Royal Commonwealth Society : Empire Clock, Entrance Hall

Bedford Lemere & Co. for the Royal Empire Society

Royal Commonwealth Society

<p style='text-align: justify;'> This spectacular clock, known as the 'Empire Clock', was designed by Sir Herbert Baker for the entrance hall of the Royal Empire Society's new headquarters building in Northumberland Avenue. It was manufactured by Sir Herbert's son Henry Baker in 1937.  Winchester College has a similar clock made in 1936.  Sir Herbert Baker was the architect of the Society's Northumberland Avenue building and he designed the emblems around the clock-face to represent the countries of the Empire. These moved round to give the corresponding time in each country. Baker wrote that it was to be the first object which everybody looked at on entering the building, and that he wanted the inscription below cut in stone as he disliked little brass or wooden tablets!   Mr Henry Baker was to be paid £250 for the clock and a £100 donation towards this was received from H.R.H. Edward VIII - hence the inscription. This beautiful clock has been in storage since the Society moved out of its grand headquarters building in Northumberland Avenue. </p><p style='text-align: justify;'> The photograph is taken from a collection of lantern slides commissioned by the Society to commemorate the opening of its new headquarters building in 1936. Many of the photographs were published in its journal United Empire </p><p style='text-align: justify;'>See Janus record <a target='_blank' class='externalLink' href='https://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FRCS%2FII'>here</a></p>