Restored 'historic' Bearwood clock to be unveiled

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The clock has stood outside the King's Head on Hagley road for more than a century. Credit: Sandwell Council

The historic Bearwood clock which stood outside The King's Head pub in the early 1900s is to be returned to the area – just in time for the clocks to go back this weekend

The King's Head was a former coaching inn on the Birmingham-Halesowen turnpike dating from around 1790 which was rebuilt in 1905 by Holt Brewery.

The clock was commissioned and erected alongside the popular pub at that time.

The timepiece – a typical ‘Chamberlain’ pillar clock – was fabricated in iron by Glasgow firm J & A Law.

Now it will return to Bearwoo, just yards from its original position, on a site which has been extensively re-landscaped at the busy junction at the end of Bearwood Road.

The clock will create a local landmark in an attractive linkage between Bearwood Road shopping area and Lightwoods Park, which is currently being restored under a Heritage Lottery Funded scheme.

Councillor Steve Eling, deputy leader for Sandwell Council, said:

“*It’s fantastic that the clock has come home. *

We have worked hard to make sure that the clock has been restored to its former glory and returned to where it belongs to be enjoyed for many years to come by the people of Sandwell and Birmingham.”

The clock has been a landmark of Bearwood, positioned on Hagley Road West. Credit: Sandwell Council.

The clock, which was originally gas-lit, was removed from the King's Head in 1971 to enable the road to be widened. It was fitted with an electric mechanism, restored and re-erected in 1979 in High Street, Birmingham, where it stood until June 2015.

Now the clock has been offered to Sandwell Council and it will be placed back in Bearwood after its restoration and renovation as part an improvement scheme in the area.

The clock has been rebuilt to its former glory with a new face and hands to be enjoyed by the public once again. Credit: Sandwell Council.

Smith of Derby, the world renowned clock makers, has been working with the clock since the early 1970s.

Its experts carried out an extensive restoration of the free standing pillar clock, which entailed completely stripping the paint and finishing in a high-quality dark blue gloss. Features were then highlighted by hand-painting in gold and black paint.

The clock housing has been rebuilt and the dials, movements and lighting brackets replaced with new and low-energy LED lighting fitted behind the dials, with a controller to operate daylight saving.

The firm is working on the restoration of a clock at nearby Lightwoods Park & House and in recent years has carried out work at Carters Green Tower at West Bromwich.