Jubilee Clock Tower, Marine Terrace, Margate

On 1 April 1887 Margate Clock Committee announced an architectural competition for a Clock Tower to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, which was to be erected on a site at the foot of the Marine-terrace Green, nearly opposite the Kent Hotel. Costs were limited to £800 and designs were to be submitted within 28 days. In early May 1897 the entries were put on public exhibition and reviewed by the Building News, but referenced only by the mottos of the competitors. Out of a competition of 63 entries for the design of the Margate Clock Tower, the first place was awarded to Ernest Kaufman, of 158 Sinclair Road, West Kensington on 6 May 1887. However, doubts soon began to arise over the costings. In mid-July the committee were informed that “plans and specifications were not sufficiently explicit to enable a builder to make a proper contract and that the work could not be carried out for less than £1,500.” Tenders were sought in December 1887, the receipt of which made it clear that within the terms of the competition the cost was too high, so 'the arrangements made with the Committee concerning his plan will not be further proceeded with,' a decision endorsed by the Building News.

In March 1888 a new competition was organised in which 38 of the original designs were re-submitted. Of these two designs likely to be carried out within the limits of £800 were selected, the committee choosing that of H A Cheers subject to minor alteration. By 4th July, 1888 it had been decided that the lower half of the Tower up to the cornice below the clock faces would be worked Kentish ragstone, while the stonework above would be in Portland stone. Potts and Son of Leeds had also received the contract to provide the clocks. Tenders had been obtained, three of which were below the revised limit of £880 and the contract was awarded to King Brothers and Company, of South Norwood in the sum of £799. However, this tender was withdrawn “due to a clerical error” by the contractor, and the Committee turned to Mr F Pearce of Westgate who had submitted the second lowest tender of £815 10s.

Work commence in August 1888  and the tower was opened on 24 May 1889, the Queen’s 70th birthday, by Alderman Hermitage.

Doulton medallions The Committee resolved to order three medallions of the 'best' type with the Heads of the Queen, the Prince and the Princess of Wales with the fourth space used, subject to the approval of the architect for a 'suitable inscription in terra cotta'. According to Margate Civic Trust, the fourth tablet bore the Borough Arms and the inscription: Erected by Public Subscription in commemoration of Her Majesty's Jubilee 1887. Henry F. Hermitage, Mayor. G. Foord-Kelcey, Town Clerk. Henry A Cheers, Architect [Margate Civic Society Summer 2011 page 6]. These Medallions have been replaced with copper repoussé panels, the fourth panel now containing a crown and the text JUBILEE 1887

The clock’s four dials, each five feet in diameter with opal glass, were illuminated by gas and automatically programmed for turning on and off between British Summer Time and Greenwich Mean Time.

Another feature of the Clock Tower was a time ball, used to allow ships at sea and onlookers on shore to set their clocks accurately. A large copper ball was raised to the top of the mast at the pinnacle of the tower and dropped at precisely 1.00pm.. The time-ball was raised by a separate mechanism, a small machine that was fixed at the bottom of the tube up which the ball glides; this tube is 20ft. long, 13ft.of which is above the cupola. The ball,made of copper, is 2ft. in diameter, and was arranged to fall 10ft. when discharged at one o'clock, the machine being set in motion to raise the ball a short time before the hour. However, the time ball at Margate has not worked for many years, although moves to restore it are in progress.  

MARGATE.—The previously-chosen design for the Jubilee Clock Tower at Margate having proved to be more expensive by twice than the proposed expenditure, the committee requested the competitors to re-submit their designs. The result arrived at is that the design prepared by Mr. H. A. Cheers, of Twickenham, has been selected, and he has received the commission to proceed with the execution of the work. Building News 20 April 1888 page 562]

The action of the building committee of the Margate Jubilee Clock Tower is to be commended. A manifest injury would have been done to the competitors If the committee had proceeded to erect a tower that would have cost twice the amount originally contemplated. Unfortunately, there is already often too much truth in the dictum, that to win a competition it is necessary to cube up at about 2.75d. per foot, and put on a brazen face when before the building committee. It so happened that in this instance the erstwhile successful competitor overshot the mark—unintentionally, no doubt—with the result that the competitors have been asked to re-submit their designs. If committees would more often boldly adopt this resource, the tone of competitions would become decidedly healthier. [Building News 27 April 1888 page 618]

MARGATE. The Jubilee Clock Tower - The scaffolding has been erected preparatory building this tower, the site being near the large lamp on the Broadway opposite the Kent Hotel. Many of the residents the locality are complaining that the work should have been commenced this busy stage of the season, and a memorial is in course of signature requesting the Council to stop the work till after the season. (Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 4 Aug 1888)

THE JUBILEE TOWER. On Friday the clock tower erected in Margate in commemoration of the Queen’s Jubilee was handed over to the Mayor and Corporation. It occupies a prominent site, and cost nearly £2,000. Alderman Hermitage performed the formal ceremony, and the Mayor made the usual acknowledgment. Mrs. A. B. Cobb started the project, and Mr. Cobb, as well as the Mayor and Aiderman Hermitage, addressed the large assembly. The event was communicated by the Mayor to Sir Henry Ponsonby, and the corporation and the Jubilee Committee also offered the Queen loyal congratulations of her birthday. In reply the Queen thanked the corporation and the jubilee committee, and expressed satisfaction at the successful inauguration of the tower. (Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, 1 June 1889)

Reference        Builder 2 April 1887 page 525 – competition announced
Reference        Builder 14 May 1887 page714  – review of competition entries
Reference        Builder 10 December 1887 page 828 - contracts
Reference        Builder 24 December 1887 page902 - contracts
Reference        Builder 7 January 1888 page 18 – tenders Ernest Kaufmann architect
Reference        Building News 20 April 1888 page 562 – new competition won by H A Cheers
Reference        Building News 27 April 1888 page 618
Reference        Builder 23 June 1888 page 457 – contracts – H A Cheers
Reference        Builder 14 July 1888 page – tenders
Reference        Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 4 Aug 1888 -work commenced
Reference        Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, 1 June 1889 – opening
Reference        Angela C. Bennett, B.A. Late Victorian Embellishments to Margate page 344-355 Kent Archaeological Society 2017