This family had for a very considerable time a great influence on British Clockmaking. The first of the name was Justin Vulliamy, who carried on his business in Pall Mall and was in partnership with a Benjamin Gray. He married Gray’s daughter and was active during the period of 1730 to 1755. His son Benjamin Vulliamy, free of the Clockmakers Company in 1781, worked from 1775 to 1820. His son was Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1810-54) and there was a further member of the family, Justin Theodore (1813-23). They were a very eminent family indeed, who made a considerable number of excellent clocks, some with Derby figures incorporated in the cases and other elaborations.

It is an unfortunate fact that the family were perhaps too fond of their own work, as they took out the older movements of many fine old clocks and substituted their own newer movements in the misplaced impression that they were ‘improving’ the clock.

It was thought that Vulliamy might build the clock for the new palace at Westminster, but that was not to be, E. B. Dennison was to win that honour and this greatly detracted from the reputation of the Vulliamy family.

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