Public Clocks in Coventry

An item under "Buses and public transport" set me wondering about this subject. It was the unusual position and fixture of that one on the roof of the café in Pool Meadow. Coventry was a town of watch and clock makers, and before the advent of cheap digital etc, there was obviously a need for public display of time. I can remember St Johns Church had one, there is that outstanding one in the Burges and I noticed a similar one in a recent photo of war damaged Broadgate, and I remember my grandfather kept a chunk of glass from the Market Hall clock that blew out in a gale in 18** something or other, and I also noticed there was a thread on bus stop clocks. But where did they come from, how did they emanate, were they part of town planning or official direction, or were they a sort of advert or just a public spirited adornment to a building? Who was responsible for them and who wound them and advanced and retarded them in summer and winter times? I would guess the present day Godiva revolving clock is serviced by a man from the City Engineers Dept. Did/does St Johns Church clock strike? PS I still use a Grandfather Clock.

Great post, Roger Here's the one in Burges and St John's Church and another one for your list, at the Council House

A century or so ago one was not allowed to be one minute late for work or such, and people could not afford watches so it is my belief that clocks were put in prominent places for the public to know the time. Trains and trams ran on time. Time was more important then than now.