The Mystery of the Almonte Post Office Clock –Five Minutes Fast and other Things….

 

I have never seen this postcard before with the lone man walking up the hill– and where is the clock tower?  Thanks to the help from Brent Eades we know that the post office clock was added later. Thanks Brent!!

“Interestingly, the building’s monumental four-faced clock tower was not added until between 1913 and 1916 when a local Member of Parliament, named William Thoburn, ordered its construction. Thoburn, who was also a local mill owner, was rumoured to have demanded the erection of the clock tower to ensure the timely arrival of his employees to work each morning.” 

 

 

 

By the way, Ray Paquette said that the folks in Carleton Place were told that the Almonte clock always ran 5 minutes fast, purposely, to ensure that mill workers from that town working in Carleton Place wouldn’t be late. Cathy Peterson said they would play outside and when it struck nine you had better be heading home. What memories do you have of the clock tower?

 

 

Clipped from

1. The Ottawa Journal,
2. 29 Mar 1912, Fri,
3. Page 9

 

March 29 1912 Almonte Gazette

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place and The Tales of Almonte

 

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun  Screamin’ Mamas (USA)  and The Sherbrooke Record