Time Clock at Tone Works, Wellington, Somerset
Tone Works deals with the washing, drying and finishing of cloth produced at the nearby Tonedale Mill. Tonedale Mill was probably the largest integrated woollen mill complex in the southwest region. It was established in 1790 and operated until the 1980s. Time had become an increasingly important factor in the factories and mills of the 19th century. Issues of productivity required managers to know when their employees were working and for how long. This lead to time clocks and punch cards being introduced in many factories and businesses.
