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The Encyclopedia of Horology

London, England · c. 1568–1611

Charles Whitwell

Partially verified

Maker of mathematical and scientific instruments

Life & work

Charles Whitwell was a London-based citizen and a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Grocers who worked as a copper engraver and instrument maker.

By 1598, his premises were located 'withoute Temple Barre against St Clement's church' where he supplied instruments such as the sector described by Thomas Hood. He was also an accomplished engraver, creating significant maps of English counties like Kent and Surrey, as well as maps of Asia and France. His workshop fostered the next generation of makers, most notably Elias Allen, who was indentured to Whitwell in 1602.

The fuller biography summarises the open references listed under Sources; each statement was checked against the cited passage. Confirm key dates in period documents before relying on them.

Training, contributions & innovations

  • Whitwell is recognized as one of the two makers of the earliest known sectors in England.

Documented works

  • A sector dated 1597 is attributed to his workshop.

Collecting significance

The catalogued pieces listed on this page show the kinds of objects auction houses, dealers and museums attribute to this maker; each attribution is the source's own.

Firms, key models & movements

No firm, model or movement in this encyclopedia is yet recorded under this maker's name.

In the object catalogue

5 catalogued objects are recorded under Charles Whitwell. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.

Diagram

12345let downstripcleanoilregulateorder of work; never skip letting down the mainspring
Schematic: order of work at the bench. An outline schematic drawn to show the arrangement of the parts discussed here. It is not a dimensioned working drawing and does not depict a particular maker's calibre.

Sources & references

  1. Charles Whitwell, Wikipedia (English), retrieved 2026-11-03 (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
  2. Sector (instrument), Wikipedia (English), retrieved 2026-11-03 (text CC BY-SA 4.0)

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.