Gas illuminated clock to be restored

Public timepiece in my neighborhood will be restored!

South Boston’s street clock on West Broadway will be temporarily removed, restored over the winter, and return in the spring. The project will restore the exterior and interior surfaces as well as all the gears, weights and pulleys that keep the clock running. The work will be paid for by the City of Boston’s Edward Ingersoll Browne Fund.
South Boston’s historic clock is believed to be the last remaining gas illuminated street clock in the country. It was made by the E. Howard Company

Restored clock back on the job!

On a recent trip to Milan, Italy, we visited the home of a clock collector who focused his collection on 18th and 19th century mechanical mantel and wall clocks that were illuminated by either a candle or kerosene lamp located within the clock case. Most of the cases were made of wood. I don’t recall if he told us how popular the trend was, and how long it lasted. But I rather suspect the trend would have been very short lived! I’m sure the disadvantages of such an arrangement would outnumber the advantages. A street clock you could get away with.

I took a short video of the clock. We can see the two flickering gaslight sources behind the translucent dial of the clock.