Other

Time Flies clock tower and drinking fountain

Erection date: 1909

Inscription

{Inscribed around the central stone interior:}
This fountain was erected in 1909 to the memory of a beloved son and of one who loved little children.

{On each of the four faces of the clock tower:}
Time flies

This inscription fails to name the person(s) who erected this substantial memorial, nor does it name the dedicatees.

The British Newspapers Archive holds The Graphic, 25 December 1909 which has an image of the shelter and tells that the children's playground was laid out this year; that this shelter was erected this year; that the bird on the weather vane is a seagull; and that the architect was Alfred Young Nutt (1847 - 1924). But provides no information about who erected it nor who is commemorated.

This initiated months of research and discussion between us and our consultant, Andrew Behan. No definitive answers were forthcoming but we found names that we think are probably right.

To begin our detective work we examined the text closely. This fountain was erected in 1909 'to the memory of' two people: a 'beloved son' and 'one who loved little children'.  ‘To the memory of’ must surely mean that these two people had died by 1909. The son was surely the son of the person erecting the memorial. If he were a nephew, or anything else, other wording would have been used. And we would guess that he had died quite recently and was no more than a child or young man when he died. The ‘one who loved little children’ is a secondary dedicatee who probably died as an adult.

It was researching the nearby Elfin Oak that gave us the clues to conclude that:
Mrs Galpin was probably not the donor of the clock tower (whatever a document says).
Lady Emily Fortescue was the donor, together with her husband, Hugh, the 4th Earl.
Their son, Geoffrey who died in 1900, aged 9 was the 'beloved son'.
The Earl's father, who had 14 children and died 1905, was the 'one who loved little children'.

See our page for Lady Emily Fortescue for the evidence.

Site: Time Flies clock tower + Elfin Oak (2 memorials)

W8, Broad Walk, Kensington Gardens

The aviary-type structure to the left of our photo is the cage which protects the Elfin Oak. Coins lie on the ground inside the cage. The clock tower is topped with a weather vane including a bird with outstretched wings.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Time Flies clock tower and drinking fountain

Subjects commemorated i

Geoffrey Faithful Fortescue

Died aged 9. We believe this was the 'beloved son' of Lady Emily Fortescue, c...

Read More

Hugh Fortescue, 3rd Earl Fortescue

Peer and occasional Liberal Party politician. Known as Viscount Ebrington, 18...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Time Flies clock tower and drinking fountain

Created by i

Lady Emily Fortescue

With one clue from a Council document related to the impressive Time Flies cl...

Read More

Mrs Galpin

The Kensington Gardens Management Plan informs that the fountain was the gift...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Time Flies clock tower and drinking fountain

Also at this site i

Elfin Oak

Elfin Oak

For hundreds of years, no one knows for how many, this tree lived its life qu...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Eva Hart

Eva Hart

RM6, Chadwell Heath High Street, 1128, The Eva Hart Public House

Hart lived in nearby Japan Road for most of her adult life until her death. There is no specific memorial to her in the pub, but lots of ...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
wherrymen seat

wherrymen seat

SE1, Bankside, Riverside House

From the middle ages on, the south bank, lying outside the area regulated by the City, tended to be the place of recreation: theatres, br...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Malcolm Craddock

Malcolm Craddock

NW3, Elsworthy Road, St Mary's, Primrose Hill

Erected between 2015 and 2019.

1 subject commemorated
Virtues - Folly

Virtues - Folly

WC2, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery - Staircase Hall - North Vestibule

Wrapped in floating fabric the beautiful Maud Russell looks at us, unaware that over her shoulder the eyes of the jester jingle stick are...

1 subject commemorated
University Boat Race stone - finish

University Boat Race stone - finish

SW14, Thames Bank

Not a memorial at all but interesting nonetheless - this  'University Stone', together with the striped 'University Post' opposite, mark ...

1 subject commemorated

Previously viewed

Robert Maxwell

Robert Maxwell

Publisher, politician and swindler. Born Ján Ludvík Hyman Binyamin Hoch, in Slatinské Doly (now Solotyino, Ukraine). He came to Britain after WW2 where he built up the Pergamon Press, acquired the ...

Person, Journalism / Publishing, Politics & Administration, Czechoslovakia

1 memorial
Felix Slade

Felix Slade

Collector of glass, books and engravings funded from the wealth he inherited from his father. Member of the Society of Antiquaries, he endowed 3 Slade Professorships of Fine Art at universities, an...

Person, Art, Philanthropy, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
The Arts Club

The Arts Club

Private members club founded by, amongst others, Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, and Lord Leighton. "This Club is instituted for the purpose of facilitating the social intercourse of those conne...

Group, Art, Community / Clubs

2 memorials
Svitlana Tereschenko

Svitlana Tereschenko

E3, Bow Flyover Roundabout

Svitlana Tereschenko was killed when hit by a left-turning tipper lorry. Only a few weeks after this horrible death Brian Dorling died i...

2 subjects commemorated