Edinburgh Floral Clock

At the NE corner of West Princes Street Gardens

beside the Foot of the Mound

 

Year

Words on the Clock

and description of the clock

1902

Coronation of
King Edward VII[

A floral crown
No clock]

1903

Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1903 ©    Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1903 ©

[No words]

Edinburgh's first floral clock.

The clock had an 'hour hand' but no 'minute hand'

1904

Postcard byJ R Russell, Edinburgh - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1904 ©   Postcard by Nimmo - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1904 ©

Postcard by an unidentified publisher - The Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1904 ©   Postcard by an unidentified publisher - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1904 ©

[No words]

Minute hand added to clock

Spokes in centre
+12 triangles round the edge

1905

[No words]

This clock was the same as the 1904 clock, but with  flowers between the spokes

1906

Postcard by Marshall Wane & Co, Edinburgh - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1906 ©

[No words]

4 circles in the centre
+ 12 circles round edge

1907

[No words]

1908

[No words]

1909

[No words]

1910

Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - possibly 1910 ©

[No words]

Crescents in the centre and circles and 'X's round edge

1911

[No clock!]

Coronation of King George V Floral Crown

1912

[No words]

1913

Postcard by Mclagan and Cumming - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1916 ©   Pelham Postcard - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - Which year? ©

Postcard from an unidentified publisher - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - Which year? ©

[No words]

1914

[No words]

1915

[No words]

1916

[No words]

A spiral pattern

1917

[No words]

1918

©

[No words]

1919

[No words]

1920

[No words]

1921

[No words]

1922

[No words]

1923

   Postcard by WB - Floral Clock in Princes Street Garedens, 1923 ©

[No words]

1924

[No words]?

1925

[No words]?

1926

[No words]?

1927

Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1927 ©

"Tempus Fugit"

1928

Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1928 ©   Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1928 ©

JB White postcard of the the Floral Clock in West Princes Street Gardens - sepia ©   JB White postcard of the the Floral Clock in West Princes Street Gardens - colour ©

"Tempus Fugit"

1929

"Tempus Fugit"

1930

National Postcard - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1937 ©

"Tempus Fugit"

1931

 

1932

 

1933

 

1934

 

1935

King George V Silver Jubilee

First Commemorative Clock

1936

"1936"
"Tempus Fugit"

A square face

1937

Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1937 ©    Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1937 ©

Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth

"G & ER"

1938

Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1938 ©    Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1938 ©

[No words]

An octagonal clock

1939

A round clock (again)

1940

Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1940 ©    Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1940 ©

RAF 603

 City of Edinburgh Squadron

"Victory"    "Stand Firm" 

 "Gin Ye Daur"

1941

 

1942

A quote was in support of  Britain's efforts in WW II.

"Now's the Day and Now's the Hour"

Taken from a poem about Scotland defeating the English at Bannockburn in 1314.

"Fear Naught"     "V" sign

1943

Design included a  warship
and a profile of Churchill and cigar

1944

603 RAF Squadron badge at side of clock

City of Edinburgh Squadron?

1945

 

End of World War II

"Our Shining Hour 1945"

1946

"Watch the Peaceful Hours"

1947

Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1947 ©

"Elgar, Haydn, Tchaikovsky,
Handel, Bach, Schubert"

This design commemorated Edinburgh's 1st International Festival of Music and Drama

1948

Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1948 ©   Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1948 ©

"Brahms, Verdi, Greig, Liszt, Chopin"

This design commemorated Edinburgh's 2nd International Festival of Music and Drama

1949

"Scottish Industries Exhibition  1949"

"Brewing, Textiles, Mining, Distilling"

[above the clock]

1950

©

Centenary of the Birth
 of Stevenson

"Robert Louis Stevenson"

"1850-1950"

"Welcome to Edinburgh"

1951

©

"Festival of Britain 1951"

1952

Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1952 ©

"The City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh"

  "Tempus Fugit"

Edinburgh Coat of Arms
at side of clock.

Tommy Robetson, Backtracks Music, Edinburgh wrote:

 "My Dad carved the cuckoo for the Floral Clock in 1952."

1953

Valentine Postcard - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - 1953 ©

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation

"Elizabeth Regina - 1953"

Royal Coat of Arms
at side of clock.

1954

Valentine Postcard - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - 1954 ©

The Floral Clock

"My Golden Jubilee  1904-1954"

1904-1954

1955

Valentine Postcard - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - 1955 ©      ©

"Royal Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland"

Society's Coat of Arms
at side of clock.

1956

Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1956 ©

"The Faculty of Actuaries in Scotland"

1856-1956

1957

Valentine Postcard - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - 1957 ©

"Edinburgh Architectural Association"

1857-1957

1958

Alan Raeburn's Dad and sister Eileen at the Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, 1958 ©   Valentine Postcard - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - 1958 ©

Valentine Postcard - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - 1958 ©   Valentine Postcard - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - 1958 ©

"The Edinburgh Royal Choral Union"

Centenary - 1858-1958"

1959

I've seen a postcard of this clock:  no publisher's name on it.

Robert Burns

200th Anniversary of his birth

1960

Valentine Postcard - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - 1960 ©   Postcard by Valentine - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - 1960 ©

Institute of
Park Administration.

1961

Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, 1961 ©

Edinburgh Photographic Society

1861-1961

1962

Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, 1962 ©

Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants Heraldry Conference

1963

Princes Street Gardens - Floral Clock, 1963 ©

Royal National
Life-boat Institute

1964

   Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, 1964 ©

International Botanical Conference

1864-1964

1965

Salvation Army

1865-1965

1966

  ©

National Savings

1916-66

1967

The Canadian Federation

"1867-1967"

Giant Maple leaf in the design

1968

Edinburgh
The Floral City

"Nisi Dominus Frustra"

1969

General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

1970

IX Commonwealth Games

1971

"Sir Walter Scott

1771-1832"

Colourmaster postcards published a view of this clock.

1972

Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, 1972 ©

Air Sea Rescue

HM Coastguard

1822-1972

1973

National Tree Planting Year

"Plant a Tree in 73"

1974

  ©

"Edinburgh Fire Brigade"

"150th Anniversary"

1975

European Architectural Heritage Year

1976

Centenary of West Princes Street Gardens being opened to the public.

1977

Royal Silver Jubilee

1952-77

 "Elizabeth Regina"

1978

Robert Adam

1728-1978

Architect and Designer

1979

Bruce Charter

650th Anniversary of granting the Charter to Edinburgh by King Robert the Bruce,

1329-1979

1980

Edinburgh International Festival

34th Festival

1981

Royal College of Physicians

1681-1981

1982

St Andrews' Ambulance Association

 1882-1982

1983

Edinburgh University

1583-1983

1984

Royal Highland & Agricultural Association

1784-1984

1985

Girl Guides

1911-1985

1986

XIII
Commonwealth Games

1987

Church of Scotland Women's Guild

1887-1987

1988

Women's Royal Voluntary Service

 1938-1988

1989

King's Own Scottish Borders

1689-1989

1990

Scottish Amateur Gymnastics Association

1890-1990

1991

The National Trust for Scotland

1931-1991

1992

'The Scotsman' 

1817-1992

1993

Edinburgh Royal Blind Asylum and School

1793-1993

1994

Robert Louis Stevenson

1894-1894

Centenary of Death

1995

Bank of Scotland

1695-1995

1996

Robert Burns

1759-1796

Bicentenary of Death

1997

Scottish Trades Union Congress

1897-1997

1998

Women's Royal Voluntary Service

 1938-1998

1999

Floral Clock, Princes Street Gardens, 1999 ©

Royal National
 Lifeboat Institution

1824 -1999

"RNLI"

2000

Millennium

City of Edinburgh Council (?)

2001

Donaldson's College

1851-2001

2002

"Elizabeth Regina"

1952-2002

2003

Princes Street Gardens - Floral Clock, 2005 ©

City of Edinburgh
Floral Clock

1903 - 2003

2004

Enable Scotland

 1954-2004

"Leading the Way in Learning Disability"

2005

   Princes Street Gardens - Floral Clock, 2007 ©

"Hans
Christian Anderson"

"Two Hundred Years"

Bicentenary of his Birth

2006

Duke of Edinburgh Award

1956-2006

2007

Princes Street Gardens - Floral Clock, 2007 ©

"Centenary of Scouting"

"1907 - 2007"

2008

Princes Street Gardens - Floral Clock, 2008 - Clock being planted ©   Princes Street Gardens - Floral Clock, 2008 - Clock being planted ©

"Territorial Army"

"1908 - 2008"

"Reserve with Pride"

"TA 100"

2009

Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - July 2009 - Clock almost fully planted ©   Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens - July 2009 - Clock almost fully planted ©

"Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society"

"Bicentenary"

"1809 - 2009"

2010

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2010 ©

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2010 - zoom-in ©   Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2010 ©

"Girl Guiding"

"1910-2010"

"A Hundred Years of
Girl Guiding"

2011

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2011 ©   Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2011 ©

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2011 ©   Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2011 ©

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2011 ©   Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2011 ©

"RNID"

"1911-2011"

"The Charity Taking Action on Hearing Loss"

NOTE:  The new name for 'RNID' is 'Action on Hearing Loss'.

2012

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2012 ©   Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2012 ©

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2012 ©   Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2012 ©

 Olympic Games, London

"2012"

2013

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2013 ©

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2013 ©   Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2013 ©

 Edinburgh Zoo

1913 - 2013

2014

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2014 ©   Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2014 ©

 Ten Years as a
Fairtrade City

2004-2014

"Edinburgh"

2015

  

2016

Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2014 ©            Princes Street Gardens, Floral Clock, 2014 ©

 Ten Years as a
Fairtrade City

2004-2014

"Edinburgh"

 

Year
Not Known

Perhaps somebody can tell me

Comments

Which Year?

Postcard by Valentine - Princes Street and the Floral Clock in West Princes Street Gardens - Which year? ©

Possibly 1920s

There are no words on this floral clock display.

This clock seems to match the description of the clock with '12 large flowers around the edge' on this 1928 page.

Which Year?

Miller and Laing - Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - Which year? ©

Again, there are no words on this display, so presumably some time before 1927.

It may be one of the floral clocks from the 1920s.  The large plants around the clock look similar to those around other clocks in the late 1920s.

 

 

Acknowledgements

Thank you to all who have provided postcards of the floral clock, and have helped me to compile this list, including:

-   Hugh Rock, Twyford, Bedfordshire, England.

- members of Lothian Postcard Club, particularly Donald E Beets, Letchworth, Hertfordshire who provided extensive notes on the clock and its history.

 

 

Floral Clock

Background Notes

Floral Clock

Recollections

Floral Clock

Winter

Floral Clock

Each Year

 

 

 

__________________