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nr Lecwead“Chredf each Qo Micieee =< | Minha Footie, wv Grell (ett | Toor. ny F (foci Pewontiant Gi Rutan fee he eng: seated e Sra 2D Denk Paws kd SB tg BO Fame AG hige-& ere PEt thm teat hw te IS 8S . | ee fella wen bre t | PhP BRO SRP REE pad | & . a ss = { SF Came eats Fat Lian Olas 7 ~7 ote 77 any ee | Ledger from Midland Clock Works in Derby, England, shows the order for Port Perry post office clock from Sapbernbee 26, 1913. Continued from page 21 ona 1914 conversion rate of £.2054 per American dollar, would be the equivalent of about $290. When the order was completed, the mechanism was shipped across the Atlantic Ocean, sailing from Liverpool to Montreal in October 1913. In Montreal it was loaded onto a rail freight car to continue the final leg of the journey to Port Perry. Exactly when the timing mechanism. arrived in town can not be determined, but when the new post office opened for busi- ness on Friday, January 2, 1914, the clock had yet to be installed. In April the local newspaper editor re- ported that mechanics were finally install- ing the clock and by mid-May offered up this not-so-glowing report. “The post office clock has started to strike, but it is far too modest and gentle about telling the hours. Its voice must have been trained in a ladies’ seminary, and is “cultured”. This comment came from Samuel Farm- er, publisher of The Port Perry Star, who was critical that when the bell sounded the hours, it could barely be heard unless you were standing outside the building. Ina second article a few weeks later, Mr. Farmer continued his criticism, writing, “The clock has scarcely formed the habit of running regularly yet. Sometimes it ‘strikes’ and sometimes it goes ‘on strike’ and then of course, it neither goes nor strikes.” But despite it’s rather rocky beginnings, the 100 year old timepiece continues to sweep the large hands around its hand- some face, 50 feet above Queen Street. The intricate timepiece, which keeps the hands turning, is made of cast iron with bronze and brass gears and steel shafts. The clock mechanism is composed of two 22 FOCUS - JANUARY 2014 distinct train gears, a time train (for the clock) and striking train (for the bell). Each of the four, 4’ diameter clock faces was assembled from hand. painted glass (similar to stained glass). The glass sections are set in a black iron frame with lead cames and Roman numerals. The large sweeping minute hand is 3’6” inches in length and the hour hand slightly shorter at 2’6” . The clock’s bell is mounted on the roof of the post office, protected from the weather by an open air peaked canopy, which allows the sound of the bell toll to be heard far and wide. Cast in iron, the bell weighs 800 pounds and came equipped with a hammer strike. It was manufactured in Loughborough, England in 1913 by John Taylor Bellfounders, then shipped to Canada along with the clock components. Although the bell was originally ‘synchronized to strike on the hour, the cost to maintain echanis1 d it’s ne- cessity. Today, the bell is no longer in use although it still sits perched under its canopy outside the bell tower. As with all mechanical devices the post office clock has had its share of problems and breakdowns during the past century, includ- ing numerous interruptions for service and repairs. In 1975, during a renovation of the old post office, the clock was repaired after being out of commission for a number of years. This simple, yet precise mechanism is the heart of the clock. It had to be wound by hand by the post offic