title: A Life With Antique Clocks
author:  Derek Roberts 
description: Derek Roberts is a preeminent dealer in antique clocks in Kent, England. He has provided professional guidance for the most discriminating clients, including leading museums and private collections. His restored clocks will continue in use for may years to come.
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  ## Clocks
  
  
    
  
  
  ### Jerome Klapka Jerome
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Clocks
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  There are two kinds of clocks. There is the clock that is always wrong, and
  that knows it is wrong, and glories in it; and there is the clock that is
  always right―except when you rely upon it, and then it is more wrong than you
  would think a clock _**could**_ be in a civilized country.
  
  
  I remember a clock of this latter type, that we had in the house when I was a
  boy, routing us all up at three o'clock one winter's morning. We had finished
  breakfast at ten minutes to four, and I got to school a little after five, and
  sat down on the step outside and cried, because I thought the world had come
  to an end; everything was so death-like!
  
  
  The man who can live in the same house with one of these clocks, and not
  endanger his chance of heaven about once a month by standing up and telling it
  what he thinks of it, is either a dangerous rival to that old established
  firm, Job, or else he does no