Pocklington Town Clock was manufactured in 1846 by a Charles Brown from Selby. Clock experts believe that it could have originally been fitted to Selby Abbey and moved to Pocklington early in the last century. Routine maintenance revealed that the clock faces are in need of considerable attention and the Pocklington Town Clock Restoration Appeal Committee set about raising the funds to deliver the project. Funds have already been raised to pay for the installation of automatic winding, to bring back the quarter chimes and a night silencer.
Through the Local heritage Initiative grant it is proposed to fund the dial restoration, research of the history of the clock and a commemorative booklet, a service of dedication, design and planting of a floral clock, involving local schools, a plaque and web cam to record the restoration process.
Local awareness of the heritage of the clock will be raised through research, publication and celebration of the restoration of this key landmark. Volunteers will maintain and regulate the clock following training and the clock will be have open viewing days organised for the public.
This restoration project has great community backing through the appeal and even the local cinema is showing the film 'The Time Machine' especially to help raise funds.
It is known that Charles Brown fitted a clock in Selby Abbey which was equipped with a new and accurate regulation device. Records show £208.11s 2d was paid to Charles Brown for the clock. (The equivalent of £12,324 today). Charles Brown his wife & two children tragically died of Cholera in an epidemic which hit the town in 1848.
The Charles Brown clock fitted at Selby was taken out of use in 1902 when the tower became unstable and had to be reduced in height.
Recently Mel Doran, a local clockmaker, together with Keith Scobie-Youngs of the Cumbria Clock Company noticed the Pocklington clock had a new regulation device fitted and were of the opinion the clock was of such a grand design it was most likely it had started its life at a bigger church. Further research showed it was very likely to have been the Selby Clock. Although precise records have been difficult to find enquiries with Selby Abbey indicated their Brown clock had been fitted to the church at Cawood in 1903. This has now been discounted because the clock at Cawood was manufactured by Potts of Leeds being bought by a benefactor to mark her husbands death.
