Born	1747 London, England
Died	31 December 1811
Occupation	Clockmaker
Spouse(s)	Mary Gray Vulliamy
Children	Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy

Benjamin Vulliamy (1747 – 31 December 1811), was a clockmaker responsible for building the Regulator Clock, which, between 1780 and 1884, was the official regulator of time in London.

Benjamin Vulliamy was the son of Justin Vulliamy, a clockmaker of Swiss origin, who moved to London around 1730. Justin became an associate of Benjamin Gray, a watchmaker established in Pall Mall, and married Mary, a daughter of the same, with whom he had Benjamin. Justin succeeded his father-in-law in the charge of the business and from 1780, his son Benjamin entered the society (Vulliamy & Son). Father and son worked together until the death of Justin, on 1 December 1797.

From an early age, Vulliamy had shown interest in pursuing his father's career. As an adult, he began to earn a reputation as a builder of mantel clocks, decorative timepieces that adorned the halls of high society (nowadays, some can be found at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery). His talent earned him a Royal Appointment in 1773, through which he came to receive an endowment of £150 a year as George III's King's Clockmaker (there was a similar distinction, Royal Watchmaker, then held by George Lindsay). The king, an enthusiast for watches and mechanical devices, was patron of Justin Vulliamy, but only Benjamin received this significant honour.

Around 1780, Vulliamy was commissioned to build the Regulator Clock, the main timekeeper of the King's Observatory Kew, which served as an unofficial Prime Meridian and was responsible for the official London time until 1884, when the Greenwich Royal Observatory assumed both roles. The Regulator Clock is now in the Science Museum in London.

In 1780 Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy was born; he was the last Vulliamy to dedicate himself to the family clockmaking business. None of his descendants took up the job, although his son, Lewis, was a noted architect.