Cumbria Clock Company has been named among Cumbria Chamber of Commerce’s 25 Business Heroes, marking the Chamber’s 25th anniversary and celebrating some of the businesses that have helped shape Cumbria’s economy and communities.
The campaign shines a spotlight on Chamber members from across the county. This isn’t a definitive list – there are many other great businesses we could have included – but a celebration of just some our many fantastic members making a difference to Cumbria.
Established in 1990 by Keith and Lynn Scobie-Youngs, Cumbria Clock Company has grown from a small family business into a specialist clockmaking and engineering company trusted with some of the UK’s most significant horological projects.
The business specialises in the conservation, restoration, manufacture and maintenance of clocks and associated mechanisms. Its work ranges from historic turret and public clocks to complex mechanical installations, bells and automata, with customers including churches, councils, heritage organisations, private clients and major institutions across the UK.
The company’s story began when Keith was working as a clockmaker in London, where he met Lynn. It was Lynn who encouraged him to take the leap and establish their own clockmaking business together in Cumbria.
More than three decades later, the company remains family-run and based in Cumbria, while its specialist work takes the team to projects across the UK.
One of its proudest achievements has been being involved in the restoration of the Great Clock at the Palace of Westminster, more commonly known as Big Ben.
Being trusted to work on such an iconic and historically significant clock was a major milestone for the business and a testament to the specialist knowledge and skills developed by its team.
Maintaining those skills is one of the biggest challenges facing such a specialist industry. Much of the knowledge needed to restore historic clocks and mechanisms can’t simply be bought in or learned from a textbook.
Because of this Cumbria Clock Company places a strong emphasis on developing people internally, passing knowledge between generations and combining traditional craftsmanship with modern engineering and technology.
The breadth of expertise available within the business is one of its greatest strengths. Alongside traditional clockmaking and conservation skills, the team combines modern machining, fabrication, electrical engineering and control systems.
This allows Cumbria Clock Company to approach historic mechanisms sympathetically while also solving complex engineering challenges, carrying out as much work as possible in-house.
The business is also proud to provide skilled engineering employment in Cumbria, investing in its people, equipment and facilities while helping preserve specialist skills that could otherwise disappear.
Many of the clocks and mechanisms cared for by the company are important features of their local communities, making their restoration and continued operation an important part of preserving heritage for future generations.
The team is currently working on several exciting projects, including work at Manchester Town Hall, which is coming towards completion. It is also preparing to reinstall the historic Burgess Clock at Citi Bank’s new premises in central London.
Looking ahead, the business plans to continue growing sustainably while investing in its people, workshop and capabilities.
Keith and Lynn’s children, including Callum, are now helping take the family business into its next chapter alongside director Mark Crangle, building on the foundations created over the past 36 years.
From a small family business established in Cumbria to working on some of the UK’s most recognisable clocks, Cumbria Clock Company continues to combine traditional craftsmanship and modern engineering while ensuring specialist skills are preserved for generations to come.
