Born July 25, 1778. Died June 29, 1850.
William J. Frodsham was born in London, and brought up under the care of his grandfather, a great admirer of John Harrison, the inventor of the timekeeper for ascertaining the longitude at sea. From thus spending his early life with his grandfather, young Frodsham acquired a strong desire to engage in the business of chronometer making, he was consequently apprenticed to a man eminent in that art. Shortly after completing his apprenticeship Mr. Frodsham, in the year 1800, entered into partnership with Mr. W. Parkinson of Lancaster, and hence arose the celebrated firm of Parkinson and Frodsham.
During his entire life Mr. Frodsham devoted himself to the advancement of the art he had engaged in, and being ably assisted by his partner effected various improvements in chronometers, watches, and other timekeepers, and was also the author of a paper on pendulum experiments. Mr. Frodsham lived to an advanced age, surviving his partner by many years. During his career he acquired a large fortune, which he bequeathed to his family, leaving at the same time a sum of 1000l. to the Clockmakers' Company, of which he had been Master several times during his life. Mr. Frodsham died at Chatham Place, Hackney, and was buried in Highgate Cemetery.