many inventions was the system of Roman striking, the tic-tac escapement, and probably the anchor escapement. His merits were recognised by his being appointed clockmaker to Charles II and then to James II. Clock cases of Knibb's era were wooden, and therefore were made by specialist clockcase makers who were members of the Worshipful Company of Joiners and Ceilers. The politician Richard Legh (1635–87) wrote to his wife describing Knibb's advice on choosing a case for a longcase clock: I went to the famous Pendulum maker Knibb, and have agreed for one, he having none ready but a dull stager which was at £19; for £5 more I have agreed for one finer than my Father's, and it is to be better furnished with carved capitalls gold, and gold pedestalls with figures of boys and cherubimes all brass gilt. I wold have had itt Olive Wood, (the Case I mean), but gold does not agree with that colour, soe took their advice to have it black Ebony which suits your Cabinett better than Walnut tree wood, of which they are mostly made. Lett me have thy advice by the next. Legh's young wife, Elizabeth, replied in agreement: "My dearest Soule; as for the Pandolome Case I think Blacke suits anything". Joseph Knibb is the most accomplished of an extended family of clockmakers that included his cousin Samuel and Joseph's younger brother John. A younger cousin Peter Knibb (1651–79) from Farnborough, Warwickshire was apprenticed to Joseph in 1668 and became a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in 1677. John Knibb's youngest son, also called Joseph (1695–1722) was apprenticed in London in 1710 and received a substantial bequest from the elder Joseph Knibb's will in 1712. Another cousin, Elizabeth Knibb from Collingtree, Northamptonshire, married another clockmaker, Samuel Aldworth, in 1703. Aldworth had been in Oxford as John Knibb's apprentice and then assistant. In 1697 Aldworth moved from Oxford to London to succeed Joseph Knibb on the latter's retirement to Hanslope. On 26 September 2010 the Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board unveiled a blue plaque at Claydon to Samuel, Joseph and John Knibb. On 6 November 2012 Sotheby's sold a small Roman striking table clock by Knibb from the George Daniels collection for £1,273,250. References Sources Numerous articles and references in Antiquarian Horology, quarterly journal of the Antiquarian Horological Society 1640 births 1711 deaths English clockmakers People from Cherwell District