Clocks

Do you know how many clocks there have been in the town, also what do you know about them? This week I thought I would take a look at just one of the displays from the Festival of Local History.

One of the most prominent clocks in the town today also happens to be the oldest that is the clock in Hotham Park. Hotham Park House was original known as Chapel House when it was built in 1792 and within 12 months a chapel and clock tower had been erected, however the chapel was demolished in 1859. During 1794 a clock was installed into the tower, costing £66.0s.0d. and it is still there today. Manufactured by John Thwaites of London the clock movement - according to the Company Archives - amounted to £6.6s.0d. and included accommodation also 12 day's labour, for the installation and apparently it was delivered in two packing cases, for an additional cot of £3.13.6d.

John Thwaites, was known as an 'eminent turret maker' around the 1790's and had been apprenticed to his father in 1772, from whom he learnt his trade. He continued in this work until died in 1826. The company continued and is today known as Thwaites and Reed and they were recently involved in work on the great clock of Westminster.

The tower clock room was accessed by a 50 ft. climb up a vertical ladder, situated in one corner, with no floors on the way up until the clock room was reached. However today there are three floors and three sets of ladders with 61 rungs in total. Just take a moment to think how is the clock wound up? One of the winders was James McFadyen who was the head gardener of the house from 1927 until he retired in 1964. Others assisted him over the years.

The two dials, which face North and South are 6ft. in diameter and made from convex copper sheet,

with astragal moulding around the edge. They are painted black with gold-leaf Roman numerals and attached to the tower by four large nuts and bolts. There is also a 7.5" diameter dial, inscribed: 'Made by John Thwaites, Clerkenwell, London 1794 for Sir Richard Hotham Kt.' The bell is 24.5" in diameter and weights 3cwt. 2 qts. 3lbs and 8 ounces, as listed in the Day Book of Thwaites & Reed lodged in the Guildhall Library in London. In 1994 approx. £3,000 was paid to repair the mechanism. The old manual mechanism was replaced by automatic workings from the clock makers, Smith of Derby. It has been calculated that the clock's bell chimes 156 times per day and therefore 56,940 times per year that's if you're counting. The time is regulated every Monday at noon, when it is checked and re-aligned as necessary. The original bell cost £26.7s.4d. As the complete tower, clock and bell are within the park, therefore they are the subject of lottery funding to correct various aspects of their future maintenance.

Next we should take a look at the clock above the railway station, one that seems to be guilty of not working. The clock and tower were installed when the station was built between 1900 and 1902. It is believed that the clock could have been supplied by Gillett & Johnston of Croydon, as it would appear to be typical of their style of manufacture. It has three 50” diameter skeleton dials and these were originally light by gaslights. The original clock movement fixing holes are still visible, whilst the original movement has been removed and replaced with an electrical mechanism. This movement was fitted into the loft of the Station Masters living accommodation and the weights would have been wound weekly. There was a further clock on the station concourse for a number of years. This was a weight driven wall long case regulator clock supplied by John Walker of London, but was removed and sold some years ago.

Looking to the past we should now remember St. John's Church, but the one situated in Market Street, which can be seen on many postcards of the early views of The Steyne.

This was built in 1822 and the gothic style tower was added in 1833. John Moore & Sons of 38/39 Clerkenwell Close, London in 1833, made the turret clock. There were two 5ft. diameter copper dials, which were painted black. The tower contained a bell named Mary Ann which weighed 4 cwt. this was presented by the Rev. Charles and Miss Baumparten of Aldwick, at a cost of £200. Thomas Mears of London made the bell in 1832 and they also made the bells for the new St. John's church in London Road when it was constructed in 1873. Apparently Miss Baumparten also donated the weather vane for the tower. The main church was demolished in 1891/2 leaving the clock tower in existence until 1960/61, when it was also demolished.

Do you remember the clock; the very visual clock situated outside L.J. Wade the Jewellers in York Road. This company, which was established in 1887, traded originally in the High Street prior to moving to York Road, and where they became one of the first shops to open in the new Kursaal complex. The clock was erected around 1902 to the exterior of the jeweller's shop. Ultimately in 1975 the building was demolished to make way for the Regis Centre and at this time a local trader Mr. Olby retrieved the clock, which was then fixed on the outside of the Olby & Son's shop in the High Street, opposite the William Hardwick public house, as it is known today. Here the clock remained until 1984 when again demolition took a hand with its history. Eventually the shop was replaced by Clock Walk in 1986/7 when Wade's clock was fixed on the new building until 2001 when it was again removed. It is and is now held privately awaiting restoration and also a new location in the town. Any offers? The dials on this clock are 40 ins. in diameter and were, similar to the railway station clock illuminated by gaslight. The skeleton dials were originally driven from a mechanical clock movement in the shop window but this was finally replaced by an electrical driver.

Finally we come to the newest clock in our town that of the one now situated above the Town Hall. The Bognor Regis Town Council decided to mark the Millennium by installing a clock on the tower above the Town Hall, which always seemed to be awaiting a clock. It has a five feet diameter skeleton dial with a star centre. The dial has a removable centre section so that the outside of the dial can be maintained without scaffolding. The clock was fitted by Smith of Derby on 14th March 2000.

For a time there was a small clock on the outside of the old stable block off Aldwick Road. These buildings have been renovated into private homes and on the outside wall there was a small clock face, which had written across the face „Wade of Bognor, however I have recently notice that this has been removed. There was another clock outside Long & Strickland, and there have been

others over the years, but we will look at this another time. In this modern world of ours, when everything seems to be digital it would be a great shame if we lost these clocks, who have passed their time with us for so many years. If you have any information on these or any other clocks please contact me not matter how small and if you have any photographs please let me know.

• TELEPHONE 01243 823 820
• EMAIL: info@bognor-local-history.co.uk