Ruth Belville was a remarkable woman who sold time to subscribers, mainly chronometer makers, in London in the 1800s. This unique service became crucial with the introduction of railways, standardizing time with Railway Time and later Greenwich Mean Time. Despite technological advances like the telephone Speaking Clock, Ruth’s clients stayed loyal until her retirement in 1940. After her death in 1943, it’s clear that Ruth Belville was a pioneering figure in the distribution of time, demonstrating resilience and determination in providing a manual time service amidst changing times.
https://eehe.org.uk/72742/ruth-belville-she-sold-time/