The passage of time is a central theme to the Corpus Chronophage, and its inventor and creator, Dr John C Taylor OBE has said that ‘it is a sobering reminder that time is not on your side’.
The iconic clock stands proud in the wall of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in 2008, and has quickly become the most popular and visited landmark in Cambridge. Dr Taylor donated it to the college, from which he graduated in 1959, alongside funds for the new Taylor Library. The building on which the clock is mounted celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, having been originally built as a bank.
The Chronophage – meaning ‘time-eater’ in Ancient Greek – features a formidable grasshopper which slams its jaws shut at the end of each minute, representing the fact that it is gone forever. The grasshopper is in fact an essential part of the clock’s mechanism. The technical name for this component is a ‘grasshopper escapement’ and it was invented by one of Dr Taylor’s greatest clock-making influences, John Harrison.
Dr Taylor said, “When you’re in your eighties, you realise that time is limited, time is not on your side, and it’s slightly scary.
“Everyone’s experience of time is unique and personal. The clock speeds up, slows down and even stops, which is representative of the way in which time is not always constant.”
Although the clock is irregular, it shows the correct time once every five minutes.
Dr Taylor made his name creating small electrical components that are vital to many pieces of technology we could not live without. Early electric kettles would not turn off when the water was boiling, meaning that they needed constant supervision and were in danger of melting and starting fires if they were not properly attended. Dr Taylor created the solution to this problem: a small, bimetallic thermostat that would break the kettle’s circuit when the water started to boil.
The Corpus Chronophage isn’t the only donation that eminent philanthropist Dr John C Taylor has made to Cambridge, however. Earlier this year he made a personal donation to make possible a Professorship of Innovation in the Engineering Department of the University of Cambridge to inspire the next generation.
He explains, “Innovation is no longer just for the elite in business; it has become the norm. In order to stay ahead, it’s important that not only do we innovate, we do it better than anyone else. The United Kingdom has an incredible track record of inventors, engineers and thinkers and we want to build on that.
“It’s essential that those who have great ideas have the skills and support to develop successful business models around them. This way, they can develop inventions from prototype to production for the benefit of the creator while generating local employment through manufacturing growth.
“This is the sort of insight that the Professor of Innovation would give to the bright minds of the Department of Engineering, and why it’s so essential that the students have guidance on how to make their business plans work for them.”
Having continued to innovate throughout his life, Dr Taylor now has over 400 patents to his name.
The Corpus Chronophage is featured in a set of six stamps celebrating Dr Taylor’s life and work, which can be found here .