The Ellicotts were a family of clockmakers following John Ellicott, who was admitted to the freedom of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1696 and was Warden of the Company from 1731 to 1733.

His son John Ellicott born in 1706, was an excellent maker and was elected to the Royal Society in 1738. His house in St John Hackney was fitted up as an observatory and was visited by many of the famous scientists of his time. He made very thin watch movements and paid great attention to detail. He was clockmaker to the King and designed public clocks, including that of the London Hospital. He died in 1772 and was followed by his son, Edward, who became Master of the Clockmakers Company in 1834.

The firms were Edward Ellicott & Sons, then Ellicott & Taylor in 1811 and Ellicott & Smith in 1830. Many clocks are to be found with one of these names as maker. Most are of the standard type, of large size and of excellent workmanship. The only original clock alteration advocated by Ellicott was a modified compensated pendulum with the bob resting on metal levers. The modification was not satisfactory.

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