Mudge Thomas
The inventor of the lever escapement and a maker of marine chronometers. He was born at Exeter, England, in 1715. He was apprenticed to the celebrated George Graham in 1729. From 1750 to 1771 he was engaged in business in Fleet street, London. In 1765 he invented the lever escapement. In 1771 he removed to Plymouth. In 1777 he was made clockmaker to the king. In 1793 Parliament voted him the sum of pound2,500, he having previously received pound500, as a reward for his marine time keepers. He devoted the greater part of his life to the improvement of the marine chronometer, and his work in this line was celebrated for finish and correct proportion of details. He died Nov. 24, 1794.