Shenton, Alan

• Shenton, Dr Alan
• Shenton, Dr Frederick George Alan

Dr Frederick George Alan Shenton (1928–2003) was a medical doctor and horologist, with a thirty-five year career as a general practitioner (family doctor). His interest in horology led him to carry out research and documentation of clocks, watches and tools, as well as developing practical restoration skills. He was a member of the British Horological Institute, the Antiquarian Horological Society (which he joined in 1964), and the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors of America. In 1970, he became a founder member of the AHS Electrical Horology Group and acted as its chairman in 1975–79. He was a contributor to the major electrical horology exhibition, “Electrifying Time”, held at the Science Museum, London, from October 1976 to April 1977. A prolific author, he wrote several technical papers for the Group and contributed articles and book reviews for Antiquarian Horology. For some time he was a consultant to the publishers of the Horological Journal. In 1977 he co-authored, with his wife Rita, The Price Guide to Collectable Clocks 1840–1940, a reference book which has since seen three editions. In 1979, he published another successful book, The Eureka Clock. His last major work was Pocket Watches of the 19th and 20th Century, published in 1995.

To commemorate Dr Shenton’s interest in the nineteenth- and eighteenth century horology, and to encourage research and publication in the more recent horological subjects, in 2004 the AHS set up the Dr Alan Shenton Award. It is made for the best Antiquarian Horology article on timekeeping in the period since 1840.

The Shentons lived in Twickenham, London.

View collection: SHE - SHENTON, ALAN AND RITA

For obituaries of Dr Alan Shenton, written by Arthur Mitchell and Douglas Bateman respectively, see Antiquarian Horology vol. 27 no. 4 (June 2003), p. 377–78 and Horological Journal (June 2003), p. 195.

Image courtesy of Englebert Pfandler.