Timeline for UK & USA Time Recorders

1855

UK: John Adams of Northampton, England invents and patents possibly the first workers time recorder machine.
Germany: Johannes Bürk manufactures the first portable night watchman’s clock.

1878

USA: Willard L. Bundy patent evidence for his key recorder.

1881

UK: William Maberly Llewellin patents his first time recorder in the UK.

1883

UK: Llewellin’s Machine Company is founded in Bristol, to manufacture a time check machine.
USA: William Maberley Llewellin’s time recorder is patented in the USA.

1888

UK: Dr. Alexander Dey of Glasgow, Scotland invents and patents the first dial time recorder.
USA: Charles E. van Voorhis invents an autograph recorder in Chicago, possibly later made and sold by the Chicago Time Register Company.

1889

UK: Frank Brook invents his first time recorder.
USA: Alexander Dey’s invention is patented in the USA. 
Brothers Harlow & Willard L. Bundy found the Bundy Manufacturing Company.

1890

USA: The Accurate Time Stamp Company (latterly re-named the Standard Time Stamp Co.) is formed.

1893

UK: The first time recorders supplied from the USA are distributed by The British Bundy Company.
USA: Brothers Alexander and John Dey found the Dey Patents Company and start manufacturing dial recorders.

1894

USA: J. L. Willard and F. A. Frick found the Willard & Frick Manufacturing Company to market Daniel M. Cooper’s ‘Rochester’ card recorder. 
Edward G. Watkins invents his button recorder and founds the Simplex Time Recorder Company.

1896

UK: Howard Brothers is established to manufacture and sell Dey dial clocks.  
The Brook Time Check Company is formed.
USA: The Cincinnati Time Recorder Company is founded.

1898

UK: J. J. Stockall Jr. invents and patents a time check machine.

1899

UK: The Brook Time Check Company is dissolved.
USA: The Bundy Manufacturing Company acquires the Standard Time Stamp Company.

1900

USA: George W. Fairchild forms the International Time Recording Company (ITR).

1901

USA: ITR acquires the Chicago Time Register Company.

1902

USA: ITR is incorporated as a consolidation of Bundy Manufacturing Co., Willard & Frick Manufacturing, and Chicago Time Register Company.

1903

UK: Dr. Alexander Dey moves from Glasgow, Scotland to Syracuse, USA.
USA: Willard L. Bundy leaves his brother to form the W. H. Bundy Recording Company with his son.

1904

USA: The Dey Time Register Company is incorporated.

1907

UK: Stockall-Brook Time Recorders Ltd is registered.
National Time Recorder Company is founded.
Dey Time Registers Ltd is registered.
USA: ITR acquires the Dey Time Register Company.

1908

USA: ITR acquires the Syracuse Time Recorder Company.

1911

UK: Stockall-Brook Time Recorders Ltd is dissolved.
USA: Merger of ITR, Computing Scale Co., and the Tabulating Machine Co. to form the Computing-Tabulating-Recording (C-T-R) Company.

1912

UK: International Time Recording Company Ltd is registered.
Gledhill-Brook Time Recorders is registered.
Stockall-Marples & Co. (1912) Ltd is registered.

1917

UK: National Time Recorder Company Ltd is registered.
Blick Time Recording Devices is founded.
British Time Recorders Ltd is registered.

1922

UK: Blick Time Recorders Ltd is registered.

1924

USA: C-T-R is renamed International Business Machines (IBM).

1958

USA: IBM Time Equipment Division is sold to the Simplex Time Recorder Company.

1964

UK: Gledhill-Brook Time Recorders Ltd is sold to Simplex Time Recorder Company (UK) Ltd.

1970

UK: Stockall-Marples & Co. is dissolved.

1972

UK: National Time Recorder Company Ltd and British Time Recorders Ltd are acquired by Blick Time Recorders Ltd.

1977

UK: International Time Recording Company Ltd changes name to ITR International Time Ltd.

1982

UK: ITR International Time Ltd is bought by Blick Time Recorders Ltd.

1986

UK: Blick Time Recorders Ltd becomes Blick PLC.

1991

USA: Cincinnati Time Recorder Company is acquired by Amano.

2001

USA: Simplex Time Recorder Company is acquired by Tyco and merged with Grinnell Fire Protection to form SimplexGrinnell.
The time clock division of Simplex was sold to Kronos shortly afterward.

2004

UK: Blick PLC is acquired by Stanley Security Solutions Group.

2022

UK: Stanley Security is acquired by Securitas Technology.

2025

UK: Llewellin’s Machine Company Ltd is still in existence after 140 years, now specialising in gear systems.
USA: The time recorder element of Simplex’s business remains operational under Kronos.