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Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, [1] [2] and, by extension, for the clock tower itself, [3] which stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. [4] Originally known simply as the Clock Tower, it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
Dent was a London manufacturer of luxury clocks and watches, founded by Edward John Dent. Dent began making watches in 1814, although the Dent triangular trade mark was not registered until 1876. A notable success for the company was winning the contract to make the clock for the new palace of Westminster, which became known as Big Ben.
In 1852 Dent won the commission to make the great clock—now popularly called Big Ben—for the Houses of Parliament at Westminster, but he died before completing the project. Edward John Dent died on 8 March 1853, at the age of 62 and his adopted son completed the Great Clock. A 1931 advertisement by E. Dent & Co. Ltd.
View CNN’s Big Ben Fast Facts and learn more about the clock and bell in Elizabeth Tower.
In Song dynasty China, an astronomical clock tower was designed by Su Song and erected at Kaifeng in 1088, featuring a liquid escapement mechanism. [2] In England, a clock was put up in a clock tower, the medieval precursor to Big Ben, at Westminster, in 1288; [3] [4] and in 1292 a clock was put up in Canterbury Cathedral. [3]
This movement has a "bell-back" design, meaning that the bell mechanism is integral to the clock's case. The company first brought the Big Ben to market in 1909. The company's name was shortened to "Western Clock Company" in 1912. In 1910, the Big Ben became the first alarm clock advertised nationally, with ads placed in the Saturday Evening Post.
In 1834 Thomas Joyce made large clocks for local churches and public buildings. In 1849 the company copied the Big Ben escapement designed by Lord Grimthorpe. J. B. Joyce also installed synchronous electric clocks in a number of railway stations, including Liverpool's Lime Street Station, Aberystwyth in Wales, and Carnforth in Lancashire. [3]
Clock tower: USA: Minneapolis: Largest four-face chiming clock in the world. Clock tower is 105 m (344 ft). Minute hands are 4.3 m (14 ft) [26] 35: Elizabeth Tower: 7 m (23 ft) 4: Yes: 1859: Clock Tower: United Kingdom: London: Clock tower is 96 m (315 ft) tall. Commonly known as 'Big Ben', although this is accurately the name of the largest ...