Roger Turner Torksey All posts by this member | 1 of 3 Mon 14th Nov 2016 11:22am Member: Joined Aug 2014 Total posts:493 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. |
Local History and Heritage - Public Clocks in Coventry | |
Midland Red Cherwell All posts by this member | 2 of 3 Mon 14th Nov 2016 12:20pm Moderator: Joined Jan 2010 Total posts:4823 Great post, Roger ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Local History and Heritage - Public Clocks in Coventry | |
Kaga simpson Peacehaven, East Sussex All posts by this member | 3 of 3 Mon 14th Nov 2016 1:02pm Member: Joined Sep 2014 Total posts:1982 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. |
Local History and Heritage - Public Clocks in Coventry |