'Lessons learned' from clock saga
City has greater appreciation for timepiece, expert says
Protesters may have failed to reverse the decision on the fate of the Star Ferry clock tower but some good did come out of the saga - more people learned to appreciate the art that went into making the famed mechanical clock.
Neil Brennan Wright, an engineer with Thwaites & Reed, which claims to be the world's oldest clock-making company, said yesterday that the role of the clock had evolved from simply a tool to tell the time.
'It is an educational experience,' he said. 'You now know what is actually driving that clock, hopefully you will understand a bit of the beauty of that.'
Mr Wright, who inspected the clock which is stored at the Museum of History, said it was in good condition and preservable.
'You need to look after it. To make another will cost an absolute fortune. The clock will keep working for hundreds of years,' he said.
The clock, made by famous clockmaker Dent in the 1950s, was taken down last Saturday.
Mr Wright said the clock could be restored by being displayed in a museum or placed on a new tower, but that it must be a working clock, 'otherwise it would be a dead exhibition'.
Flying back to England last night following a three-day trip, Mr Wright said he was not surprised at the sentiments stirred up by the removal of the clock tower.
'If somebody tries to demolish Big Ben, or even other public clocks, I think there will be a riot,' said Mr Wright. His company has been maintaining the Great Bell of Westminster Palace, better known as Big Ben, for 30 years.
Alex Hui Yat-chuen, a curator at the University of Hong Kong's University Museum and Art Gallery, one of the people who funded Mr Wright's trip to Hong Kong, said they had invited the expert with the aim of injecting some common sense into the debate. Mr Hui said he hoped the events of recent weeks would enrich the significance of the tower to Hongkongers.
A group of activists yesterday launched the 'People's Planning Meeting', a three-day programme at the Star Ferry pier to encourage public participation in the harbourfront development.
As part of the programme, a Wan Chai pressure group was invited to share its experience of community involvement in urban planning.
Mr Hui will also talk about the history of the Queen's Pier in the context of its neighbouring architecture today.
