Upcoming Lecture: The Conservation of the Great Clock of Westminster – Big Ben
Keith Scobie-Youngs, Co-Founder, The Cumbria Clock Company (Cumbria, England)
June 9, 2025
In 2017, the Great Clock of Westminster—better known as Big Ben—was fully dismantled and removed from the iconic Elizabeth Tower for the first time since its installation in 1859. This unprecedented conservation project, completed in 2022, presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to examine, restore, and future-proof the world’s most famous public timepiece.
At the June 2025 lecture of the Horological Society of New York (HSNY), Keith Scobie-Youngs, co-founder of The Cumbria Clock Company, will share behind-the-scenes of the entire five-year restoration process, from the meticulous disassembly and transportation of the 5.5-ton movement to the intricate conservation techniques employed by his specialist team. Every stage of the project was guided by a deep respect for the clock’s original craftsmanship and a commitment to ensuring its reliable operation for another 160 years and beyond.
Join Scobie-Youngs, lead conservator on the project, as he shares the challenges, discoveries, and triumphs of restoring this remarkable Victorian masterpiece to its full glory.
*Doors open at 5:30 PM ET, lecture to begin at 6 PM ET. RSVP is required.
** The lecture video will be available to members immediately, and to the general public following a two-month delay.