Sunday, April 28, 2013

Tower Clock Bell

28 April, 2013

The plaque for this bell reads:

This bell was taken from the ruins of the clock tower destroyed by fire February 3, 1916.

"The fire raged fiercely for hours. The main tower was not touched until about 11 p.m., and one of the most pathetic incidents of the night, which moved the spectators, was the striking of the midnight hour by the old tower cloock. There seemed almost a human touch as its familiar tones boomed out from the mass of flames."

From the 1916 report of the Deputy Minister of Public Works.




The Victoria Tower Bell Monument was restored by Public Works and Government
Services Canada in cooperation with the Canadian Bankers Association.

This bell was taken from the ruins
of the clock tower destroyed by fire
February 3, 1916

"The fire raged fiercely for hours. The main tower was not touched until about 11 p.m. and one fo the most pathetic incidents of the night, which moved the spectators, was the striking of the midnihgt hour by the old tower clock. There seemed almost a human touch as its familiar tones boomed out from the mass of flames."

From the 1916 report of the
Deputy Minister of Public Works



This bell which belonged to the tower clock of the old Parliament Buildings was taken from the ruins of the building after their destruction by fire on February 3rd 1916.

On that memorable night the bell continued to strike the hours until midnight although the tower itself was ablaze from nine o'clock in the evening. After sounding the last stroke of twelve it crashed through the flames to the base of the tower.