[BITList] French trying to wrest GMT away from the Brits?

[HUGH]

Ted,

It's nice to see you in print.  I don't know about Canada and GMT, but I'm sure the impetus for the unification of UK "time zones" was the creation of the early railway network from the late 1830s onwards.  All of a sudden large numbers of people who had set their watches in Birmingham found themselves ten minutes out when they got off at somewhere else with a different clock.  And the timetables had to work, which was another factor.  But I think it was the telegraph that was run alongside the lines that had the biggest influence, insofar as it was unacceptable for messages to be received apparently before they were sent out. Standard clocks and watches were made.  I spent a time at Yarrows in Scotstoun, and it was the custom to "clock in" by signing a book in a small room with no clock in it.  Also, the time had to be entered, and many and varied were the times - Mr A, last in, could be 10 minutes before Mr B, first in. Eventually they realised they had to (a) install a clock, or (b) scrap the procedure.  They chose (b).

Greenock had a number of astronomer/maths teachers in the 1800s, and one of them William (I think) Heron had a house on a hill not far from the river (it's still there). Heron had a falling ball arrangement set up where it could be seen from the harbours, and every day, at noon by his calculations and observations, the ball dropped and the ships' clocks could be set if desired.  In BI I remember holding the hands of the ER clock for the noon setting.

Scotch has been replaced by Scots.  The worst one can say of Scotch in that context is that it is old-fashioned - it doesn't worry me.

Regards,

Hugh.

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