Robert Loomes Staff and Vacancies
CLOCKMAKER WANTED / CLOCK REPAIRER VACANCIES
We are always interested to hear from good clockmakers to come and join us in Stamford. You should either hold clockmaking qualifications (HND, BTEC, or BHI) OR have minimum five years experience and references.
Fabulous environment and location. Lovely coleagues. Interesting variety of work (predominantly repair of interesting antique clocks, mostly French and English).
Contact us for a chat!
WATCHMAKER WANTED / WATCHMAKER VACANCY
We are always looking for a experienced watchmakers. You should have considerable experience on the job. The work is mainly vintage watch repair so you will be able to make some simple parts or adapt others. Experience of chronographs a distinct advantage but not a requirement. Individual watch house accreditation a distinct advantage.
Excellent conditions both in team, environment and reward. Robert Loomes MBHI FRSA, started work in his father, Brian Loomes, BA, FSG, Hon FBHI, in 1987. He learnt about clock and watchmaking with the help and tuition of some of the best - and kindest - repairers in Yorkshire, including the late David Swindells FBHI.
On completing a five year apprenticeship with his father, Robert opened the Stamford workshops in 1993. He then qualified by examination as a professional Member of the British Horological Institute.
Robert has been a consultant to the BBC since 1997 and has appeared on numerous radio BBC and independent television programmes.
He a member of the British Watch and Clockmakers' Guild: the professional organisation for those employed in horology. If watches or clocks are the main source of your income, you should join. The fees are small and the work the Guild does invaluable.
Robert has sevred on the councils of both the British Watch and Clockmakers' Guild and the British Horological Institute. The BHI in conjunction with EAL is THE awarding body for qualification in horology.
Robert is also a Fellow of the RSA, properly known as The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. In March 2009 he was presented with the "Rutland and Stamford business personality of the year" award.
Margaret Scarr joined the business in 1996 and completed her apprenticeship in 2001, when she became a member of the British Watch and Clockmakers' Guild. She chose to stay with the business as a journeyman (or journeywoman?) clock restorer and is now head of the clock workshop.
Margaret was joint runner-up in the "Rutland & Stamford Mercury Employee of the year" 2007 awards.
The fact that from over seventy nominations there was a shortlist of three made us rather proud.
John Nicholls studied graphic design at Stamford and then Lincoln. John worked as a freelance dial restorer for us for seven years before coming to work here permanently in 2001. We're pleased to have him working on the premises. He is now head of our dial restoration studio, a position made possible through his knowledge of period detail, draughtsmanship and skilled artistry. John's research into Scottish dial painting techniques has advanced our knowledge considerably.
Wayne Brereton had a traditional draughtsman's apprenticeship with a graphic design firm in Birmingham. He is one of the last great draughtsmen (and ex member of the Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers and Engravers - the "SLADE"). He can paint letering and signatures in any style, standing on his head. He left the art and design world as it became increasingly computerised and accepted a job with us in 2003. He is also a keen engraver and does occasional hand engraving work for local silversmiths etcetera.
Oliver Hall is a second generation clockmaker who came to us in September 05. In fact he left, headhunted by Breitling's service division. Though sad to see him go, I hope it speaks volumes for our standards that he went straight to their service centre.
Martyn Heath has stepped into the breech since Oliver left. Martyn had a very traditional watch & clockmakers' apprenticeship in Nottingham in the 1970s and 80s, eventually heading his own workshops. Martyn steps back into the world of the employed "in order to see my family once in a while" and we are lucky to have found someone of his experience and education. He is a Member of the British Watch and Clockmakers' Guild and he should also be a Member of the BHI - so we are pushing him to re-register!
Hristo Dimov came to work here full time in September 2008. Hristo graduated as a master watchmaker and worked in a Rolex Accredited jewellers in Bulgaria. A highly competent clock repairer and an outstandingly good watch service technician.
Hristo has just (March 2010) completed the British Horological Institute lever escapement course - a demanding short course for experienced watchmakers, who are given a selection of expensive watches (Omega co-axial escapement, Patek escapement, new Rolex escapement) that have typically difficult faults and expected to repair them.
Craig Law is a master watchmaker who made the move from Scotland down to Stamford last year. Craig undertook a very traditional five year apprenticeship in watchmaking in Glasgow and since then has worked in a couple of big watch houses before coming here. Craig has no fear of even the most complex watches - only this week he has undertaken everything from tri-compax movements to making up parts for an eighteenth century verge watch escpement.
Mark is our newest recruit to the watch bench. Mark has twenty years experience having done his training in a large watch service centre where speed was always the most important aspect. I think he finds it a blessed relief to join a firm where watchmakers can take their time and put in an extra hour to make the difference between good and great.
Philip Maynard is a long experienced master clock repairer, who had a very traditional seven year apprenticeship in a firm of watch and clockmakers, followed by twenty years' experience working both in the UK and America restoring antique clocks. Philip enjoyed all the fun of running his own business in Bedfordshire before deciding that he would rather concentrate on work full-time at the bench here.
Huw Maltravers, MBHI trained as a clockmaker at the St Loyes college in Cornwall and was an award winning student there. He later worked for the renowned Gunter's repair business in Exeter for fifteen years before making the move to Lincolnshire. Huw is now a part time examiner for the British Horological Institute British Horological Institute awards Brian Loomes
Honorary Fellowship of the Institute may be awarded either for services to the Institute or for services to horology. It is for his services to horology in the form of historical and genealogist, and in 1966 became an antique clock dealer. He and his wife Joy have been trading in antique clocks for 40 years, specialising in English lantern clocks with a few longcase, hooded and hook and spike clocks.
He has written twenty-four on horological topics, with a 25th, on lantern clocks and comprising 28 chapters and around 1000 illustrations, currently in preparations and expected to be published this summer. His genealogical skills have enabled him to uncover previously unknown facts about clockmakers and their families.
In 1976 he published a valuable supplement to G.H.Baillie's Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World, adding some 35000 entries.A second edition appeared in 1989,followed by several reprints. This work culminated in the publication in 2006 of a combined 21st Century edition of Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World, an invaluable reference work, containing information about some 90000 makers working between the late 16th and 20th centuries.
Brian said "I am absolutely delighted to receive this honour.It came as a very great surprise as I am not a working clockmaker. My interest has always been in uncovering new facts about the lives and practices of clocmaker. My interest has always been in uncovering new facts about the lives and practices of clockmakers and in documenting them, quite often in the form of articles in the pages of Horological Journal. I would like to thank those who took this decision."
Taken from the Horological Journal, May 2008
Horological Journal
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