Whitehurst & Son sundial

The Whitehurst & Son sundial is a bronze horizontal sundial displayed in the Derby Museum and Art Gallery. It features a thick gnomon that casts shadows onto two semicircular plates separated by the style thickness, each marked with different time scales for measurement.

This precision instrument was created in 1812 by John Whitehurst's nephew as part of the family business. The Whitehurst company had built a strong reputation for manufacturing clock towers and timepieces.

The sundial shows how people in Derby understood time and the sky during the 1800s. It reflects the town's growing need for accurate timekeeping as industry expanded.

The object is on display at the museum and can be viewed during regular opening hours. The engraved scales on the surface are quite small, so standing close or using magnification helps you see the details clearly.

The sundial includes special scales for equation of time correction that helped users calibrate mechanical clocks with high accuracy. This feature shows deep knowledge of the difference between apparent solar time and mean time.