Monday, August 03, 2026
The watchmakers eulogy
St Petrock, Lydford, Devon - The gravestone is inscribed as follows:- Here lies in the horizontal position The outside case of George Routleigh, Watchmaker, Whose abilities in that line were an honour To his profession: Integrity was the main-spring, And prudence the regulator Of all the actions of his life: Humane, generous and liberal, His hand never stopped Till he had relieved distress; So nicely regulated were all his movements That he never went wrong Except when set-a-going By people Who did not know his key; Even then, he was easily Set right again: He had the art of disposing of his time So well That his hours glided away In one continual round Of pleasure and delight, Till an unlucky moment put a period to His existence; He departed this life November 14, 1802 Wound up, in hopes of being taken in hand By his Maker, And of being Thoroughly cleaned, repaired and set-a-going In the World to come.
