A landmark clock which served bus and tram users for decades is to find a new home over the road from its original location.
The King’s Head Clock was one of Birmingham’s famous ‘Chamberlain Clocks’, and helped to service the trams along Hagley Road, along the boundary between Harborne and Bearwood, at the turn of the last century.
The maker of the original clockwork drive unit was Arthur Walker (1871-1948), whose gear cutting machine is still kept by Birmingham Science Museum at the ThinkTank site.
The base of the column also served as a horse trough and water supply.
The clock was originally gas lit and had to be wound once a week.
It was later used by bus drivers and was in demand as The King’s Head became a major stopping-off point on the Outer Circle bus route in the 1920s.
In 1971, after decades of service, the clock was removed for road widening, fitted with an electric mechanism and in 1979 placed at the junction of High Street and Union Street in the city centre. Now the clock will be reinstalled just over the road from its original location.
Richard Perry, manager of The King’s Head, said: “We are delighted to be a part of such a fantastic project. Restoring The King’s Head Clock to its former glory is a great piece of local history – and its relocation to just across the road from where it was originally placed is a real testament to Sandwell Council. We’re proud to be able to hold the reception for the event here at our venue. It feels like it’s the right place to welcome back the clock”.
The unveiling ceremony is set to take place at 10am on Saturday on the corner of Bearwood High Street and Hagley Road.
