Keith wKeith was born at Barnard Castle in1942, he was educated at The School and frequented the adjoining Bowes Museum, with its famous Silver Swan . The Bowes developed a love of fine arts and antiquarian studies. In a military flying career (1960-1973), after the RAF College he flew in fighter, instructor and solo-display roles, lastly on Harriers in Germany. In 1968 he married Margaret, a tall Irish-Welsh girl, they have five adult children, all involved in the arts to varying degrees.

His study of antiquarian horology began while instructing in Wales, with a private view of Lord Mostyn’s William III year spring-clock by Thomas Tompion, later bought by the British Museum, the centre-piece of “Huygens Legacy” at Apeldoorn in 2004. His interest was encouraged by a local Tompion collector, and by very different horologists; J.Drummond Robertson, for his penetrating historical perspectives; H.Alan Lloyd for his didactic approach to the complexities of clockwork; and, of course, monographs on Tompion and Knibb by R.W.Symonds and Ronald A Lee - whom he met and learned much from.

In 1973 he set up business in an old Dutch bank, as art and antique dealer, entering a world of arbitrage and closed trusts; important old master paintings and clocks passed through his hands. Holland then was fertile ground to develop, meeting noted authors, collectors and dealers, who together gave him a rare pan-european perspective. Willem Hana, the late horologist and anglophile, was a great influence; so too is Dutch clock restorer Berry van Lieshout, who shared his workshop and passion to record and to preserve the horological heritage.