If you drive north from Struer for about an hour, you get to a town about the same size called Thisted.

On the 15th of June, 1871, a man names Jørgen Peder Sørensen setup up shop as a clockmaker  on Store Torv in Thisted. He made and repaired watches and clocks (including the town church’s clock) until, in 1925, he died and the business passed on to his son, Rasmus Frederik.

I just spent most of the evenings in the past week getting this key-wound pocket watch, made in Thisted by J.P. Sørensen, up and running again. It was in quite a mess when I got it. Years of congealed oil and dirt had seized the movement, the mainspring had come off the arbor, so it couldn’t be wound, and one of the pins was missing from the dial. So, it had to be completely stripped down and cleaned, oiled and reassembled. I also had to turn a new pin for the dial on the lathe and epoxy it in place. (Solder is a bad idea on an old watch face – the heat can ruin the enamel).

Now, apart from the missing second hand (I’ll put one on there when I find one that matches and fits), it’s up and running again – and keeping time well enough that I haven’t been late for a meeting for a couple of days!