I took a closer look at the Town Hall Clock pictures. The maker plate reads W Potts & Sons Leeds 1895, the same business who still maintain it, part of the Smith of Derby Group.

Next to the clock face, however, above one of the openings that lead through to the clock face balcony, there is an interesting shield with a face on it.

It is presumably Royalty and as the building opened in 1895 when Victoria was on the throne and that looks like a Prince of Wales badge at the top, I reckon it was Prince Albert Edward, who went on to be Edward VII.

The face looks familar from old pennies, see the picture below from the Robert Opie Collection. 

The question is- what is it doing up in the Clock Tower? What is it made of? Why is it wonky?

The Morley Town Hall Clock has been broken for a few weeks. From the Obtiser:

VISITORS to the town centre may have noticed the town hall clock is fixed at 12 o’clock – but fear not, it will be back working shortly.

The spring and pendulum have both broken, but it should be fixed within the next few weeks.

I have tried (without success) to see inside the clock tower. The mechanism is now a curate’s egg- the only people allowed to look at it are from the horologists.

I’ve also lobbied (without success) for it to be photo-documented. It might as well get replaced with an electronic mechanism which will have a number of operational benefits, but being a Grade 1 listed building, it does need to be carefully documented for historical purposes.

The clock very nearly came to a nasty end 46 years ago and the building could have also been lost, especially if the bells had come crashing down into the Civic Suite below. Local photographer Leslie Overend was there to document it though, and I am grateful to have been able to get permission to put up these photos. They tell their own story, although I have included the original captions.

On the morning of August 18, 1961 a fire started in a mill in Wellington Street, next to Morley Town Hall (pictured left).

Strong winds blew burning embers on to the wooden dome of the Town Hall, setting it alight.

The fire-damaged clock mechanism.

Looking out through the clock face from inside the tower.

The fire-damaged Town Hall still smoulders.

As these images are Copyright www.leslieoverend.com, they have been reduced in size somewhat The collection has tens of thousands of negatives available for scanning/printing.