St. John the Evangelist

 

Clock Appeal

The clock situated in the tower is an excellent and very important example of James Condliff of Liverpool and is dated 1836.

James Condliff set up at 32 Gerrard Street, Liverpool in 1816 and his business went on to become one of the most successful in the country, known in particular for his superb regulators and skeleton clocks. The Condliff family was made up of James, Joseph, John and Thomas, and appears to run from 1816 to the 1940’s.

The clock consists of a double-framed hour striking clock movement driving three stone dials with glazed centres.

The clock movement is fitted with a lateral toothed deadbeat escarpment and a very unique and clever rack controlled hour strike. Condliff who always used countwheel control was experimenting with rack striking, and combined some of the elements of countwheel controlled striking with rack controlled striking.

This is the only example of this design of hour striking fitted not only to a Condliff turret clock, but also to any turret clock in the country. It is therefore very important that it is conserved and brought back into working order.

It is suggested that the clock movement could be brought down into the room below from where it is currently situated making access much easier and therefore more accessible for people to view and appreciate. The bell cranks could be re-positioned and longer pull wires fitted so that the clock movement will be able to operate the bell hammer, as it was originally designed to do. Automatic winding and regulation could be incorporated.

Some of the damage/neglect is

• Poor condition of paintwork and lacquer on the brass work.

• Unprotected ironwork is corroding

• The pendulum rod is broken

• Dirty bevel gearing and dial motions.

• Glass panels in the centre of the dials need to be renewed or replaced.

Of course, all of this comes at a cost, approximately £25,000, but the PCC feel that the restoration to the clock would be of considerable benefit to the ministry provided at St. John's.

If you would like to make a donation, please contact the vicar Rev. Roy Doran, or the Church Wardens.

Information regarding the clock provided by the Cumbria Clock Company.