Corpus members will have noticed that New Court looks a little smarter than usual, thanks to the renovation of the Chapel clock, which has been given a refresh. 

The clock was installed in 1964 in memory of former Master Will Spens, who had died in November of 1961. In the 1963 issue of The Letter, an appeal (right) was announced to raise funds in the amount of £500 for the clock. The response was signficant, with hundreds of Old Members contributing. The clock was built by the Morris Singer Co. Ltd, a fine art foundry that is still in existence. The clock brass with hands and hour marks made of copper.

In the following year's issue of The Letter, it was reported that:

"All who contributed will be glad to know that the clock given by them in memory of Will Spens is now in position above the west window of the Chapel.

In the past, Corpus men have had to rely on the sun and a strange hieroglyphic on the north wall of the Old Court to keep their time pieces regulated. Now, even though the sun may be late, there will be no excuse if they are.

The clock, which has a terra cotta centre, rim, figures, and hands in bronze with a green patina, may in one sense be described as a striking feature in adornnment and interest of the New Court, but in another sense the description is misleading, for it does its work with silent efficiency, telling the time to those who want to know it, refraining with wisdom and kindness from reminding the others of the inexorable march through the hours, the quarters, and the halves.

What more fitting memorial for a man who was wise and kind beyond measure, punctual and efficient in all he undertook and who working without thought of time for the College and its members?"

The Saffron Walden-based firm A. James Jewellers have cared for the clock for the last 40 years and they carried out the recent repairs. Removal of the clock (which as solid metal is very heavy) unfortunately necessitated the erection of scaffolding as the clock cannot be accessed from the back. First the hands are removed, then a cover plate, then yet another plate that incorporates the mechanism. The pieces are then lowered to the ground.

Graham Newman of A. James explains the inner workings of the clock. "The original mechanism was supplied by Synchronome, who were big players in commercial time systems. It undoubtedly consisted of an electro-mechanical pendulum-controlled transmitter clock that supplied pulses every 30 seconds to the repeater mechanism on the dial. At some point the pendulum transmitter was retired and replaced by a quartz control mechanism, which was in turn replaced by a the current unit which corrects after power failures and automatically instigates the seasonal hour changes."