Longcase clock also called as tall-case clock, floor clock, or commonly called grandfather clock, which is tall, freestanding, weight driven pendulum clock with the pendulum held inside the tower case or waist of the case. Common height of this kind of clock is 1.8-2.4 meters (6-8 feet) tall. The clock case often designed with carvings or embedded with ornaments on the hood or bonnet, that surrounds and frame the dial, or clock face. Most Longcase clock are striking clock, which means the clock sounds every hour or a fraction of an hour. An English clockmaker William Clement is credited with the development of this form in 1670.
The terms grandfather, grandmother and granddaughter have all been applied to longcase clocks. Although there is no specific defined difference on these terms, the general consensus seems to be that a clock smaller than 5 ft. is a granddaughter, over 5 ft. is a grandmother and over 6 ft is a grandfather.
In 19th century, two brothers named Jenkins worked as managers at the George Hotel in Piercebridge, County Durham, England. One of the brothers died and, according to the story told to Henry Clay Work in 1875, the clock made by James Thompson began to lose time. Repair attempts were made by the hotel staff and local clockmakers, but failed. When the other brother died at the age of 90, the clock broke down altogether, and was not repaired in remembrance of the brothers.
Henry Clay Work decided to write a song about the story of this clock in 1876, which called “My Grandfather’s Clock. The song became popular, and it is from this song the current usage derives.
“Grandfather clock” is a popular name for a longcase clock – a clock with a long pendulum and weights. Styles of grandfather clocks depend on both the clock mechanism, and the design and décor of the clock case. Longcase clocks were created around 1670 and were originally very expensive custom-built items. Grandfather clocks were mass-produced from about 1800 on, and shorter pendulum clocks were also developed. Pendulum clocks were finally made redundant by quartz technology in the 1960s. However, grandfather clocks are still made today as a traditional craft.