Clock tower, Grange-over-sands, Cumbria - Town Clocks on Waymarking.com

There is a plaque on the clock tower explaining all.
"At midday on 4th December 1912, Mrs. Sophia Deardon, a local benefactor, presented this clock tower to Grange. A previous construction had to be removed to make way for an extension to St Paul's church. Materials used to construct the tower include local limestone and sandstone from St. Bees in Cumberland. Mrs. Deardon also donated woodland around Yewbarrow Cragg to Grange as a recreational facility for local people."

The clock tower was celebrated for its hundred year anniversary with a ceremony.
An article in the local paper said.
"250 people gathered at 11:55am on Wednesday 4th December to witness the opening of the clock tower and hear the first chiming of noon. The ceremony was attended by, among others, the donor, Mrs Dearden, a resident of Grange who financed the construction of the clock tower at the cost of £300. Mrs Dearden was honoured with cutting the ribbon attached to the pendulum at exactly 12 o’clock.

The clock tower was designed by Thomas Huddleston, engineer and
Surveyor to the Urban District Council, and built by William Blair of Allithwaite. W B Joyce of Whitchurch, makers of many large clocks for railway stations (including Carnforth) supplied the clock which was installed by Charles Court, a local clockmaker. It was reported that the crowd applauded all those involved in designing and constructing the clock tower and sang “God Save the King”. The steel and gunmetal clock, made by W B Joyce & Co., was fitted with Lord Grimthorpe’s gravity escapement and guaranteed to keep time within 3 seconds per week. The position of the 40 foot high sandstone tower was chosen as it would be seen from the most populated points in the town. Philanthropic Mrs Dearden declined to notify passers-by of her generosity; instead she opted for modest inscription on one of the stones which read: “A gift of Love”."

Mrs Sophia Dearden came to Grange from Church, near Accrington in east Lancashire, in the early 1900s after the death of her husband Dr John Dearden in 1897. Born Sophia Kimber at Abingdon near Oxford in 1843, she obviously developed a great love of Grange and offered £300 to the Urban Council in March 1912 to build a clock tower for the benefit of local residents. Mrs Dearden died in 1915 but her daughter Leonora Edith lived on here until her death in 1937.

Streetmap (visit link)
OSGB SD407778
Nearest PostCode LA11 6AB

Status: Working Display: Free Standing Year built: 12/04/1912 Web link to additional info: Not listed

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Photo of clock.

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