Mitcham Clock Tower: When Time Ran Backwards
The clock tower at Fair Green was erected in 1898 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee the previous year. It originally stood on the site of the old village pump, but has since been moved.
Above: The clock tower at Fair Green. (James Clark, 2008)
From the start it was a controversial structure, with many residents complaining that the pump should have been left alone. Building on the site of the pump had other problems too, as condensation proved harmful to the clock's mechanics. As a result, it became common for each of the four faces to show a different time. On one occasion, the hands even started to move backwards!
The clock tower became well known for its unreliability. It even got a mention in Parliament once, when Lloyd-George compared it to the Opposition in that neither appeared able to get a move on!
[Source: Parker, Penny, Mitcham - A Historical Glimpse, Merton Library Service, 1988.]
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