Thomas Dawes was perhaps the most influential and notable clockmaker of Northampton. His premises were on The Drapery, and he was made a freeman of Northampton on 11 July 1726. It is recorded that he took up the upkeep of the clocks of All Saints' Church from Thomas Eayre in 1730. It is known that Thomas Eayre had held a 21 year contract, paying 40 shillings per annum. Dawes gave the wonderful gilded dial clock, mounted on the West gallery, to All Saints in 1752. It has a two foot (ca. 60cm) wide dial, and all the mouldings, including the door, are of brass. His apprentices included William Triston,
Benjamin Maude, John Spence, Benjamin Downing, John Hughes and William Adams. Dawes died in 1779, with his death noted in the Northampton Mercury thus: On Thursday died Thomas Dawes, gentleman, and one of the surveyors of the window tax for this county. He had been a watch and clockmaker of great note of this town, but lately retired from business. You can see from the above photograph that when the Chancel Organ was designed (1979-1982) the choir case sits on top of the Gallery, rather than hanging over the edge, as is usual. This enabled the Clock to stay in its original position, with the mechanism accessible via a space under the choir case. Photo courtesy of Ross Dawkes, West Dean College, 2007.