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The Victoria Clock Tower, also known as the Diamond Jubilee Clock Tower, is a heritage-registered clock tower located in Christchurch, New Zealand. Designed by Benjamin Mountfort, it is registered as a "Historic Place - Category I" by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
With the abolition of Provincial Government in New Zealand in 1876, the clock tower became the property of the Crown, but it was transferred to Christchurch City Council.[4]
Victoria Clock Tower, photographed from the intersection of Manchester Street and Bedford Row, looking in a south-west direction.After being stored for 30 years in a council yard in Worcester Street, it was decided that the tower would be used as part of a monument to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. A competition for a stone tower was held and won by the local architecture firm of Strouts and Ballantyne. The clock was returned to the United Kingdom for renovation, and the addition of chimes.[5] In 1897 it was erected on a stone base at the intersection of Manchester Street, Lichfield Streets and High Streets and remained there until 1930 when it was removed due to it being deemed a traffic hazard.[1][6]
Restoration work was carried out in 1930 and in 2003–2004.[7]
The Victoria Clock Tower, also known as the Diamond Jubilee Clock Tower, is a heritage-registered clock tower located in Christchurch, New Zealand. Designed by Benjamin Mountfort, it is registered as a "Historic Place - Category I" by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
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[edit] History
[edit] Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings
Mountfort designed the clock tower in ca 1858, to be placed on top of the first (wooden) section of the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings.[1] The iron tower and clock was constructed in Coventry and arrived in December 1860 in 147 boxes,[2] but it was determined that the building structure would be unable to support the tower's weight.[1] The clock was then placed in the stone tower of the Provincial Council Buildings in Armagh Street, and whilst its face could not be seen, the chime could be heard for a distance of 2 miles.[3] The iron tower, meanwhile, stood for several years in the courtyard of the Provincial Council Buildings.[3]With the abolition of Provincial Government in New Zealand in 1876, the clock tower became the property of the Crown, but it was transferred to Christchurch City Council.[4]
[edit] High / Manchester intersection
[edit] Montreal / Victoria intersection
It was relocated that year to its current location on a reserve at the intersection of Victoria and Montreal Streets and the clock was replaced.[1][6]Restoration work was carried out in 1930 and in 2003–2004.[7]
[edit] Heritage listing
On 2 April 1985, the clock tower was registered as a Category I heritage item, with the registration number being 3670. The tower is significant, as it is a landmark in Christchurch, and it was part of Mountfort's original design for the Provincial Council Buildings. The tower is further a remarkable example of High Victorian ironwork, and its use as a monument to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee are an indication of the colonial ties between New Zealand and Britain.[1][edit] References
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Victoria Clock Tower, Christchurch |
- ^ a b c d e "Victoria Clock Tower". The Register. New Zealand Historic PlacesTrust. http://www.historic.org.nz/TheRegister/RegisterSearch/RegisterResults.aspx?RID=3670. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
- ^ "Christchurch - a chronology". Christchurch City Libraries. http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Chronology/Year/1860.asp. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
- ^ a b "The clock tower, Christchurch". Christchurch City Libraries. http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Photos/Disc14/IMG0019.asp. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
- ^ "Burke Manuscript". Christchurch City Libraries. p. 72. http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Digitised/Burke/Burke72.asp. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
- ^ "The clock tower - Laying of the foundation stone". Star. 10 December 1897. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TS18971210.2.17. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
- ^ a b "Diamond Jubilee Clock Tower". Christchurch City Council. http://www.ccc.govt.nz/cityleisure/artsculture/artinthecity/clocks/diamondjubileeclock.aspx. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
- ^ "Jubilee Clock / Victoria Clock Tower". Christchurch City Libraries. http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Places/Memorials/JublieeClock/. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
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