Shine and time restored for St Peter’s clock
The Georgian era clock at St Peter’s Church in St George was fully waxed and cleaned over four days last week.
Ian Birch has cleaned the clock, located at the top of the church tower, for about eight years — but representatives from British-based firm Thwaites & Reed, who crafted the clock in 1814, trained him and another Bermuda resident on the proper care process when they visited the island in 2023.
The procedure, completed on Sunday, is done once or twice a year and involves cleaning and oiling parts, waxing and applying gold leaf to the clock face and dials.
Mr Birch also maintains and adjusts the time on the clock once a week, as weather conditions could result in it being more than 30 seconds off.
He explained: “Warmer temperatures make the pendulum expand and the clock run slow, while cooler temperatures contract the pendulum and the clock runs fast.”
Mr Birch added: “Waxing is the longest part of the process, because you have to wax, then let it dry, then do it again.”
