Man with the shark skin watch who helped Lord Lonsdale win his seat
Last updated 05:40, Friday, 26 September 2008
A star item in the collection of clocks and watches at Tullie House is a splendid gold watch made by Thomas Nash of London in about 1762 and owned by a prominent Carlisle figure.
Typical of this early period, it has both an outer and inner case. Both are very lavish in their quality.
The outer case is covered in shagreen (ie shark skin), which has been coloured green, and studded with gold.
The back of the inner case is elaborately formed in high relief, showing a classical scene.
Long before it came to Tullie House, the watch was apparently of sufficient interest to be exhibited when the Royal Archaeological Society visited Carlisle in 1882.
Its owner, with the slightly improbable name of Jeremiah Wherlings, had been a prominent local citizen, and from the quality of his watch, quite a wealthy one too.
He became an alderman in 1768, senior alderman in 1784, and served as of Mayor of Carlisle no less than seven times.
As local history librarian Stephen White points out, Whirlings was most famously involved with the Mushroom Parliamentary election of 1786 when, as mayor, he sided with Lord Lonsdale, allowing the creation of new freemen in the city.
Only freemen were allowed to vote, and by helping 1,400 Lonsdale men (mainly employees from the Lonsdale-west owned Cumberland coalfield!) to become freemen, and giving them the franchise,Wherlings helped Lonsdale win the day.
Jeremiah Wherlings was also postmaster of Carlisle from 1786 to 1807. This was a responsible position, having to account for payments and stamp parcels and packages as they travelled to and from the city by stagecoach.
No doubt his watch was often produced to impress users of the service – and perhaps to reproach the coachmen about their time-keeping habits.
