Rise and fall: Guildhall Time Ball to move again for first time in 100 years

LANDMARK: The Guildhall Time Ball looking out over modern Hull

By Simon Bristow

A rare and distinctive piece of Hull’s maritime history will brought back into working order next week for the first time in a century.

The Guildhall Time Ball – which was used as a time-keeping navigational aid for shipping – has been carefully restored and returned the Guildhall’s clock tower, bringing a golden lustre to the city’s skyline.

At 196ft (60m) above ground level, it is the highest Time Ball in the UK and one of the last remaining examples of this type of timekeeping in Britain.

Installed between April 1915 and November 1916, it has been out of use since its motor was removed in 1922.

The Time Ball was an essential aid to mariners on the rivers Hull and Humber, rising in the summer at 12.57pm each day until it dropped at precisely 1pm on a signal from Royal Observatory Greenwich. Sailors could then accurately set their chronometers, allowing them to determine their longitude at sea, and therefore their precise location. The Time Ball dropped at noon in winter.

To celebrate its return to action, pupils from Oldfleet and Priory primary schools worked with Hull Minster director of music Mark Keith to create a special composition on glockenspiels. This will be played on the Guildhall’s carillon bells when the Time Ball moves again, and at special occasions in the future.

Hull City Council leader Mike Ross said: “It is great to see the city’s Guildhall Time Ball in full working order again after over a century of not working.

“Residents can now learn about this nationally significant timepiece and the important role it played for sailors on the Humber.

“It is important to continue to tell the story of the Guildhall Time Ball and ensure this maritime story lives on for decades to come.”

The restoration, which was funded by the city council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, includes the Time Ball returning to full working order and the renovation of the clock tower.

It will move again at 1pm on Thursday, June 29.

Helen Featherstone, director of England North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “It’s wonderful news that the Guildhall Time Ball, a timepiece of such great heritage significance, has been restored to full working order.

“We’re thrilled that thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we have played a key role in keeping the story of this historic landmark alive and ensuring this unique aspect of Hull’s heritage can be enjoyed by future generations.”

The work was done by local contractor Hobson & Porter.

Joe Booth, business development director at Hobson & Porter, said: “The Time Ball is a very special part of Hull’s Maritime Project and the restoration of The Guildhall.

“To see it working again is hugely rewarding for the city as a whole and everyone involved in this intricate project.

“The feedback from both local people and Hull visitors passing the site has all been extremely positive, with people genuinely happy to see this famous landmark restored to its former glory, and it’s fantastic to see the Time Ball taking pride of place on the city’s skyline once more.”

The Time Ball is covered in 23.5 carat, double thickness English gold leaf, and rises and falls at a distance of 3.8m on a 11.5m mast.