Barraclough Biographies
The "Clockies of Dollymoor", Haworth
John BARRACLOUGH
1773-1835
(Courtesy Mick Marshall)
From Yorkshire Life Vol IX, no.3 March 1955
By courtesy of Mick Marshall
The Barracloughs of Haworth
(in County Miscellanea by 'Harvester')
The coming centenary commemoration of Charlotte Bronte's death (31st March 1855) has
reminded a colleague of a conversation he had some years ago with the late Mr Herbert
Barraclough, then head of the Leeds firm of jewellers, Messers Z. Barraclough and Sons,
Ltd. Mr Barraclough represented the fifth generation of a famous family of clockmakers,
whose first shop was opposite the Black Bull at Haworth. Barracloughs then specialised in
the making of grandfather clocks - and huge affairs they were, containing enough mahogany
"to make a dining-room suite" said Mr Herbert Barraclough, whose sister
possessed one of these massive timepieces made a few years before Charlotte Bronte died.
Mr Barraclough recalled a boyhood visit to the Haworth shop when the face of the village
idiot pressed against the window gave him a fright. Amongst others who peered into that
window was the Rev. Patrick Bronte: he would often pause for a moment to get the correct
time. The Barracloughs claim relationship with the Heatons of Ponden Hall - a family well
known to the Bronte sisters: Emily, of course, made Ponden Hall the Thrusheross Grange of
"Wuthering Heights". The Barracloughs even find a place in the Bronte
literature, for a minor character in "Shirley" is named Moses Barraclough and in
a modern play about the Brontes, a servant at the Parsonnage announces the arrival of Mr
Barraclough, the cricket club secretary.
Zerubbabel BARRACLOUGH
1824-1888
(Courtesy Mick Marshall)
Last updated on 02 January 2001