School Clock returns to Westgate

23rd February 2015
An unexpected find in a damp cupboard hidden away in the cellar was today reinstalled in pride of place in our School Hall.
 
While clearing out school cellar storage, we found a much-neglected large clock, painted and with parts in need of repair. In another part of the cellar we found a rusty pendulum...
 
The mahogany clock was made in a shop on Kirkgate by Richard Coad, probably for the school when it was built in 1871. Stuart Dickenson of Kirkgate Arcade has been carefully restoring the clock to its former glory for us and today it was finally re-hung in the school hall. We are delighted to have this beautiful piece of school history back where it belongs, looking down on Westgate children present and future.
 
Local knowledge has it that orginally there were 2 clocks and we think that our rediscovered clock may actually have been hung originally in our KS1 building. The whereabouts/ fate of the second clock is unknown. We would be delighted to hear from anyone with memories of or information about the school clocks!
UPDATE APRIL 2015:
The second clock has, we think, been located! An identical clock is held in store by Otley Museum, along with a small number of other Richard Coad artefacts. Thanks to Mr Paul Wood, former keeper of Otley Museum, for writing to us to let us know this exciting information.