Launceston Centenary Clock & ChimesPrint Page

The Launceston Centenary Clock and Chimes commemorate the centenary of the city of Launceston in 1906. The clock and chimes were handed over to the city in 1910 when the centenary plaque was unveiled.

The official handing over of the clock and chimes installed in the Post Office tower to the City Council took place on July 11th. There was a large gathering at the Town Hall, including Senator Keating and the aldermen.  Hon. G. T. Collins, who has been acting as chairman of the committee for some time, gave a resume of what had been done towards securing the clock and chimes for the city. It was through the efforts of Senator Keating that the Federal Government decided to alter the tower to make it suitable to receive the clock and chimes. (Applause.) The first money obtained towards the timepiece was the surplus of over £500 from an exhibition promoted by the Australian Natives' Association. (Applause.) Mr. Collins made kindly reference to the splendid response of the citizens, and thought that they çhould congratulate themselves on having secured such a splendid set of chimes, which were also musical, and visitors from the mainland had expressed themselves as being delighted with the chimes, and had stated that they know of nothing better in the Commonwealth. It was the desire of the committee that the clock and chimes should be vested in the city of Launceston, and, therefore, he had much pleasure in handing over to the Mayor the deed vesting the clock and chimes in the Corporation of Launceston for the citizens.

The company then adjourned to the Post Office, where the Mayor unveiled a plate which had been donated and erected on the base of the tower by Messrs. J. and T. Gunn Ltd., who were the contractors for making the alterations to the structure. The plate bore the inscription "Launceston Centenary Clock and Chimes-1806-1906 : Erected by public subscription in the reign of King Edward VII., in commemoration of the first centenary of the city of Launceston, in Tasmania." Cheers for the King, the Mayor and Aldermen, and the clock and chimes committee concluded the proceedings.
The Mercury (Hobart), 12th July 1910.  

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