G Dawe - 'Clock House, St Albans' c.1835

Social History (Museum of St Albans)

1982.2164

Etching and aquatint, "G Dawe engr & print / 9 Southampton Place New Road", 114 × 156. "Clock House, St Albans". St Albans Clock Tower viewed from High Street looking up Market Place. Around 1835, from SE showing pump, shop, and remains of semaphore hut. Further down Market Place the old open-sided Market House can be seen. This building was knocked down and replaced with the Corn Exchange building in 1857. Apparently a further copy of the James Burton/G Cooke etching of 1826, but with most charming details of the rural costume of market goers, a carter, bystanders, a dog fight, and chickens, one kept in a wicker cage. From 1808-1814 during the Napoleonic war, it was used by the Admiralty as a semaphore station. This was operated by a shutter system and could help relay a message to or from Yarmouth in 5 minutes.

PX 3619 82-2164.tif

Amy Cooke

Clock Tower, Market Place, St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK.

PWD Box 65 (grey).

30/09/2005