Clockwise? Timekeeping in London in the Long Eighteenth Century (1724-1825)

According to the classic hypothesis of E.P. Thompson, modern timekeeping and time awareness were born during the Industrial Revolution. Factory horns, time clocks, and heavy fines not only coerced labourers into a new, hectic, and relentless labour rhythm; they also facilitated the ascendancy of clock time. Thompson's hypothesis has been frequently challenged in the last decades, yet conclusive empirical evidence to substantiate, hone or refute his claims remains scanty. Drawing on the proceedings of the Old Bailey, this article provides some fresh perspective by tracing slow if not glacial evolutions in everyday timekeeping and time awareness. . .