tarboat's photos with the keyword: time ball

When jewellers Prestons Ltd had new premises built in 1913 at 2 Deansgate, Bolton, the frontage was in a buff glazed terracotta and incorporated a clock tower topped with a time ball. Restored in 2008, it was one of only two still operating in England, the other one is at Greenwich. In 2011 when I took this photo, each day the ball was raised at 12.55pm and fell at precisely 1.00pm on receipt of an electronic signal from Greenwich. Prestons closed the shop in 2016 and I am unsure whether the time ball still operates.

When jewellers Prestons Ltd had new premises built in 1913 at 2 Deansgate, Bolton, the frontage was in a buff glazed terracotta and incorporated a clock tower topped with a time ball. Restored a few years ago, it is one of only two still operating in England, the other one is at Greenwich. Each day the ball is raised at 12.55pm and falls at precisely 1.00pm on receipt of an electronic signal from Greenwich. The whole block is nos 2-10 Deansgate and the left side was once occupied by the department store of R Whitehead Son Ltd. Preston's of Bolton still trade from No.2.