A FAMILY business in Dorchester is turning back the hands of time.

Clockhouse Jewellers has returned to the premises it once occupied 50 years ago and for Fred Burgess it is a case of back to where it all started.

Fred’s parents, Fred senior and Leoni Burgess, opened the family firm in 1963 and Fred junior started working at the premises at the bottom of South Street the following year at the age of 15.

The business later moved to the Tudor Arcade in 1971 and then onto Durngate Street in 1984.

However, with Fred now accompanied by children Clara, Amy and Jonathan, the family decided to move back to the original shop when it became available.

Other than a four-year spell away training, Fred has worked in the business ever since he first joined 50 years ago.

He will be seeing over the clock repairs while the store will also be offering jewellery and watch repairs as well as a silversmith.

Fred said it was strange coming back to the place where it all began for the family.

He said: “This opportunity came up so we thought we’d come back.

“It brings back a lot of memories.”

Fred said that the size of the shop had been extended since he was last there and they would now be able to have a showroom upstairs for their longcase clocks.

With Jonathan, Clara and Amy extending the business to a third generation, Fred said it there was a real family feel at the store.

The new shop opened today and there was plenty of trade to keep them all busy.

One satisfied customer said she had been coming to Clockhouse Jewellers for as long as she could remember.

She said: “They’re very good.

“We’ve had three grandfather clocks and one granddaughter.”

Fred joked: “It has been busy, the only problem has been remembering where everything is!”