Clocking the Clocks The Eastgate Clock is a turret clock built above the Eastgate of the ancient Roman walls of Chester. Although the original gate was Roman, the present one was built in Georgian times to allow coaches through. However, the clock wasn’t added until the Victorian era to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The present gateway dates from 1768 and is a three-arched sandstone structure which carries the walkway forming part of the city walls. In 1899 a clock was added to the top of the gateway to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria two years earlier. It is carried on open work iron pylons, has a clock face on all four sides and a copper ogee cupola. The clock was designed by a local architect, John Douglas. In 1992, when John C Taylor’s Strix business was 11 years old, he commuted to a new factory in Chester during its early set-up stage. The city was unique because it has two government development agencies - the Welsh and the English Development boards - who were keen to promote employment. There, stainless steel kettle elements were made for the revolutionary cordless kettles, inventions that many of us now take for granted. John recalls, “My trips to Chester always amused me. I think I was the only person there to make their own sandwiches. On a Monday morning, I used to drive down to a deli and buy half a dozen brown baps, cream cheese, tomatoes and freshly sliced ham to make my own sandwiches for the week. Everybody else, at quarter to 12, would troop out of the little industrial estate and walk down to the local garage to buy their sandwiches!” No doubt, some of the time saved queuing was spent admiring the Chester architecture, including this iconic timekeeper! Do you have a favourite clock (or sandwich) you’d like to tell us about? Please contact us here.
