George Graham

George Graham, clock and instrument maker, was a son of George Graham (d.1679) and his wife Isobel. He was probably born in 1673 near Carlisle. George was apprenticed as a clockmaker in London and later joined Thomas Tompion's workshop. He married Tompion's niece Elizabeth on 25th September 1704 but there were no children. They inherited Thomas' business in 1713 and George continued to make precision clocks and watches. He also made an important contribution to astronomy, supplying the most accurate instruments in Europe, and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. He died on 16th November 1751 and was buried in Tompion's grave in the nave. This was one of the few original gravestones retained when the nave was re-paved in 1835. The inscription has been re-cut and reads:

Here lies the body of Mr Tho. Tompion who departed this life the 20th of November 1713 in the 75th year of his age. Also the body of George Graham of London watchmaker and F.R.S. whose curious inventions do honour to ye British genius whose accurate performances are ye standard of mechanic skill. He died ye XVI of November MDCCLI in the LXXVIII year of his age.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography