The Albert memorial clock was built in 1865 in memory Queen Victoria’s consort husband, Prince Albert. The sandstone landmark is located at Queens square and stands at 43 metres high and was designed by William J Barre
The ornate time piece has four clock faces guilded in leaf Gold and the tower itself, built in gothic style with crowned lions and carved floral decorations.
“Albert clock”, was built on reclaimed land from Belfast’s river’s Farset and Lagan.
The public sqaure around the clock and much of high street’s wooden foundations below had been rotting. The clock had a slight lean to the left of 1.25 metres until 2002 when the landmark clock was completely restored. The tilt was corrected and sandstone preserved with the help of the lottery fund.
The clock tower suffered bomb damage on 6th January 1992 after an IRA attack.
My own personal story of the Albert clock.
When I was eighteen in 1999 each Friday I enjoyed voluntry work at a care home on Tennant street Belfast. As part of my duties I would talk to resedents about years gone by, thier lives, career and family.
On one memorable occastion, it was lunch time so I went to ask if the 96yr would like some lunch in his room. After entering I asked him about the RAF shield on the wall. He was very deaf so I had to shout into his ear. He didnt want food but wanted a Cantrell & Cochrane (C&C) soft drink.
He expained he was indeed in the war but by profession he’d always be a clock smith.
I asked him about his best momories.
What came next was a conversation and memory that I still remember to this day.
In his youth William would be sent acoss Belfast winding and setting clocks for city centre businesses.
He exlained to me “The Albert clock was to be winded up by hand twice daily at nine and twelve. It took two of us to do it”.
I always looked forward to seeing William and talking about the old times. His memory was sharp and he was always well dressed in suit and totally independant.
Isn’t it strange who you meet along life’s path and what you remember in reflection, The people who you’ll always remember.
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