British Electric Meters

Updated 22 January 2015.

For more information on a clock click on the link. If no link see POOK L P. British domestic synchronous clocks 1930-1980. The rise and fall of a technology. Springer, 2015.


British Electric Meters Ltd synchronous mantel clock (1)
S 7 British Electric D

2 Dec 12 E
British Electric Meters Ltd synchronous mantel clock (2)

7 Responses to “British Electric Meters”

  1. Roy Conder Says:
    October 12, 2011 at 8:26 am | Reply

    Hi Les.I have just got a clock exactly like this one,which I am about to restore.Do you have any information on the date it was made,please?

  2. Les Pook Says:
    October 12, 2011 at 3:59 pm | Reply

    Roy, I have no definite information. It’s Art Deco so my guess is some time in the 1930s.

  3. Gaius Coleman Says:
    August 13, 2012 at 11:47 am | Reply

    Dear Mr Pook

    I have just noted that your site exists by reading AHS Journal, page 552, June 2012. Thank you so much for creating it.

    I have a very similar clock (BEM) I have bought just recently but mine is a circular-cased one but with the same brass and glass configuration. Unfortunately it had to be glued as the bottom quarter of the main ‘case’ as it had got broken, so it mean gluing the glass horizontally. Thankfully, the ‘female’ part of the lead was present with the clock as I have noted so many flexes/leads are missing which is a real shame.

    Which leads me on nicely to asking if Mr Pook or anyone here can advise where I might find the ‘female’ part of the lead (that is, the part actually containing the flex itself, not the ‘male’ part attached to the clock itself). If there is a workaround for this, it will determine whether I should buy other electric clocks without its ‘female’ lead.

    I look forward to hearing from someone soon.

    Keep up the good work.

    Many thanks.

    GAIUS COLEMAN

  4. Les Pook Says:
    August 13, 2012 at 7:05 pm | Reply

    The two pin connectors used by several British manufacturers are based on the British Standard for 2 pin 2A plugs and sockets. This standard is obsolete so there is no straightforward workaround for a missing female socket. The simplest approach is to use appropriately sized terminal block, but this has to be done with care. Modern 4 mm sockets will fit the pins if these are opened slightly, but the pin spacing is 18 mm. A lot of work is needed to reduce the spacing to the 12 mm used in clocks, and the result looks clumsy. I did this for one clock where the connector is out of sight behind a door. I have seen clocks where wires have been soldered to the pins, but I would not use this extreme solution since the clock is no longer original. Female connectors are occasionally listed on eBay.

    Thanks for your kind remarks.

  5. pod916 Says:
    July 22, 2013 at 2:56 pm | Reply

    Hi Les, I have just found a bronze mirror glass version of this clock. Unfortunately one of the gears is partially stripped, any idea where I could find one or should I try a jewellers/clock shop to make a replacement? It’s the gear that connects to the minute worm. I’d love to get it working again as it’s the old family mantle clock (actual one) we had when I was a child. Thanks, Pete Davies.

  6. JOHN ABBOTT Says:
    January 20, 2020 at 3:16 pm | Reply

    Hi les,
    I have got a model marked British Electric Meter Mitcham Surrey with unknown movement they where at that address between 1932-1941.
    I have just acquired British Electric Meter this is marked as London and Darwen it is fitted with the standard Sangamo movement I believe they where at this address between 1943 to 1947 before they where at Bangor between 1948-1951 the company was then taken over by Dennis Ferranti Meters Ltd in 1951 to the present day, I hope this is us-full

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