THE CHURCH CLOCKNo I haven’t got a problem. I am ticking along quite nicely, thankyou. As I am the only part that has one, the church building has asked me to voice a big thank you to the Council people at Swadlincote.I expect you have noticed the nice new path from the main steps to the porch door and up through the churchyard to the Almshouse’s Bakewell gate and then along the railing from Church Hill to Ivan Way. This is all thanks to the Council. It may come as a surprise to learn that the responsibility for the upkeep of the paths does not lie with my carers. The ground in which we stand is what is known as a ‘closed churchyard’ and is in the care of South Derbyshire District Council. Some years ago the gravestones that stood over the graves in the churchyard were sympathetically removed and carefully stood along the almshouse wall of the cemetery at the top of Ivan Way.The new path has come as a great relief to pedestrians and to those on wheels and especially to the pall-bearers wheeling coffins to our porch door. Our carers are also very pleased as it helps toward their plans to welcoming more newcomers to enjoy all the services and functions that they organise. A viewing screen has already been installed to supplement books and service sheets that will be extremely helpful to those not familiar with the pattern of the services.Looking down on the path from the main steps we have admired how the colour of the ground cover geraniums has been accentuated by the blackness of the paths. They have been particularly abundant this year. For the gardeners you may like to know that they are a variety called Claridge Druce, named by George Claridge Druce (1850 – 1932) a botanist and author of the Flora of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire and a past mayor of Oxford.September 2024
THE CHURCH CLOCK Ring out the bells. If I could clap my hands, I would. Have you noticed? I am working again at last. The delay was mainly due to my carers having to wait for the approval of a grant towards the cost of my new auto winding system before they could proceed. And that was on top of the first attempted repair failing within a year! It has been a long wait and I have been fed up because I am only happy when I am working. I love passing on the time of day to everyone that goes by. My special carer is back on the job after a 13-month holiday! He has been negotiating the 31 spiral staircase steps on my behalf for about 40 years – albeit with increasing difficulty it seems to me! Although I am working better than I ever have, all is not perfect. He has been faced with a problem. Apparently, I am getting 1 or 2 seconds out of time each week and he may have to visit on a monthly basis to be keep me in peak condition. I do do my best, but I am not a Rolex am I? And I have been up here for around 150 years! Just this last week my hourly chimes stopped for a while. My clapper was working but had stopped making contact with my bell. My carer sorted it out but says he still needs to keep an ear out in case it happens again. Fortunately he lives quite close to the church. Talking of bells, the special carer of our six bells for over 30 years, passed away last November. Due to ill health Jack had to retire as their Bell Captain a couple of years ago and he and his wife Joyce stopped bell ringing after more than 60 years. He was renowned throughout the ringing world of Derbyshire and was the District Ringing Master for the Derby District of the Derby Diocesan Association. He had a personal record of ringing 1,538 peals and conducted 909 of them. He taught dozens of people to ring bells during his career. Our carers intend to have a plaque in memory of this remarkable man placed in the bell ringing chamber. June 2024
THE CHURCH CLOCK I am so sorry that for the last few months I have not been able to give you the time of the day. I must apologise for that. I do notice you glancing up whenever you pass but there has been nothing that I have been able to do about it. It’s been out of my hands, so to speak. The reason is that whenever something goes wrong in the church it is not just a matter of the PCC sending for a plumber, electrician or clock repairer etc.to get it fixed. There are not that many businesses about that deal with my kind of problem. The PCC have been dealing with two companies. The question has been whether a further repair was possible and if so, did it make economic sense. Failing that it would mean the purchase of a new Auto-Winder. My good news is that the church’s PCC, at a meeting this week, decided not to go down the repair route. They are going to buy me a new automatic winding system that will cost upwards of £3,000. Adding this to the cost of a new heating system and other demands, their finances will be left in a parlous condition. The Parish Council, always supportive, have been kept informed throughout this process. It is hoped that, with finances permitting, they may be able to help with the cost. At the time this goes to press I cannot say when I will be up and running again but at least it shouldn’t be for much longer. I cannot wait for the time when I will be right for you all day instead of just twice a day. St Helen’s Church Clock
