Gloucester's Southgate Street features a "Watchmaker, Jeweller and Optician" shop of 1904. It retains the original name and today still sells watches, clocks and jewellery. When it was erected the owners had an ornate clock manufactured by Niehus Brothers of Bristol built into the facade. This features, from the top going downwards, a celestial finial, a bracketed clock, a large bell and 5 automata figures, each with a bell.
The figures represent (left to right) an Irish woman in traditional dress, John Bull of England, Father Time with an hour glass, a Scottish military bagpiper and a Welsh woman in traditional dress. They still move their arms to strike the time. I was prompted to take my photographs because I could see that the clock had been recently painted and was looking, as well as sounding, its best.
photo © T. Boughen Camera: Nikon Z 5
