By Michael Gillespie
While participating at the 2013 Applefest, a few members of the Quinte Timekeepers - a clock club who are perennial volunteer participants at Lang Pioneer Village Museum - discovered this old clock. It was in extremely sad shape, varnished shut , not working and dustily languishing high on a cupboard in the Print Shop. Jim Hartog and Maurice Blanchard volunteered to restore the clock.
After many hours, Maurice was able to reproduce some of the wooden parts and the movement was now in working order. Jim disassembled the case, cleaned it and refinished it to look as it would have circa 1835. He donated some weights and dust covers from his own collection.
This important artifact is an Ogee, weight-driven clock made by Utley, in Niagara Falls around 1835. Its Canadian heritage and manufacture adds to the provenance. It is now fully restored and working.
Images: Jim, Maurice and fellow members of the Quinte Timekeepers with the restored clock
On behalf of Lang Pioneer Village Museum, I would like to extend our gratitude to these gentlemen and all of the Quinte Timekeepers who volunteer their popular services at Applefest.
