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Dr Gray's Hospital clocks restored to shining former glory


By Lorna Thompson

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WORK to restore Dr Gray's Hospital's historic clocks to their gleaming former glory has been completed in good time.

All four of the landmark building's clocks are in sync and accurate for the first time in around three decades after the £38,000 refurbishment, paid for by a huge fundraising drive led by the Friends of Dr Gray's Hospital.

The restoration, which started on September 7, took just under the estimated three weeks to complete. Two craftsmen from historic restorations firm Smiths of Derby ticked along to have the specialist work finished last week.

The repairs, originally timetabled for April and May, had been held up by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Ken Brown, retired consultant radiologist and a committee member for the Friends, said the people of Moray should feel very proud of their collective efforts to see the clocks returned to a pristine state.

Refurbishment work to restore the clocks at Dr Gray's Hospital, in Elgin, is now complete. Picture: Daniel Forsyth.
Refurbishment work to restore the clocks at Dr Gray's Hospital, in Elgin, is now complete. Picture: Daniel Forsyth.

The clockmakers worked on the six-foot diameter dials from scaffolding erected around the clock tower – both the east and west glazed faces and the north and south copper, convex faces.

The copper dials were stripped down and abraded before the application of undercoat and weatherproof high-gloss black top coat. The hands and numerals were finished in 23½-carat gold leaf.

The glass panels were replaced on the other dials. The framework was rubbed down before the application of anti-corrosion treatment and weatherproof high-gloss black top coat to the framework and hands.

All four dials were then set up and left in good working order and illumination of the faces has been improved.

Dr Brown worked at the hospital for nearly 30 years. He said: "The last time the clocks looked as good as this was just after the last big refurbishment of the building in 1969-71.

"They have been restored to how they would have been originally in 1817-18.

"We're very grateful to everybody who has contributed – the big and the small donations. They've all helped and this is something that the people of Moray can be very proud of. It will look great for many years to come."

Liz Tait, head of clinical and care governance at Dr Gray's, and Ken Brown, retired consultant radiologist and a committee member for the Friends of Dr Gray's Hospital. Picture: Daniel Forsyth.
Liz Tait, head of clinical and care governance at Dr Gray's, and Ken Brown, retired consultant radiologist and a committee member for the Friends of Dr Gray's Hospital. Picture: Daniel Forsyth.

Liz Tait, head of clinical and care governance at Dr Gray's, said: "Although we got lots of big donations, all the smaller donations helped us to get to this point – such as those from diamond wedding anniversaries where contributions were requested in place of presents, people selling books and mugs.

"The local people have shown such kindness. It's been absolutely brilliant."

James Armishaw, sales operations manager for James Ritchie clockmakers, part of the Smith of Derby Group, said: "We are proud to have been involved in this project to restore public time within this vital community setting.

"The dials look superb and will now serve the hospital's patients, visitors and medical team for years to come."

The Friends group was formed in 2018 by current and former members of staff to celebrate the hospital's 200th anniversary last year.

The Friends' fundraising, like all charities, has been waylaid by the pandemic but donations have still been coming in. Among the hospital improvement projects under consideration, the group is exploring the possibility of restoring the wooden lantern that sits above Dr Gray's clock tower.

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