Victoria Clock Tower - Foxdale, Isle of Man - Wikipedia Entries on Waymarking.com

This clock and the tower in which it is housed were erected in Foxdale to commemorate Queen Victoria's reign of 64 years. The tower was paid for by the mining company and the people of the village. The tower was built in 1901.

Tower is of a Gothic style and is 40ft (12.2m) high and was designed by the mining company's engineer, Mr John Nicholls. Labourers from the mine worked as the stonemason in the construction of the Tower which is constructed from local stone with decorative corner pieces of concrete. The tower has eight supporting buttresses and was situated to the left of the Miners' Institute. The Institute building no longer exists.

"The clock was supplied by J.B. Joyce & Co. of Whitchurch, Shropshire. The clock consists of two faces, one of which would have faced the mine works and the other of which at one time would have faced Pott's Shaft. The faces are 5ft (1.5m) in diameter consisting of ironwork filled with opal and are visible across the valley. Initially, it was intended to have the faces illuminated at night, however this never occured."
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A plaque at the foot of the tower was installed as part of the 1939 restoration and is inscribed as follows:
"1901
Erected by the Isle of Man Mining
Company Ltd. for the benefit of Foxdale
JAMES MACKEE. Chairman.
T. H. DIXON. )
FREDERIC NORTH. ) Directors.
E. H. PERRIN. )
REGINALD POTTS.
R. L. BARKER. Secretary.
W. H. KITTO. Manager.
J. LEAN. Sub-Manager.
J. NICHOLLS Engineer.
G. WHITTAKERE. Accountant.
RESTRORED BY DONATIONS 1939"

Below this is a more modern tablet which is inscribed as follows:
"RENOVATED IN 1992 BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AND THE ENVIRONMENT
MINISTER HON J. A. BROWN M.H.K.
CLERK OF WORKS F. CONNAN"

From the Isle of Man Examiner newspaper 'Principal Events of 1901':
"MAY 16-Queen Victoria Memorial at Foxdale. Public clock erected. Inaugural ceremony." (visit link)

Note: In 'Chronicles of Man: Illustrated History 1900-1939'(ISBN:978-1-907945-99-1) the date of the Inaugural ceremony is given as 15 May 1901.

The ceremony was performed by the then Chairman of the mining company, Mr. James Mackee accompanied by Captain William Kitto and other dignitaries. The mines band was there to provide any music that was required including playing the British National Anthem. At six o'clock Mr Mackee unveiled the marble tablet below the clock face which could be seen from the main road and is inscribed as follows:
VICTORIA. R.1.
REIGNED 64 YEARS
AND STILL REIGNS IN THE HEARTS
OF HER PEOPLE.'

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