The family was of Swiss origin. Justin Vulliamy, an ancestor, coming to England in 1704 to study the construction of English clocks and watches, under one Benjamin Gray, finally succeeded to his master's business at 68
Pall Mall, after having married his daughter. The old shop was situated at 52 Pall Mall, (where the Marlborough Club stood from 1868 until 1953) The firm obtained the appointment of Clockmakers to the Crown in 1742, which it held for 112 years. Justin Vulliamy died in 1797, the business being inherited by his son Benjamin (Benjamin Lewis's father). Benjamin Lewis commenced early to make a special study of the history, theory and applications of
horology; but while his father had always specialised in
mantel clocks, he began to concentrate on
turret clocks. • a
dead pinwheel escapement; • a 2-second pendulum for greater accuracy (as previously used by
Lepaute at the
Hôtel de Ville, Paris); • a
second hand (on the
movement, for more accurate regulation of the clock); • a
ratchet to keep the clock going while being wound; • a
degree-plate for measuring the arc of the pendulum. In 1825 Vulliamy travelled to Paris to study the city's public clocks. Having returned he began working on a new clock, for the church of
St Luke, West Norwood. He applied new ideas and thinking to the task and created what is now considered to be the UK's earliest example of a 'flat-bed' turret clock; it was installed in 1827. The following year it was inspected by Colonel
John Jones on behalf of the
Board of Ordnance (Vulliamy had been appointed clockmaker to the Honourable Board of Ordnance by the
Duke of Wellington in 1826); Jones declared it to be 'superior to any turret clock I have seen' with regard to simplicity of construction, long-term durability, and regularity of keeping time. Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy was elected associate of the
Institution of Civil Engineers on 13 March 1838, was auditor for the year 1842, and obtained in 1846 a premium of books for a paper on railway clocks. He was made free of the
Clockmakers' Company on 4 December 1809, admitted to the livery in January 1810, and five times filled the office of master. He was elected a fellow of the
Royal Astronomical Society on 14 January 1831, and retained his connection with the society till his death. Vulliamy was a man who some considered to have a refined taste in art, and possessed knowledge of architecture, paintings, and engravings. His library was extensive, especially in that portion which related to his profession of clockmaking. He also possessed a valuable collection of ancient watches. He added to the libraries of the Clockmakers' Company and of the Institution of Civil Engineers. To the company he also gave numerous models and specimens of clocks and watches, and to the institution he presented in 1847 the works of a clock made by
Thomas Tompion about 1670 for Charles II, by whom it was given to
Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland. On 1 March 1850 he exhibited to the
Royal Archæological Institute six carvings in ivory by Fiamminge. Vulliamy died on 8 January 1854, leaving two sons, Benjamin Lewis (1817–1886) and
George John. Neither of his sons followed him in business and his stock of 170 gold watches and 100 clocks and cases was sold by Christine and Manson, King Street, St James’s on 8 June 1854. That same year the business was purchased by
Charles Frodsham, a fellow clockmaker with whom Vulliamy had occasionally collaborated. He was a great-uncle of the art potter
Blanche Georgiana Vulliamy. ==Published works==