TY  - BOOK
AU  - McKay,Chris
TI  - Big Ben: the great clock and the bells at the Palace of Westminster 
SN  - 9780199585694
PY  - 2010///
CY  - Oxford, New York
PB  - Oxford University Press
KW  - Westminster Palace (London, England)
KW  - History
KW  - fast
KW  - Big Ben (Tower clock)
KW  - England
KW  - London
KW  - Towerclock
KW  - United Kingdom
KW  - Gravity escapement
KW  - Historic monumental/big UK-London escapement
N1  - Includes bibliographical references and index; Machine generated contents note; 1; `Big Ben' -- a brief history --; 2; Visit to the Clock Tower --; 3; Palace of Westminster to 1834 --; 4; Great Fire of 1834 --; 5; New Palace: 1835 Onwards --; 6; Plans, Specifications, and Tenders for the Great Clock: 1844 to1852 --; 7; Great Clock is Built: 1852 to 1854 --; 8; Bells: 1856 to 1858 --; 9; Dials --; 10; Development of the Gravity Escapement --; 11; Great Clock is Installed and Set Going --; 12; Big Ben Cracks: 1859 to 1863 --; 13; Clock Ticks on: 1863 to 1900 --; 14; Through Two World Wars: 1900 to 2000 --; 15; Disaster of 1976 --; 16; Restoration of 2007 --; 17; Great Clock -- A Complete Description --; 18; Iconic Big Ben --; 19; 150th Anniversary Celebrations --; 20; Conclusion
N2  - `Big Ben', the great clock and bells at Westminster, is one of the most iconic landmarks in Britain. From the origins of Westminster as the seat of government right up to the celebrations of the Great Clock's 150th anniversary in 2009, this book tells the story of the clock, bells, and tower; The reader is first taken step-by-step through a typical visit to the Clock Tower, and then the history of the Palace of Westminster is told, covering the fire of 1834, the building of the new Houses of Parliament and the development of the clock and the bells, going into fascinating detail on their design and installation. The book covers the famous cracking of the current bell, Big Ben, in 1859, with sketches of all the characters involved, the two World Wars, and the disaster of 1976. The book ends with a detailed technical description of the clock mechanism; The book is richly illustrated, and will appeal not only to clockmakers and horologists, but to bell enthusiasts, and those with an interest in our rich Victorian heritage. --Book Jacket
ER  -