KING’S 1,000 CLOCKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 26

KING’S 1,000 CLOCKS

ROYAL TIMEPIECES BEING CLEANED SOME HALF AN HOUR FAST King George's clocks are now undergoing the usual spring cleaning; and it is a big job, for the sovereing has nearly a thousand timepieces not counting his watches. At Windsor Castle alone there av a 260 clocks, and he has between 600 and 700 more. There are, for Instance, 160 in Buckingham Palace, one of them of very curious design. It is a French clock made u, the reign of Louis XV. It is a model of a Negress’s head and the time is shown in her eyes—one showing the hours and the other the minutes At Sandringham House, the King’s Norfolk estate, are many more, put they keep a different time from the clocks in all other royal establish ments. They are half an hour fast. This custom was introduced by the late King Edward fully 30 years ago. and is understood to have arisen jut of the tardiness of some of his entourage. When the present sovereign came to the throne he decided not to in terfere. The royal timepieces are described in detail in two large ledgers kept in the Lord Chamberlain’s office. The exact position of each one is also noted, so that when any room Is cleaned or renovated the clocks are returned to their usual places.