Dedication of a Jubilee Clock at East Drayton  (Jubilee of Queen Victoria 1898)

The Bishop of Derby on Tuesday evening dedicated the Jubilee clock, which has been erected by Messrs. Smith and Son, Derby, in a lofty tower of St. Peter’s Church, at East Drayton, on behalf of the villagers as a Jubilee permanent memorial. 

The clock has been manufactured and fixed at a cost of £89. Which sum was collected during the Jubilee year, but an additional £20 has been spent in other things, and on repair of the church roof, but it is anticipated that this amount will speedily be raised. 

The clock is constructed of solid cast iron frame, placed and bolted on iron girders, and contains Lord Grimthorpe’s double three legged gravity escapement, and 1¼ sec.  compensated pendulum.   The total weight of the clock is about one ton, and the cost has been altogether £115.  

The proceedings commenced by tea in the schoolroom, and the church was afterwards crowded.     The clergy assisting the Bishop of Derby were – the vicar (Rev. A. F. Wilkinson), the Rev. E. Cunningham (vicar of Mawham), The Rev. C. R. Gamson (vicar of Normamton-on-Trent), the Rev A. P. Woodhouse (vicar of Tuxford), the Rev. Albert E. Briggs (vicar of East Markham), the Rev. G. S. W. Kershaw (rector of Fledborough), the Rev. G. Francis (vicar of Dunham-on -Trent), the Rev. G. Shipton (vicar of Grove), the Rev. F. White (vicar of Scarcliffe), and the Rev. G. Scott (vicar of Gringley). Mrs. Wilkinson presided at the harmonium, and special hymns were sung by an augmented surpliced choir. 

The bishop preached an excellent sermon on the value of time, his text being “ And Jesus answered,  Are there not twelve hours in a day?” 

The collection amounted to £4. 0s. 4½d. [The account above is a factual copy of a newspaper article (ex. Typewriter) published on 16th July 1898 in the Nottinghamshire Guardian]