Thomas Earnshaw: A Guardian of Time’s Accuracy Thomas Earnshaw (4 February 1749 – 1 March 1829) stands as a pivotal figure in the history of British horology and maritime navigation, an artisan whose meticulous craftsmanship fundamentally reshaped how Britain charted its seas and measured time. Born into a family steeped in clockmaking tradition—his father, William Earnshaw, was himself a respected maker—Thomas inherited not merely sk…