Description Two Famous Pictou Clocks

Two Famous Pictou Clocks

The Squire Patterson

This clock, pictured on the left above, has a history probably more interesting and romantic than that of any other time-piece in Canada.  Those who know their Haliburton will recall that Nova Scotia was the sphere of the supposed activities of “Sam Slick,” a Yankee clock-peddler of the early nineteenth century.  Quite recently it has come to light that there was an original for the famous creation of the Windsor judge’s clever brain, namely Eli Terry, of New England, some of whose clocks, named and dated, exist in Nova Scotia today, there being one in Pictou which may be seen at the establishment of Geo. MacLaren and Sons, Water Street.

The Patterson clock is, however of more ancient and honorable lineage than any of the America importations which have secured such a safe and wide place along with the name of their smooth-tongued purveyor in the humorous literature of the world.  The American clocks were “shelf clocks,” the Patterson is of the “grandfather” or “long case” type – seven feet seven inches tall, the case of the finest mahogany, and as an illustration of cabinet-making is of the highest order and excellence.  For gracefulness of line, balance of parts and general symmetry of structure, it must ever be a delight to the eye of the antiquary- a thing of beauty and joy forever.

The dial is richly carved outside the orbit of the hands; the name of the maker appearing in the lunette or upper semi-circle, while in the spandrels, or rectangular corners of the dial, a series of graceful scrolls and highly ornate wavy lines appear.  Unfortunately this part of the decorative treatment of this clock does not appear in the picture.  In the Geddie clock it will be seen clearly how the lunette and spandrels are filled in, the former having a horseman with a fine colored landscape as background and the latter showing pleasing rosettes.

Coming to the history of this clock, it bears the name “Jn Carmichael, Greenock,” and research made recently shows this name as listed among the “Clockmaker’s Company” of skilled workers running well back into the 18^th century.  As far as can be determined the Patterson clock was probably made about two hundred years ago.

At any rate it has been one hundred and seventy years in Pictou, that is since the coming of the “Hope” in 1767, in which Squire Patterson was a passenger, along with several Harrises, and since it was made in Scotland, and from there sent to Philadelphia, it is reasonable to suppose that it was at least thirty years old when it reached Nova Scotia, and may, indeed, have been much older.  Its obvious excellence, and its undoubted money value at that early day sheds an interesting side-light on the comparative opulence of at least one family of the “Hope’s” list of passengers.

This clock is at present, in the possession of and is the property of Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Steeves being a direct descendant of the fifth generation, from Squire Patterson, who came from Philadelphia in the “Hope” in 1767, bringing the clock with him.  The authority for this statement is found in Patterson’s arrival in the country:

“An eight-day clock, brought with him in the “Hope,” is in possession of a great-grand-daughter, Mrs. A. P. Ross, and still marks the hours.”

Mrs. Steeves is a granddaughter of Mrs. A. P. Ross, and what was said by Dr. Patterson in his history sixty years ago, may be said of the clock at present – “It still marks the hours”, while the “calendar hand” points to the days of the month with unfailing accuracy.

Another interesting feature in connection with this clock is the fact that in addition to having been made in Scotland and shipped to Philadelphia, and from there brought to Pictou, it had, in the early years of the twentieth century, a trip across the continent to Vancouver, and a return journey to Pictou nine years later by way of the Panama Canal.

If there is an older or more interesting clock than this anywhere in Canada, Pictonians would like to know.

The John Geddie

As may be seen dimly on the dial, this practically perfect specimen of the clock-maker’s art, bears the name of “John Geddie, Pictou.”  Though lacking the height of the Patterson clock by about twelve inches, and falling short of it in the matter of age by probably a hundred years or more, the practised eye will at once detect here also excellence and distinction of a high order, and will see that this clock in no sense suffers by comparison with the taller and older time-piece.

Like its companion in the picture the Geddie Clock illustrates the highest artistry of the old craftmanship in that there is occasionally mahogany veneer on mahogany, to give richness and variety to the whole, this in no sense carrying the sinister significance of much modern veneer on pine and cheaper woods, but tending to the highest excellence and warranted by the soundest decorative and technical reasons.

With this feature common to both time-pieces, it will be seen at a glance that the Geddie clock has an individuality of its own, its proportions varying sharply from those of the older clock, while its “hood” or top is more satisfying to the eye since it has the finial of brass, and is a more perfect “high-boy” type of ornamental design.  The capitals of the pillars supporting the part of the hood above the dial, while plain in the Patterson clock, are of “brushed” brass in the Geddie, and are also considerably longer.  This clock illustrates, too, the delicate and practically lost art f inlaying.  Considering the two clocks together it will largely be a matter of taste as to which may be considered the more perfect and artistic in design.  Both are unquestionably of rare beauty of design and finish.  The Geddie dial comes out much more distinctly, but the other clock suffers in this connection in that its dial is of brass, to which the camera failed to do the justice it deserved.

Touching the historic background of this clock there is also unusual and romantic interest.

It is at present the prized possession of First Presbyterian Church, Pictou, and adorns the minister’s vestry of that edifice where it may be seen and heard marking the time with the strictest accuracy and tolling the hours with musical sweetness as appealing and satisfying to the ear as the form of the clock is to the eye.

As to this clock – at least so far as the cabinet-making part, or case of it goes – it was made in Pictou, the works being probably imported.  At any rate, on what is known to be indisputable history, John Geddie, clockmaker, at Banff, Scotland, having failed at his trade in Britain following the depression that succeeded the close of the Napoleonic wars, emigrated to Nova Scotia, and here re-established his former business.  He came to Pictou in 1817, with his only son, John Geddie, who became the famous missionary to the New Hebrides, then an infant in arms.  A limited number of clocks are still available throughout the province.

But was it John Geddie the father, or John Geddie the son, who made this particular clock?  A question has arisen which is not easily answered.  There are evidences that point in both directions.  In favor of the father as the maker is the great excellence of the work.   On the other hand there is the testimony of the late Mr. Alexander MacMillan, form whose home the clock was secured in 1932, Mrs. MacMillan’s mother having received it as a gift from the last of the Geddie family: “This particular clock was made by John Geddie the missionary for the family, and was left in the Geddie home when he went away in 1846.”

In support of this statement by Mr. MacMillan, who died in 1933, at the age of 87, there is the following in Dr. Patterson’s Life of Dr. Geddie the missionary on page 21: “As he grew up his active mind found employment with the implements of his father’s shop.  He became quite an expert workman, even constructing clocks in all their parts.”

As far as can be determined this clock has been running about one hundred years.  Pictonians again, as in the case of the Patterson clock, would like to know if there is any parallel for this, another of their prized possessions.