Guernsey Post’s philatelic bureau is delighted to announce the release of stamps commemorating Nicolas Blondel (1703-1775), whose journey from a spoon and buckle maker to a celebrated clockmaker earned him the distinction as the first professional clockmaker in the Channel Islands (stamp issue date: 19 February 2025).
Despite being heir to a thriving farm in St Saviour’s, at the age of 20, Blondel rented a shop on Cornet Street in St Peter Port, Guernsey, where he crafted spoons, buckles, and other everyday objects. Some years later, a pivotal moment came when Jean Poppelston, a French clockmaker seeking employment, introduced him to the intricate world of horology; Blondel embarked on a career that would see him create around 300 timepieces.
It was Blondel’s meticulous attention to detail that set his work apart from his contemporaries. Among his creations, a 1762 model stands out for its unique feature that allowed the calculation of Easter dates following the switch to the Gregorian calendar. This innovation was unprecedented and Blondel’s greatest accomplishment during an esteemed career.
The Stamps
65p: Grandfather clock signed by Nicolas Blondel. The clock has a calendar, showing the moon phase, date, time, minutes and seconds, a dial engraved with copper counters for phases of the moon and the date.
£1.20: No. 27, circa 1740, eight-day clock. This long clock has a 12-inch signed square dial with engraved border date aperture and allegorical season spandrels; the rack and bell striking movement is numbered on the backplate.
£2.71: A typical Normandy clock brought to Guernsey by Nicolas Blondel’s mentor Jean Poppelston.
£4.31 – 1762 Grandfather clock. Before the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar which took place in Britain in 1752, the date of Easter was set on a 19-year cycle. The ‘lost’ eleven days made the change much more difficult, but this was possible to calculate by using the four extra apertures in the dial centre.
Bridget Yabsley, head of philatelic at Guernsey Post, said: - “We are thrilled to commemorate Nicolas Blondel’s enormous contribution to Guernsey’s cultural heritage, which was further recognised when a blue plaque was unveiled outside his former home in St Peter Port in 2018, ensuring his legacy lives on.”