Meet a man who winds clocks for a stately home

John Reynolds, affectionately know among the team as “Clock John” goes to Kiplin Hall and Gardens each week to wind the various clocks in the historic house.

He has been volunteering at Kiplin for about 18 years, first working in the archive and then taking care of the numerous clocks.

Kiplin Hall and Gardens is now owned by a charitable trust, and is open to visitors nine months of the year. It is run by a small staff team, and a large and dedicated team of volunteers. About 160 people give up their free time to support. From room stewards to gardeners, archivists to till operators. Kiplin simply couldn’t do what it does without its volunteers.

John Reynolds is pictured here working on a chronometer – a very accurate clock used to keep time at sea, aiding accurate navigation

Before becoming a volunteer at Kiplin, Mr Reynolds had a music shop for about 20 years, dealing with classical string music instruments and all their paraphernalia.

He retired in 1997 and started volunteering at Kiplin a couple of years later.
Kiplin has a reputation for long serving volunteers, as front of house and volunteer manager, Rosie Kluz, explains: “We describe our volunteers as our fifth family, following on from the four families who owned the hall in the last 400 years. Some of them have been with us for a very long time and we like to recognise their commitment. So, we started introducing long service awards for those who’ve been with us for five years. Then ten years and 15 years.

A 15 years’ service badge, one of three awarded to the dedicated volunteers, some of whom are now approaching 20 years of support for K

“We have a celebration event each year where volunteers are given badges to reflect the length of their service, silver for five years, gold for ten years, and enamel for 15 years. Very soon we will need a 20 years’ service badge.

“We really can’t thank the volunteers enough for all that they do.”
Mr Reynolds brings a very special skills set to Kiplin, along with his knowledge and passion for all things mechanical.

We asked Mr Reynolds what he likes best about his work at Kiplin, and he told us: “I like mechanical things generally, so I very much enjoy looking after the clocks. Before that I also enjoyed rooting through the old records like diaries and log books. They tell us so much about the past. It’s nice to be able to reveal these stories to visitors.”

Volunteer John Reynolds visits Kiplin each week to wind the clocks in the historic house, keeping them in good working order

One diary Mr Reynolds transcribed belonged to the 4th Earl of Tyrconnel who owned the hall from 1818 – 1868. In it he mentions his wife being “x”. Short hand for her being “cross”. She had good reason to be annoyed with him considering other details revealed in the pages.

Mr Reynolds favourite object in Kiplin is a portrait of Bridget Talbot as a child. As an adult Bridget is credited with saving Kiplin Hall for the nation, along with many other achievements.

Mr Reynolds' favourite object at Kiplin, a portrait of Bridget Talbot as a child

John said: “The chalk portrait is a very good likeness, which we know because we are able to compare it to a contemporary photograph.”
It is currently on display in a special exhibition about Bridget on the top floor of Kiplin Hall in a room off the Long Gallery, which is one of John’s favourite spaces because it is “light and quiet, most of the time”.

If Mr Reynolds could work magic on the clocks he winds he would travel back in time to 1840 and meet John Delaval Carpenter, Lord Tyrconnel. John said: “I spent two years de-ciphering his diary. His life was full of happenings and I should like to meet the man.”

An extract of Lord Tyrconnel diary, which Mr Reynolds spent two years transcribing as a volunteer

Kiplin Hall and Gardens is open to visitors until the end of the season on closing on Sunday, November1 for the Winter. Visit www.kiplinhall.co.uk for full details on opening times as these may be subject to change. If you are interested in being part of Kiplin’s fifth family and joining as a volunteer you can also register your interest on the website or call 01748-818178.