J Smith & Sons Clock - Goswell Road Island, London, UK
N 51° 31.895 W 000° 06.308
30U E 700782 N 5712914
This clock is located on a pedestrian island between Goswell Road and City Road in Islington in London.
Waymark Code: WMDNE4
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/05/2012
Views: 1
The clock was erected by J Smith and Sons in 1906. They
were local traders and the clock still carries their advert that reads:
"J. Smith & Sons (Clerkenwell) Ltd. Established 1780.
42-54 St Johns Square London, E.C.1. Tel. CLErkenwell 1277.
Metals and engineering.
Aluminium & / light alloys / Brass / Copper / Gun Metal / Phos: bronze / Nickel
Silver / in rod, sheet / tube, Section / circles / nuts : Screws / Silver Steel
etc."
The clock has recently been refurbished and has a green case with the lettering,
on all four sides, being in gold.
There is a clock face on each of the four sides.
This local article gives a bit more detail and concerns about the re-furbished
clock:
"Former Islington Mayor Joe Trotter is concerned that a recently-restored
100-year-old clock in Angel may not be vandal-proof.
Mr Trotter has praised Transport for London (TfL) for refurbishing the Smith
clock at the top of City Road.
He said this week: “TfL has done a marvellous job with the clock and it even
shows the right time. But I’m worried that a two-foot concrete plinth, which
gave the clock height and kept it out of range of graffiti artists, has not been
replaced.”
The clock at the junction with Goswell Road is still fenced off while workmen
complete the restoration of the pavement area. It had stopped this week.
Mark Aston, history manager at Islington Local History Centre in Finsbury, said
that a clock occupied a site opposite the former Angel Tavern, now the
Co-operative Bank, up to 1872. Then an agreement was made between Islington and
Clerkenwell Vestries (former councils) and John Smith and Sons, clock and
watchmakers, for it to be moved to its present site, where the clock went up in
1906.
Smith, established in 1780, had its works – The Clerkenwell Steam Clock Works –
at St John’s Square, Clerkenwell, an area well known as a centre of clock and
watchmaking.
Mr Aston said: “The clock was originally wound daily by hand, but some time
later an electrical winding mechanism was installed, with Smith footing the
bill.”
A TfL spokesman said the clock had been refurbished and given a new granite
plinth as part of improvements to the Goswell Triangle. “Granite paving
matching the clock plinth will be laid around the clock during the next couple
of weeks,” he added.
“We are aware the clock has stopped working and are currently in the process of
having this repaired.”"
Source
Camden New Journal.