Newly-restored Guildhall Time Ball in Hull drops for first time in more than 100 years

  • Video report by Matt Price

A gold metal ball mounted on top of a clocktower that was once used to help ships keep the correct time has risen and fallen again for the first time in more than a century.

The Guildhall Time Ball in Hull is one of the last examples of of its kind, having been installed between 1915 and 1916 when the need for such devices was close to being obsolete.

Situated on top of the Guildhall’s clock tower, 196ft (60m) above the ground, the time ball would rise at 12.57pm everyday during the summer before dropping a distance of over 12ft (3.8m) at exactly 1pm.

It signalled the exact time to ships' navigators at sea and on the River Humber. It last dropped in 1922.

The restoration work included a new internal mechanism in the clock tower. Credit: Hull City Council

The time ball is one of a small number left in Britain and has been restored to full working order, along with a renovation of the clock tower and a new internal mechanism after a £452,000 project.

Cllr Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, said it was "great" to see the time ball working again.

“Residents can now learn about this nationally significant timepiece and the important role it played for sailors on the Humber," he said.

“It is important to continue to tell the story of the Guildhall Time Ball and ensure this maritime story lives on for decades to come.”

The Time Ball can just been seen in the distance from the deck of a ship in Victoria Dock, ca. 1920. Credit: Hull History Centre

Hull’s time ball is the highest in the UK and sits on top of a newly-carved Portland stone bowl.

Several cherubs, called 'Putti', have been carved into the bowl, which started as a single six-ton block and took 5,375 hours of work to complete.

Local contractor Hobson & Porter completed the restoration, which the company's business development director, Joe Booth, describing the project as "very special" and "hugely rewarding" for Hull.

“The feedback from both local people and Hull visitors passing the site has all been extremely positive, with people genuinely happy to see this famous landmark restored to its former glory, and it’s fantastic to see the time ball taking pride of place on the city’s skyline once more," he said.