Friday 14 May 2010

Farmyard alarm clock, 1950s


This is a child's pictorial alarm clock, one of a range made by Smiths English Clocks Ltd in the early 1950s. Smiths had been making clocks for the domestic market since 1931 and stopped in 1979. The trade name on this one Smith Alarm was in use from 1952-5. It was made at the factory in Wishaw near Glasgow.

The cock crowing at the start of a new day is an appropriate visual theme for an alarm clock and there is a typically rustic scene complete with timber-framed thatched cottage in the background. It's a playful, relaxing image to nod you off to sleep and for good measure the pecking hen on the left rocks backwards and forwards in synchrony with the tricking.

3 comments:

Grandpa said...

Great old clock. I have a similar one from the era - "Hey Diddle Diddle" clock where the little dog rocks back & forth as he watches the dish run away with the spoon!

Saunders Park said...

I had this exact clock as a child. It was a fun clock to have, and I have great memories of it.

Saunders Park said...

I had this alarm clock as a child. It was a great clock and the ticking put me to sleep many a night, as did watching the moving chicken.