Scottish Tavern Wall Clock, circa 1810

Scottish Tavern Wall Clock, circa 1810 Oak case; round head with a seconds bit (secondary dial); painted dial; time- only brass movement; uncased lead cylinder pendulum weight-original; door glass replaced. Maker: Alexander Gill, Aberdeen, Scotland. 66" tall x 19 wide" (at top). Excellent overall; perfect running order. Dealer comments: "Act Of Parliament" Tavern Clocks were hung in every pub and tavern throughout the British Isles as a result of an Act of the English Parliament in 1797 which declared that a tax would be collected on every clock in the realm. The result was that a lot of private clock owners either hid their clocks or got rid of them altogether. Thus taverns and pubs became the preferred locus for obtaining the correct time-leaving the tavern owner to pay the tax on his clock which the townspeople used for their purposes also. A secondary benefit to tavern owners resulted from the additional visitors coming into the pubs to see what the correct time was.