The Town Clock
Hereford Times - Saturday 21st April 1855
THE SITE OF THE OLD TOWN-HALL.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
From all we can learn, the old Town hall, if the name is appropriate to such an edifice, was erected more in a spirit of revenge than for the alike of adorning the town by the erection of a useful building worthy of the name. The late miserable building, which stood on so magnificent a site, stood its ground long after its downfall had been spoken of and contemplated by the inhabitants.
On market and fair days sheep pens and pig pens were placed around its substantial walls, and on their removal the place was always in a filthy and unsightly condition; and this was continued until some four years ago, when, by the intervention of some official in the neighbourhood, the place was fresh pitched and repaired. This looked singular to many who had long wished for the removal of the building altogether, and who were led to ask the question, can It be possible that such a useless old nuisance is to remain longer, to occupy land in the centre of the town which is so valuable for other purposes.
If angry looks, and words not the most refined, could have done the work, the old Town-hill would long ago, to a certainty, have been levelled with the dust; but it was built of much too good materials to fall by the mere frowns or words of passers-by.
At last, however, the old edifice was doomed; it was irrevocably sentenced without any hope of mercy, and the day and hour arrived for its utter destruction; the iron grasp was laid on the old edifice, and in a short space of time it was down—a heap of stones, rubbish, and mortar, was all that remained of its wonted dignity. In this state it was allowed to remain for a considerable time, to the utter disgust of many, even of the most ardent admirers of the old building; still it was allowed to continue a heap of old rubbish, on a site the most desirable for the improvement of the streets. At length the ruins of the old Town-hall have been removed, and it is now a clear open space, which has been levelled and finished in a manner reflecting great praise on the contractor, Mr. Henry Griffiths.
The whole of Broad-street has undergone sundry improvements; the heaps of soil which used to accumulate from the sheep pens formerly placed in front of the Crown hotel have been removed, and the whole space thrown out, to widen the street and the square contiguous to it. Before this was done it was a matter of danger to walk on that side, but there is now a causeway properly set apart and curbed with good hewn stone, giving the appearance of a handsome square, with an area large enough to accommodate the carriages, &c., of Wombwell's Menagerie.
It has been determined to erect a town clock on some handsome structure in the now cleared space, and we believe a gentleman a native of the town, though for many years past not a resident, has offered to present a clock, with four dials, for the purpose. Surely then we shall not be long without some elegant structure, on a small scale, to receive the clock, and it should be of the most modern kind that can be designed, in order to be in unison with the public spirit of the town, which has gone on with creditable spirit thus far in improvement, and will advance with accelerating pace year after year.
The Clock Tower is designated a Grade 2 listed building.
It occupies a prominent island site in centre of town at the junctions of Broad/West and High Street.
Dated 1872: By Haddon Brothers, Architects of Hereford.
High Victorian Gothic (influence of Burges), grey rubble facings with pale freestone dressings, slate roofs (of Hay-on-Wye clock tower). Tall square tower with chamfered angles on stone plinth set in slope. Pyramidal roof in 2 stages with open bell stage between, weathervane on top, lucarnes to each face. Moulded eaves with machicolations, round clock face recessed in pointed arched frame. Brace plates, linked hoodmoulds and continuous stringcourse. Scalloped corbels to angles with 3 trefoils between. 2 arrow slits to each face. Heraldic band with set offs below and diagonal buttresses with punched trefoil cappings. Arched openings between, buttresses with hood mouldings and nook shafts - 1 blind and 2 traceried windows, 1 double cusped arch to entrance with boarded door.
The inscription at base of Clock Tower reads:-
This Tower & Clock
was presented to the
TOWN OF KNIGHTON
by the late
Thomas Moore Esq
of Old Hall
AD 1872
Bezant
Clockmaker, Hereford
Welsh and Son - Contractor,
Hereford
Haddon
Architect,
Hereford
Thomas Moore was born to parents John and Anne Moore of Old Hall, Llanfihangel Rhydithon. He was the 5th of 6 six children for John and Anne.
Hereford Times - 5th May 1877
KNIGHTON TOWN CLOCK AND ITS TIMEKEEPER.
To the Editor of the Hereford times.
Sir. - During the last fortnight or three weeks the inhabitants of the town have been both surprised and annoyed to find that the clock fixed in the town, erected by the late Thomas Moore, of Old Hall, has never moved from 11.15, for what reason I do not know. I asked a fellow-tradesman the other day if he happened to know the reason, and received the following laconic answer - namely "Perhaps the clock is drunk" I Should like to know what reason our Local Board intend to adopt, as the inconvenience of not having correct time is great to all classes of the community. I will say no more on the subject as the Knighton Local Board is always ready to resolve a disruption, whatever quarter it originates, provided it is for the public good.
A TRADESMAN. Knighton, May 2nd, 1877
Hereford Times - 12th May 1877
KNIGHTON TOWN CLOCK
To the Editor of the Hereford times.
Sir. - In your last Hereford Times, I noticed that some anonymous writer took the trouble to inform the public that the town clock at Knighton had stopped. He did not at the same time (though probably he well knew the facts) inform them what was the cause, but went on facetiously to state that "perhaps the clock was drunk." No doubt he intended the insinuation to apply to me. As, however, the clock has come to a stand through no fault of mine, or omission of duty on my part, I beg you will allow me to refute this insinuation. About two months ago I reported to the Local Board that the clock, in consequence of exposure to the weather etc., during the winter required extra repairing, cleaning, etc. A majority of the Local Board decided to employ Mr. Bezant, of Hereford (the maker of the clock) to do the work, and from that time to the present the clock has been under the care of his workmen; therefore if the clock "has got drunk" it did not do so through me, and I hope the next time your correspondent rushes into print to throw mud at a fellow tradesman he will be good enough to sign his own name.
THOMAS MATTHEWS. Broad-street, Knighton. May 9th, 1877.
Thomas Matthews was a watchmaker in Knighton.
Hereford Times - 11th November 1882
THE CLOCK TOWER
Among the accounts presented for payment was one of £2 10s. to Mrs. Bumford for attending to the clock in the tower
The CHAIRMAN said he had heard that the clock was in a filthy state, and he thought the account ought not to be paid until the clock had been thoroughly cleaned.
The CLERK, at a later stage of the meeting, reported that he and the surveyor had inspected the interior of the clock tower, and found both the structure and the clock lin a very dirty state.
Mr. BACHE complained that the hands of the clock were not properly set.
The CHAIRMAN said there was not a case to the works.
Mr. NORGROVE stated that as it was the principal clock in the town it ought to be properly attended to, and after further conversation the clerk was instructed not to pay Mrs. Bumford her salary until she had fulfilled her duty by cleaning the clock, and to request the surveyor to have the interior of the tower cleansed by the Board's workmen,
Radnorshire Advertiser - 24th February 1888
EFFECTS OF SNOWBALLING. - On Sunday evening last one of the faces of the Clock Tower was broken through this dangerous practice. It appears to have been a deliberate act, and no doubt the delinquent will be brought to receive his due reward.
Radnorshire Advertiser - 23rd March 1888
A caution to snowball throwers: James Lewis, jun. (18), pleaded guilty to a charge of wilfully damaging certain property belonging to the ratepayers of the district on Knighton. P. C. Jenkins deposed that he was on duty in Broad-street on Sunday, February 19th last, when he saw the defendant, with several others, throwing snowballs. Suddenly there was a sound as of glass breaking, and looking up he saw one of the dials of the tower clock was smashed. He followed the defendant, and accused him of doing the damage, when he admitted it. Mr. W. A. Collins, clerk to the local board, said he was instructed by the Board to prosecute in this matter, which they (the Board) did not do in a vindictive spirit, but hoped that this action would be a means of putting a stop to such a dangerous practice, which caused much expense to the ratepayers. He said that the damage could be repaired at a cost of about £2. The Chairman asked if the Board required the whole cost of the repair to be defrayed by the defendant. Mr. Collins said he had had no instructions to that effect. Their Worships, after a short consultation, inflicted a fine of 6d. and costs, and ordered the defendant to pay half the amount of the estimated damage. viz., £1.
James Lewis lived in the Cwm, the son of James & Sarah.
Radnor Times - 15th November 1892
KNIGHTON. LOCAL BOARD, WEDNESDAY.—Present: Mr E. Oldbury (chairman), Messrs Bowler, Bache, S. Baldwin, J. P. Davies, E. Roberts, W. Rogers, and Hamar.-In the matter of an item of 5s. charged in Mrs Bumford's bill for extra work of her workman at the tower clock it was explained that this was incurred in consequence of removing a Radical flag from the tower which had been placed there during the last election, when the premises were held for several days in a state of siege by some of the party, causing the weights of the clock to run down and doing other damage. Mr Davies said it was a pity that the party should lend themselves to such foolery. Mr Roberts said it appeared that the flag had been smuggled in and out of the tower without detection, but he could give a shrewd guess as to the people who did it. Mr Baldwin said whoever put it there wanted prosecuting. The subject then dropped.
The financial report for the month of July 1899 shows that £21 7s. was paid for improvements to the clock tower.
Radnor Express - 19th March 1903
The Lighting of the Tower Clock. - Mr Allcook brought up the matter of the supply of gas to the tower clock. He thought that perhaps now, at the end of the year, and with the Gas Company making fresh arrangements with their employees, they could make some alteration in the existing conditions. Mr Harris was now lighting and looking after the clock, and had saved the Council a good number of pounds, doing many repairs for which he had not charged. He had to turn the light out about 10.30 or eleven o'clock, which often kept him out of bed, and on a rough night he got wet, for which there was no need, if the Gas Company would allow their man to turn on and put out the light. This would not take the man half a minute longer. The Council might ask the Gas Company to instruct their man to do this. It was an opportune time to do this, and at the end of the financial year.
In the course of discussion, the Clerk said he had tried to make an arrangement of that sort. He had spoken to the man about it, and he replied that it would be doing work for which Mr Harris was paid. If they could arrange it for a trifle, the man said he would do it. He went to Mr Harris, but they failed to arrange terms. Ultimately the Council decided at the commencement of next season to ask the Gas Company to instruct their man to turn out the light when passing by on his round.
Mr Harris was William Harris Snr. of Harris and Son, on the corner of Broad street and Station Road. In July 1903, William Harris Snr. stepped down from his duties of winding the town clock, his son, William Harris Jnr. was given the post by the Urban Council.
Radnor Express - 18th June 1903
The Town Clock. - Mr Allcock referred to a bill of 7s. 7d. for lighting the town clock for the quarter, and the Clerk replied that there used to be two burners to each dial, but they had now got down to four in all.
Mr Harris said there used to be eight altogether, but they had now been reduced, and they save about half in the matter of cost.
Mr Roberta considered there was something wrong in the lighting arrangement. It never was much good as people could not see the time from the top of the Narrows or going along by the Swan, but anyhow they could not complain about the expense this quarter. Still, they would rather see a better light there, and so enable people to see the time better.
In 1903 a poem was entered in the Radnor Express. The poem is 25 verses long and written with a broad Radnorshire inflection, it was split over 3 weeks.
A WORD FROM THE AULD CLOCK.
I spose, dear friends, yer won't object
To hear a word from me;
I've got a word for all I spect,
Read on and then ye'll see.
I'll tell my story from the start;
Ov all I've heard and seen;
Since I came here quite new and smart,
What changes there have been !
In Knighton town my works was made
So bright and free from rust;
My maker now be lowly layed,
And long as turn'd to dust !
But here I stand for ages long
To do my duty well;
I say tic-toc, and sing ding-dong,
And thus the time I tell.
I cut yer time in bits so small,
And show em on my face;
Yer days and hours I count em all
As on thro' life yer race !
From day to day, from year to year,
I'm tickin day and night;
In the same corner I be here
Doing my work aright.
Tis seldom as I fails to go.
If yer but winds my weight;
And that's just wanst a week. yer know.
That's why I'm named "thauld eight,"
I goes along all night and day.
This rule I canna break;
I never loiters on the way,
Nor rest I dunna take.
If I did lose a single tick,
That loss I couldna gain;
I canna march to "double-quick"
To make it up again.
And when yer idle or yer sleep,
I always says tic-toc;
Upon yer time my watch I keep.
I'm such a faithful clock !
To twelve my hand goes twice a day
Then starts it round anew ;
It does not falter or delay
In pointin hours for you.
"The days of man they be as grass,
And short lived as the flow'r;"
I measure em as on they pass,
And count each fleeting hour !
My weights be wund up evry week.
Till they be at the top;
If down they run, I cease to speak.
There comes an awful stop !
But time goes on without a pause,
The moments swiftly fly;
Yer jurney's end still nearer draws.
Yer days be flittin by !
Since first they fix'd me in this place,
Full six score years ago,
Four generashiuns watch'd my face,
But now their yeds be low !
I tick'd up here when you was born,
I watched yer one by one,
And here you'll find me night and morn,
Until yer days be done.
I've sid the servants cum and go,
And watah'd 'em round the fire,
When many idle words did flow-
Their tongues would never tire !
Them preshius moments all was lost,
I tick'd em off the slate;
I fear they found it to their cost,
When it did prove too late !
I notice some be fond of bed,
And then I loudly strike;
'Bout five o'clock I've heered it sed,
My noise they dunna like !
"There be a lion in the way,"
They fear to be about !
But I call out the time of day,
And shame em to turn out.
I often strike the hour of eight
As down they softly steal;
"Oh deer," they say, " it be so late,"
And hurry o'er their meal !
And then they bussle and they run,
To ketch wasted time;
Another hour be swiftly done,
And then I call out nine !
And so it goes on all the day,
They be so far behind !
"The clock do gain, indeed," they say,
They think I be unkind,
The dinner hour do cum agen,
Afore they're ready quite;
And so they blunders on till ten,
Or on to half the night !
My maker taught me in my youth,
To give the proper time;
I always tries to tell the truth,
When on my bell I chime,
And if yer puts me on an hour,
Unhappy then I be;
I canna bear to call out four,
When it be only three !
I've sid the master cheat the boys,
To get 'em out at four;
I gave five strokes, and at my noise
They was so vex'd and sore !
They left their beds and rubb'd their eyes,
And stared me in the face;
And when they found I tauld such lies,
It brought me to disgrace !
They never trusted me agen,
The master had hees watch;
For every man has got since then
A "Water-berry" watch !
This be a truthful thing forsooth
They one and all proclaim;
As if I couldna' tell the truth;
It makes me blush with shame !
The missus too would use me bad,
And move me back and fro;
This cruel treatment made me sad,
And I refused to go,
My indignashiun she did rouse,
My many a shabby trick;
I made a protest to "the house,"
And said I wouldna tick.
I stood quite still for days, I think,
Tho' they did coax and beg;
They got some oil and made me drink,
But I wouldna' stir a peg !
The doctor came and took me down,
And made me bright and smart,
I felt too happy now to frown,
And so I made a start.
He made me bright and clean as new,
He rubbed and washed my face;
He put each wheel, and pin, and screw,
Quite easy in its place;
I felt quite young; and soon my sound,
Was heard by day and night;
And when they used me well, they found
I ticked with all my might.
I've sid the mother nurse the sick
With love and tender care;
At times I felt afeared to tick,
To break the silence there,
And while they mourn'd and sobb'd and wept,
When dear one pass'd away;
Thro' fateful hours the time I kept,
And watched 'em night and day !
I've sid the fayther bend the knee
Afore the throne of grace;
I've listened to the family
Pour forth their hymn of praise,
The yung uns' voice I did like,
'Twas all so truly grand !
So sorry was I then to strike,
I felt inclined to stand.
A fever wanst was in the home,
They watch'd me much just then;
The hours so very slow did come,
For weak and sickly men,
My progress then did seem too slow,
They counted evry tick,
When they was well, my hands did go,
Most often, far too quick.
"Yer spend yer years as a tale,
Or story that is told;"
To-day yer yung and strong, and hale,
To-morrow weak and old !
Yer years be three score years and ten,
Yer jurney'll soon be o'er;
I'll measure off yer hours agen,
Till you will be no more.
The moments tho' they be so small,
Be preshius evry one;
There s summit carved upon 'em all,
To meet yer when they're done,
Kind reader, take my good advice,
As evry hour I chime;
Yer life be short, so pray be wise;
Don't waste yer preshius time.
Yer soon cut off; yer fly away;
Yer years do swiftly roll;
Thro' evry moment watch and pray,
To save yer preshius soul,
And when the hour of partin's come,
Ye'll hear my tick no more;
Oh may yer safely reach yer home,
On yonder golden shore !
Radnor Express - 16th June 1904
The Clock Tower. - Mr. Dove, who had in his hand the Gas Company's account, said he saw in it a number of items for the Tower clock, incandescent burners, etc., which he did not quite understand. He asked who had the ordering of these things?
The Clerk replied that the council agreed last October when ordering their stock on a special estimate of the Lighting committee for altering the lights in the Tower clock.
Mr Dove considered the Tower clock to have been badly lighted last winter, became too many nights the lights could not be seen. How many burners were there? At present, judging by last winter, the light was certainly not sufficient, and yet a large amount of money was being expended upon it.
Mr Blower considered the lighting was brighter and more brilliant than it used to be.
Mr Dove again expressed surprise at finding many items down in the claim for new burners and one thing and another, and he hoped the members of the Lighting committee would look into the matter, to see that they got value for the money spent.
Mr Harris thought the light was now better and probably cheaper in the end. They used less gas and got a better light. There were also two dials not necessarily lighted, and these two were omitted because enough light was thrown on them from the burners to the other dials.
Mr James remarked that the fittings ran up the bill.
The Clerk concurred, remarking that they had adopted the incandescent instead of the old system of lighting.
Mr Dove was quite satisfied so long as they had value for their money.
Radnor Express - 19th October 1905
The Clerk stated there was a question of the weather glass, which was formerly in the advertisement frame on the Crown Hotel. Mrs. Jones, the former occupier, had told him there was two guineas rent due to her for the board being on the wall, and if the council would like to pay that rent owing they could have the glass, but not without.
The chairman said he thought the glass was the property of Mrs Jones - it could not belong to the Council, certainly.
Mr Williams asked whether they thought it possible to get a good glass for £2 or less by subscriptions. He would not mind trying it, and have it placed on the town clock - he had heard several people talking about it.
Mr Roberts thought this a good idea, they saw a weather glass in most towns.
Mr James added that the glass would be very useful if placed on the clock tower. The matter at this stage fell through.
Radnor Express - 30th January 1908
STREET LIGHTING AND CLOCK STRIKING.
Sir.— It is somewhat pleasing to note the Council intend going into the question of Lighting the streets. This has been a long-felt want. Several nights during each month it has been absolutely dangerous for pedestrians groping about in the dark. I should also like to call the attention of the Council to the erratic striking of the town clock. For some considerable time this has been very misleading to the public, causing many to lose their train, others hours of work, children late for school. and inconvenience to the public In general. - Yours, &c., RUSTICUS.
Radnor Express - 17th June 1909
Clock Tower. - Mr. Williams called attention to the dilapidated state of the railings around the clock tower. He proposed that the railings be altogether removed.
Mr. Blower seconded.
Mr. Allcock said there was more than half the railings standing on one side, and he didn't see why these should be destroyed. They had never been given a chance to repair them yet. He proposed as an amendment that the ironmongers be approached first to find out whether they could be repaired.
Mr. Cartwright seconded, and, on being put, the amendment was carried.
Radnor Express - 18th August 1910
New Railings for Clock Tower. - A tender for £14 17s. 6d. was accepted by the Council for the supply, and fixing up of the cast iron fence (as per pattern approved of) around the Clock Tower, and for buying the old fencing at 2s. per lb.
Radnor Express - 28th April 1910
The Town Clock Again. - The Clerk reported that on Friday morning Mr. Parker, the United Counties Bank, with his medical man, waited on him, and wished to have the striking of the Town Clock stopped again, because he could not obtain sleep.
The Council decided to stop the striking of the clock at night time - ordering Mr. Harris, the winding contractor, to set it striking at 8 in the morning and stopping again at 8 at night, providing he could arrange the extra cost for doing so with Mr. Parker.
Edward Marshall Parker (1856-1946) was the manager of the United Counties Bank.
Brecon & Radnor Express - 13th July 1916
LEAD.—A piece of lead, used in the construction of the roof of the Clock tower and weighing about .60 lbs., fell to the ground on Saturday. Fortunately, no one happened to be passing or standing on the .spot at the time. The lead has since been re-placed.
Brecon & Radnor Express - 28th November 1918
The Town Clock. A letter was read from Mr W. Harris (junior), who is at present engaged in war work, in which he stated that Mr Pullen (his substitute) found that the remuneration for winding the tower and church clocks did not pay. He asked for a temporary increase of £ 3 19 which bring the wages, up to £10 per annum - the amount asked for by Mr Pullen. He also suggested that it would be well to stop the striking of the church clock, as the striking part was out of repair.
On the proposition of Mr A. M. Pugh, seconded by Mr W. Hamar, the increase asked for was granted temporarily, but it was agreed that the church clock should still be allowed to strike, as it only missed a stroke sometimes..
Kington Times - 10th February 1945
JUVENILE COURT. - Four boys were charged at Knighton Juvenile Court on Wednesday with damaging the face of Knighton town clock, at the tower, on the evening of January 7th, by snowballing. The Chairman admonished the boys and said they must pay for the damage (26s) between them. The boy who broke the clock face was ordered to pay 10s. and each of the others 5s. 4d.