December 2011 page 50
Frank Coe

BSS Newbury Meeting – 24 September 2011

This report details the British Sundial Society's Newbury meeting, featuring talks on topics such as a metal-detected Norfolk horologium, ceiling reflection dials, leap years and calendars, repairing old books, lifting heavy sundials, war memorial dials, and heliochronometers. Exhibits included a cross dial and an equation of time analogue computer, showcasing a diverse range of gnomonic interests.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Reflected, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members

March 2010 page 13
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 15—Marsh Court, Stockbridge, Hampshire

Features a Pilkington & Gibbs heliochronometer at Marsh Court, Stockbridge, Hampshire, as seen on a postcard postmarked 1916. The article provides details about the heliochronometer and the history of Marsh Court, which served as a hospital during World War I.
Historical Dials, Dials: Heliochronometer

March 2009 page 13
Maurice Kenn

Reader’s Letter

Maurice Kenn shares observations from Brisbane, Australia, contrasting the reliability of his universal equatorial 'coffee-time' sundial and heliochronometer with his UK radio-controlled clock. He notes the significant variation in local apparent noon relative to Eastern Standard Time in Brisbane.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Heliochronometer, How Sundials Work

December 2009 page 28
Michael Lee

A universal heliochronometer

Details the design and construction of a modern, portable heliochronometer. The instrument, inspired by H.C. Armstead's 'Phoeboscope', uses a spot of light on an analemma to provide a numerical time readout. It can be adjusted for latitude, longitude, the equation of time, and summer time.
Construction Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer, Equation of Time

March 2008 page 42
Mike Shaw

Then & Now

Compares an early 20th-century postcard of a Pilkington & Gibbs heliochronometer at Thornton Manor with a modern photograph. It notes the dial's original purchase by Lord Leverhulme, its continued presence on its pedestal, and the replacement of its glass dome with a chemistry bell jar.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Historical Dials

June 2008 page 95

There’s a Lovely Sundial in that Garden...!

This short piece discusses the common misconception that the pedestal is the sundial, highlighting the importance of the support's beauty. It mentions architect Lutyens' appreciation for pedestals and features a P&G heliochronometer at Marshcourt, posing a question about its current status.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Historical Dials, Sundial Design & Layout

March 2007 page 31
Peter Lane

Cooke’s new sundial and the Beadsmoore heliochronometer

This article discusses Ernest Beadsmoore's construction of a heliochronometer, inspired by Professor W. E. Cooke's 'New Sundial' design published in 1924. It details Beadsmoore's background as an engineer, his process of building and testing the dial, and its impact on local timekeeping precision. Cooke's later 'Sunclock' patent, connecting the dial to a clock for standard time, is also mentioned.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer, Historical Dials, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2007 page 98
Graham Aldred

A Review of the Heliochronometers by Pilkington & Gibbs: Pt. 4. The Mechanical Equation Table

This article reviews Pilkington's Mechanical Equation Table a device for converting sundial time to mean time, detailing its two versions. It covers the design evolution, Pilkington's reluctant use of Gibbs' cam mechanism due to practical limitations, and their patent disputes.
Equation of Time, Dials: Heliochronometer

September 2007 page 111
Robert Scott Simon
John Wall
Graham Aldred

Readers’ Letters

This section features three letters: Robert Scott Simon identifies a dial he made. John Wall comments on a bizarre sundial plot in a TV series, where a pivoted gnomon reveals gold. Graham Aldred discusses corrosion on sundial plates and P&G heliochronometers, suggesting material substitutions and their implications.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Restoration projects, The BSS and Members

June 2006 page 91
Graham Aldred

A Review of the Heliochronometers by Pilkington & Gibbs: Pt.1 - The Design and Accuracy of the Gibbs Helio-Chronometer

This first part of a review examines the design and accuracy of the Pilkington & Gibbs Helio-Chronometer, an equatorial sundial known for its mean time accuracy. It details the instrument's components, mounting assembly, sight screen system, and the mechanism for integrating the Equation of Time using a cam, and discusses factors affecting its long-term accuracy, such as wear and calibration.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Equation of Time, How Sundials Work, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2006 page 128
Graham Aldred

A Review of the Heliochronometers by Pilkington and Gibbs - Part 2, Procedures for setting up the Helio-Chronometer

This article provides comprehensive, practical procedures for calibrating and reinstalling Pilkington & Gibbs Helio-Chronometers. It covers essential steps such as precise levelling, accurate co-latitude setting, meridian alignment, and adjustments for the equation of time and longitude, offering detailed guidance for both Northern and Southern Hemisphere models, aimed at owners and restorers.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Equation of Time, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2006 page 177
Tony Moss

Making Replacement Springs for a Pilkington & Gibbs Helio-Chronometer

Tony Moss provides instructions for crafting replacement springs for Pilkington & Gibbs Helio-Chronometers. The article outlines using a rolling jig to shape half-hard brass, enhancing its properties through work-hardening and planishing. This ensures the springs function correctly, highlighting traditional metalworking techniques adapted for precise instrument repair.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer

December 2006 page 186
Graham Aldred

The Helio-Chronometers from Pilkington & Gibbs: Pt. 3

Graham Aldred reviews the Sol Horometer, William Pilkington's 1912 heliochronometer, developed to bypass George Gibbs's patent. It details Pilkington’s unique EoT adjustment mechanism, contrasting it with Gibbs's system, and discusses manufacturing, sighting, and pointer design. The article also compares its performance and rarity to the original Helio-Chronometer, noting the limited sales.
Sundial Design & Layout, Equation of Time, Historical Dials, Dials: Heliochronometer

December 2005 page 142
Christopher Daniel

The Equation of Time: The Invention of the Analemma. A brief history of the subject (Part II)

This part of the article discusses the history and application of the analemma in equinoctial sundials, particularly in Great Britain and the Netherlands. It details inventions by Major-General John Ryder Oliver, William Pilkington, and William Homan, and provides strong evidence suggesting Johann Philipp von Wurzelbau invented the analemma around 1716, predating Jean-Paul Grandjean de Fouchy.
How Sundials Work, Equation of Time, Historical Dials, Dials: Heliochronometer

December 2005 page 154
Graham Stapleton

‘Timekumpas’ - the smallest heliochronometer?

This article introduces the "Timekumpas," a small, cigarette-lighter-sized equatorial dial patented in 1926. While it lacks precision due to its size, it is notable for being a universal instrument designed to allow for latitude, longitude, equation of time, and magnetic variation, making a "noble effort" to create a sophisticated, portable standard time indicator.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Portable, Historical Dials

December 2004 page 163
Michael J. Harley
Harriet James

Five sundials at Dunmore, Co. Donegal

Survey of five McClintock sundials at Dunmore estate, including the 1843 Melville slate dial and its 2003 restoration, the 1936 vertical dial, the 1939 heliochronometer, construction details, inscriptions, and the estate's dial-making history.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Multi Faced, Historical Dials, Restoration projects

June 2002 page 85
Silas Higgon

Azimuth Mean Time Dial

Technical description of a dial type that uses azimuth angle to determine mean time, with design suggestions.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2002 page 115
Margaret Stanier

The Twentieth Century

An essay reflecting on the evolution of sundial making and the Society's activities during the 20th century, highlighting significant developments and personalities.
Dials: Bifilar, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members

June 2000 page 101
Andree Chotkiewicz

An Educational Heliochronometer

Describes a portable device that demonstrates the equation of time and solar motion for educational use.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer, Equation of Time

February 1999 page 9
Maurice Kenn

Astro-Compass or Heliochronometer

This article references the Gibbs Universal Heliochronometer, patented in 1906, and its presence at the 1998 BSS Conference. It suggests converting existing Astro-Compasses into heliochronometers by adding self-adhesive hour-labels, providing an affordable way to indicate local sun time with reasonable accuracy.
Dialling Tools, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer

February 1999 page 10
Ann Colville

Life with a Heliochronometer

Ann Colville shares memories of growing up with a heliochronometer at Holehird during WWII, where it served as the family's primary timekeeper, for regulating the long case clock. The article highlights its accuracy, the care it received, and its eventual journey to America, now a preserved curiosity.
Historical Dials, Dials: Heliochronometer

February 1999 page 23
Graham Aldred

The Holehird Helio-Chronometer

This article details the restoration and reinstallation of the Pilkington & Gibbs Helio-Chronometer at Holehird. It recounts its history, its protection by a glass bell jar, and the innovative security measures implemented for its current display, allowing it to accurately tell time for another century.
Restoration projects, Historical Dials, Dials: Heliochronometer

February 1998 page 14
Graham Aldred

Dunchurch Lodge and the Heliochronometer

A site note on a heliochronometer at Dunchurch Lodge, describing layout, reading, and mechanical features of this precision time-telling instrument and its context on the estate.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Historical Dials

June 1998 page 16
Margaret Stanier

Bernhardt Dials

This article describes the distinctive equatorial sundials designed by modern German artist M. Bernhardt. These feature a polished aluminium gnomon pointing towards Polaris, and an hour scale calibrated for mean time, incorporating the equation-of-time correction within the gnomon's outline. Interchangeable gnomons allow for seasonal adjustments.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1995 page 18
Allan A. Mills

The Cooke Heliochronometer

A description of the Cooke Heliochronometer, an accurate sundial capable of giving clock time, including its principle of operation, advantages over traditional dials, and its place in the development of precision timekeeping instruments.
Dials: Heliochronometer

June 1992 page 24
H. Christopher H. Armstead

The Phoeboscope

The phoeboscope is presented as a self-sufficient instrument combining time-keeping, meridian-finding, and calendrical functions by detecting solar declination. Designed during WWII as an improvement of the existing sun-compass, its adoption was frustratingly held up in bureaucracy until too late to be useful. It uses a lens to focus sunlight onto a shadow-plate engraved with an analemma, allowing accurate determination of time, meridian, and date anywhere in the world without a watch or almanac.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time

July 1991 page 1

Dialogue - Der Zonnewijzerkring, La Busca de Paper, Austrian Sundials, Der Sternbote

This section compiles news and updates from various sundial societies. It covers new bulletin issues from De Zonnewijzerkring (Dutch) and La Busca de Paper (Catalan), including mathematical dialling, celestial mechanics, and specific sundial descriptions. It also announces the founding of an Austrian Sundial Society and details a rare sun chronometer in Baden, Vienna, designed by Gibbs.
Book Reviews, Dialling Tools, Dials: Heliochronometer, The BSS and Members

October 1991 page 29
H. R. Mills

Letters to the Editor

This section includes correspondence from H.R. Mills, who details his homemade "heliochronometer" sundial based on the Gibbs and Pilkington type. He also discusses A.P. Herbert's "Housewife's Trick," warning against adjusting sundials by twisting them in azimuth to correct for BST, as this introduces variable time errors.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer, Equation of Time