Last Sunday 'S Antique Roadshow

[barry1010]

The segment where Fiona had to guess which item had the correct description.

The object looked like a brass clock face with a single hand and numbers 1 to 16 around the edge.

We were told it was a Georgian piece used by stagecoaches to display the departure time.  As they didn't travel at night the missing numbers were unnecessary.

My question is: was the 24 hour clock used in that period by ordinary folk? I thought not.

[douglas9401]

It was mainly used in Norfolk so the locals could work it out on their fingers.

[roopower]

douglas9401, you may get into a bit of trouble.....good thing I come from Suffolk!

[douglas9401]

😄

[barry1010]

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Lie-in King]

The 24-hr clock never occurred to me.  I understood it was to show in how many hours the next stage was leaving, anything from 1 to 16 hours from the present time.

[vulcan42]

Apparently the ancient Egyptians used the 24 hour system,

[barry1010]

Yes, but did they live in Georgian Britain, Vulcan.

LiK, what's your opinion on that item? Could it really have been used as described?

[THECORBYLOON]

Was it a clock or did it only indicate when the next coach was due to leave?

 

 

[barry1010]

It wasn't a clock, it was just to show the departure time.  It had one hand and no mechanism.

[THECORBYLOON]

Folk would need a timepiece or sight of a clock then.

[naomi24]

I don't think so.  People had watches and travelling clocks.  I might be being dim but a 24 hour clockwork clock would be a rather fussy piece of equipment.

[barry1010]

Would Georgians have known 16 is 4pm?

I always believed the 24 hour clock was first used in the UK by the armed forces during the Great War and didn't really come in to everyday use until the 1970s.

 

[Lie-in King]

Barry - sorry, been away from the screen.

I didn't doubt that it was used as described.  If anyone's interested, this is it - https://ibb.co/FLjKWKDZ

The prog is here - https://tinyurl.com/2r8feyfu

The relevant section starts at 36:20.

[barry1010]

Thanks, LiK

[naomi24]

Doubt it, Barry.  

[barry1010]

I've sent an email to the Feedback page of Radio Times. 

[THECORBYLOON]

The movement in a twenty-four hour clock would be set at half the speed of a regular clock so I'd not think that would be too difficult to set up.

[Lie-in King]

Sorry, but it feels as if I missed something?  As I recall, there was nothing in the piece that said the 24-hr clock was involved, nor that 16 meant 4:00.

[THECORBYLOON]

BARRY, the expert said there was no travel at night so why have 1 to 5 for example, when it would be dark in Winter still if it were based on the twenty-four hour clock?

 

[naomi24]

How they used it is bugging me now.