| TIME PLEASE Interesting item about how the speaking clock works, in the days when you just dialled 'TIM' for 'time'. | ||
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| This clip is not available for streaming at this time. Please contact WPA. | Tape Master: | 7205 |
| Catalog #: | 504128 | |
| Clip Number: | 504128-1 | |
| Orginal Film: | PT 419 | |
| Timecode: | 01:11:37 - 01:14:15 | |
| Location: | London. | |
| Year Shot: | 1938 (Actual Year) | |
| Audio: | Yes | |
| Color: | No | |
| Headings: | CLOCKS: Misc COMMUNICATIONS: Telephone LOCATIONS/EUROPE: UK, England, London | |
| Description: | TIME PLEASE Interesting item about how the speaking clock works, in the days when you just dialled 'TIM' for 'time' London. Several shots of a woman and a little girl (a startling Shirley Temple look-alike) dialling 'T - I - M' for the speaking clock. We hear a woman saying through the 'phone "At the third stroke the time will be 9:52 and fifty seconds" followed by three pips. The woman adjusts her watch. C/U of the woman who is the voice of the speaking clock! She says "If you want to know the time, there's no need now to ask a policeman, just give me a ring sometime". We then see how the speaking clock works - four glass discs with circular soundtracks are operated by cam shafts. The time is checked with Greenwich every hour and any difference is automatically corrected. A man in the clock room adjusts the amplifiers so callers can hear the information. Various shots of the Shirley Temple girl sneaking up to the telephone and ringing 'TIM'. She listens to the speaking clock, says "Thank you very much", hangs up and runs off. | |
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