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Our Easter Message: a Moment in Time

March 29, 2018 News, Public, Seasons, Spring, Time

Lambs are a reminder of time, seasons and renewal of life. Our picture shows a first sign of spring amid the last of winter. A moment in time – to appreciate our wonderful world.

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Clocks all changed

March 29, 2018 Church, Heritage, News, Public, Time, Traditional

All has gone well with our clock altering visits. Matthew S finished the rounds in the South East at Richmond Town Hall: whilst at the other end of the UK (almost), Craig P moved time forward an hour at Leslie St. Marys Church in Fife.

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Clock servicing progress report

March 29, 2018 Church, Heritage, Public, Time, Traditional

With Spring now on our doorstep, we are pleased to report that Smith of Derby’s Clockmakers are busier than ever carrying out the annual servicing of clocks throughout the UK, ensuring the clocks remain in good working order and keep us all in touch with time. We would be delighted to hear from you if you are interested in having your clock serviced. Please call: Jane 01332 257101 jane.fenton@smithofderby.com

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Clocks All Change This Weekend

March 22, 2018 Heritage, News, Public, Time, Traditional

With summer time changeover fast approaching, we are being kept very busy. This year we will be putting the time forward an hour on 155 tower clocks. That’s a small number compared to the 4,000 or so we look after altogether. Some of our clients do the clock altering themselves, and many of the modern electrically driven clocks have automatic changeover. On average it takes half an hour to change the time on each clock. The gears have to be released and moved to put the clock forward one hour in the spring. It takes a bit longer for the…

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Cathedral of St. Jude, Lagos

March 21, 2018 Church, Heritage, Public, Time, Traditional

Located in Ebutu Metta, Lagos, the Cathedral of St. Jude had become derelict following the construction of a new building. When Bishop Akinpelu Johnson was appointed, his aim was to redevelop the old cathedral and make it a focal point of the community once again. He believed that a new clock would be key to the refurbishment. After several years of fund raising and acquiring a local sponsor, the Bishop chose Smith of Derby to design, manufacture and install three new dials and a bell sound system. Our team built three 2.5m clock faces: opal acrylic dials with raised metal…

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Keeping Time: film follows clockmaker during ‘clock change’

March 20, 2018 Uncategorized

: This short was made by filmmaker Nick Whitworth. Nick notes that ‘Many of us know that the clocks change twice a year to account for Daylight Saving Time but few are probably aware of just what this entails. Behind the dials and hands visible from street level there are levers, wheels, hammers, and weights. Here we follow Matthew Smith, long-serving clockmaker at Smith of Derby, as he carries out alterations on mechanical clocks across London.’ Nick is one of the eight members of the sixth generation descended from the John Smith who started the company. Most of them have…

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Nick Smith: A life in time

March 16, 2018 News

In Memoriam John Nicholas Wilkins Smith 21st August 1935 – 12th February 2018 Nick Smith gave almost his entire professional life to supporting the turret clock making company founded by his great great grandfather, John Smith. In his school years he had regularly joined his father Howard when inspecting turret clocks in churches and public buildings around the country, or down at John Smith and Sons’ Queen Street clock works. This pattern was repeated with his own children many years later. After training as an accountant, and graduating as the top student in the region, Nick travelled to Canada to…

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Case Study: Kings Cross Platform 8

March 7, 2018 Heritage, Public, Traditional

Client: Network Rail Location: Kings Cross Station, London Size: 2m diameter Materials: Gold leaf, acrylic paint, brass, illumination Date: 2012 Project code: 28069 Known fondly as the Harry Potter clock by fans who visit Kings Cross Station. Restored in 2012, it was originally two separate dials, separated by steel rods and located astride a footbridge. Taking its cue from the elusive platform 9 3/4, the footbridge disappeared. The clock, however, winged its way to our workshops, where within earshot of trains on the adjacent main railway line it would feel quite at home. We then worked our own magic, designing and…

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