Rob Snowdon’s love of clocks goes beyond finding out what makes them tick. KAREN DARLEY reports.

AS a skilled clockmaker – one of few in the area – Rob’s fascination with each timepiece relates to their history and on which mantelpiece or hallway they have taken pride of place over the centuries.

Rob, who swapped a career as a car mechanic to work with clocks, has a workshop in Kirkbymoorside in the house where he was born 35 years ago.

His mother, Sue, ran a hairdressing business from the front of the property, which is one of the oldest buildings in the town, while the family lived at the back. They later moved and rented the premises out, before returning 12 years ago to set up the gift shop Something Special, run by his mum, Sue and sister, Hilary, with a workshop to the rear for Rob’s father, David.

“Dad was also a mechanic and broke his back leaving him unable to work for a long time,” Rob said.

“He was in a wheelchair and needed something to do so started repairing clocks, which escalated from a hobby to a thriving business.”

Rob said he had often watched his dad working in his workshop, but after leaving school decided to take his career elsewhere.

“I had finally agreed to join dad in his business when he passed away, so sadly we never got to work together properly,” he said.

“Dad had always been supportive and put me through Open University, as well as sharing his passion for clocks with me.”

Since becoming a full-time clock repairer, Rob’s reputation has flourished, with his work taking him all over the country.

“I work with everything from a small miniature clock to a church clock where I have to make the parts and repair the clock on site,” he said.

A member of the British Watch and Clockmakers Guild, along with the British Horological Institute, Rob was recently accepted in the Guild of Master Craftsmen.

“It is quite tough to be accepted as a member as they examine the quality of your work very thoroughly and also contact 15 of your customers for feedback, who all gave me five stars,” he said.

“I was pretty chuffed as it is something dad would have really liked to do but never got round to it.”

Rob said as well as repairing them he was fascinated with the history of clocks, particularly those made in and around Kirkbymoorside.

“In the 1700s there was a chap in the town called John Wawne who made clocks from scratch and it is amazing to think of all the engineering behind it to make sure everything came together and the clock told the right time,” he said.

“There aren’t many of his clocks surviving, but I have managed to find one or two from dealers elsewhere in the country and bring them back to the town so once again they belong to local people.”

Rob, who lives in Rillington with his wife Lucy and children Joe, five, and Poppy, three, said he had always known that he would work with clocks at some point.

“It can be hard being your own boss but I enjoy what I do and have never looked back,” he said.

“I really love it when someone brings a clock in they have perhaps found in a shed or garage which has been in their family for generations and not worked for years – bringing that clock back to life and restoring it to its former glory is immensely satisfying.”

For more information, phone Rob on 01751 430994 or go to yorkshireantiqueclocks.co.uk