Ingrams Clocks - History

Photo Gallery - Public Clocks (Tower)

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T&G Building, Geelong

When the T&G Building was completed in 1934, the Victorian town of Geelong was still primarily a rural centre. The bustling city of today, with its thriving industrial activity and developed waterfront, has seen spectacular development over the last half a century. During that time, the two little men way up high in the tower of Geelong's famous T&G Building have become familiar figures to those who know the town.

Installed as a special clock in the tower of the building, a symbol of activity in a rural community, the figures - featuring a farmer and his son in typical period farm working dress - are, in fact, life-sized. They symbolise the father handing over responsibility to his son, and urging him to continue with the good work. The message to the people of Geelong is one of confidence in the development and prosperity of their rural city.

The installation of this clock - with its two figures made of cast bronze that emerge from special windows in the tower to strike on the hour - is well known throughout Australia. While the figures were cast under the direction of Picton Hopkins and Son, the clock and its mechanism were manufactured by Harrison Bradfield and Ingrams. Ingrams is responsible not only for the Geelong T&G Building, but for the manufacture of clocks for all T&G Buildings fitted with clocks Australia-wide.

Technically, the installation consists of a master clock which controls the four-dial tower clock, other clocks throughout the building, the hour striking, and the movement of the figures. Each device is electronically driven and the whole installation is mechanically and electrically interlocked. The figures, together with the bell and base, weigh a whopping five tons. While the son is mainly ornamental, the figure of the older man is fitted with all the moving parts for the striking of the bell.

A room at the roof level in the tower contains the master clock, a stand-by battery, and the figures and automatic gear which operates them. Some idea of the intricacy of the whole installation can be gained from the fact that the clock and the clock lighting are automatically controlled to split second accuracy, and interlocked so that the clock can operate day and night, month after month, without human intervention.

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Darling Harbour, Sydney

This clock is a main feature of the architecture that overlooks the courtyard in the popular Cockle Bay cafe strip of Darling Harbour, Sydney. The decorative blue window in the face of the clock is backlit and shows the current Sydney night sky at that particular time.

Technically, the clock incorporates five 'hands' - hour, minute, second, one-turn-per-year celestial backlit screen, and daily rotation 'Sydney night sky' window. A day-month indicator is on the periphery of the clock face. All movements are controlled by an Ingrams electronic master clock with automatic daylight savings and leap year correction.

The motion works of this clock, which was manufactured by Ingrams in 1999, was fitted to a three-metre housing constructed by our client.