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But eventually Mr Harrison, a simple clockmaker and carpenter, proved his more illustrious colleagues wrong.

Stephan Farffler, a clockmaker who lost the use of his legs in a childhood accident, created the device so he could propel himself to and from church in Nuremberg, Germany.

Its tale of the dying days of a New England clockmaker was knotty and morbid, but in a memorably lyrical, gentle way.

Much like the figurines in old-fashioned automaton clocks, they enter at the appointed time, execute clever bits of business and exit, leaving no impression other than admiration for clockmaker’s skill.

Decades later, the prize was awarded to a clockmaker, John Harrison.