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22FOCUS-JANUARY2014Thissimpleyetprecisemechanismistheheartoftheclock.Ithadtobewoundbyhandbythepostofcecaretakerapproximatelyeverysixdays.LedgerfromMidlandClockWorksinDerbyEnglandshowstheorderforPortPerrypostofceclockfromSeptember261913.Continuedfrompage21ona1914conversionrateof.2054perAmericandollarwouldbetheequivalentofabout290.WhentheorderwascompletedthemechanismwasshippedacrosstheAtlanticOceansailingfromLiverpooltoMontrealinOctober1913.InMontrealitwasloadedontoarailfreightcartocontinuethenallegofthejourneytoPortPerry.Exactlywhenthetimingmechanismarrivedintowncannotbedeterminedbutwhenthenewpostofceopenedforbusi-nessonFridayJanuary21914theclockhadyettobeinstalled.InAprilthelocalnewspapereditorre-portedthatmechanicswerenallyinstall-ingtheclockandbymid-Mayofferedupthisnot-so-glowingreport.Thepostofceclockhasstartedtostrikebutitisfartoomodestandgentleabouttellingthehours.Itsvoicemusthavebeentrainedinaladiesseminaryandiscultured.ThiscommentcamefromSamuelFarm-erpublisherofThePortPerryStarwhowascriticalthatwhenthebellsoundedthehoursitcouldbarelybeheardunlessyouwerestandingoutsidethebuilding.InasecondarticleafewweekslaterMr.FarmercontinuedhiscriticismwritingTheclockhasscarcelyformedthehabitofrunningregularlyyet.Sometimesitstrikesandsometimesitgoesonstrikeandthenofcourseitneithergoesnorstrikes.Butdespiteitsratherrockybeginningsthe100yearoldtimepiececontinuestosweepthelargehandsarounditshand-someface50feetaboveQueenStreet.Theintricatetimepiecewhichkeepsthehandsturningismadeofcastironwithbronzeandbrassgearsandsteelshafts.Theclockmechanismiscomposedoftwodistincttraingearsatimetrainfortheclockandstrikingtrainforthebell.Eachofthefour4diameterclockfaceswasassembledfromhandpaintedglasssimilartostainedglass.TheglasssectionsaresetinablackironframewithleadcamesandRomannumerals.Thelargesweepingminutehandis36inchesinlengthandthehourhandslightlyshorterat26.Theclocksbellismountedontheroofofthepostofceprotectedfromtheweatherbyanopenairpeakedcanopywhichallowsthesoundofthebelltolltobeheardfarandwide.Castinironthebellweighs800poundsandcameequippedwithahammerstrike.ItwasmanufacturedinLoughboroughEnglandin1913byJohnTaylorBellfoundersthenshippedtoCanadaalongwiththeclockcomponents.Althoughthebellwasoriginallysynchronizedtostrikeonthehourthecosttomaintainthedelicatemechanismoutweigheditsne-cessity.Todaythebellisnolongerinusealthoughitstillsitsperchedunderitscanopyoutsidethebelltower.Aswithallmechanicaldevicesthepostofceclockhashaditsshareofproblemsandbreakdownsduringthepastcenturyinclud-ingnumerousinterruptionsforserviceandrepairs.In1975duringarenovationoftheoldpostofcetheclockwasrepairedafterbeingoutofcommissionforanumberofyears.