In 1797 William Pitt, the English Prime Minister, introduced a tax on all privately owned watches and clocks in Great Britain.

Because of Britain's financial difficulties a whole new set of taxes had to be introduced. By November 1797, Britain had a budget deficit of £22 million.

Because of the tax on watches and clocks many people were unable to afford the five shilling duty to keep a clock or pocket watch and relied on the clocks in taverns for the time.    The clocks in taverns acquired the new name of “Act of Parliament Clocks”.

The Tavern clocks were driven by a weight and had a long pendulum, like a grandfather clock. The dial was very large, 2 – 3 feet in diameter, some dials were as wide as 5 feet.

The tavern owners were happy to pay the tax because their clock attracted customers.  The tax was only in force for 9 months but the loss of business and hardship caused to clockmakers forced Pitt to repeal the Act.