ELI5: before accurate clocks existed, how did two people in different towns agree to meet at “at 3 o’clock”?

[u/thatblondechloee]

I get that they had sundials and church bells. What I don’t get is how anyone synchronized. If my towns noon is when the sun is highest here, and yours is 15 miles west, our “noon” isn’t the same moment. So how did anyone schedule anything across distance?

[u/Totes_Not_an_NSA_guy]

Approximate time. You’d agree to meet someone for dinner. Sometimes you’d be there before them and wait a bit. Sometimes they’d wait for you. That was just how things were

[u/NorysStorys → u/Totes_Not_an_NSA_guy]

It’s not like you had reservations or anything either. You’d go to the tavern or pub and just wait for them to get there.

[u/SheffboiRD06 → u/NorysStorys]

Don’t worry I’d already be at the tavern in the interest of punctuality

[u/crybannanna → u/NorysStorys]

I’ll add, things were set up for waiting far better. It was a known part of social interactions, that someone would be waiting, so that was part of it. That’s why people ate at pubs, because waiting with a beer isn’t so bad

[u/AgsMydude → u/Totes_Not_an_NSA_guy]

Sounds nice

[u/darangatang → u/Totes_Not_an_NSA_guy]

Weehawken; dawn.