If it is five o’clock, the hammer strikes it five times. Big Ben is the biggest bell, and every hour a hammer strikes the time on it. The clock first chimed its famous chimes on 31 st May, 1859. You can see the clock in the top picture, and the bell in the bottom picture.
We also say Big Ben when we refer to the whole clock tower as well.
A plaque on the clock clearly states it's called "Little Ben." Step away from the timepiece, pedants.Big Ben is actually the name of the enormous bell inside the clock of the Houses of Parliament. Still, unlike its big brother, it can at least wear its cheeky moniker with complete confidence. Little Ben was removed again in 2011, for extensive works to Victoria station, and has only been back in its spot since early 2016. As its own plaque says, it was taken down in 1964, then reappeared in 1981, with help from oil company Elf Aquitaine (its new purpose, now apparently "a gesture of Franco-British friendship"). One handy thing about Little Ben is that it's transportable. And we do like these foreboding scythe-wielding angels: The details and colours on Little Ben are somewhat different to Big Ben's, but it is apparently a scale likeness. Surprisingly, and happily, its makers Gillett & Johnston are still building clocks -now based just outside Croydon, in Bletchingly. Big from the right angles.Ĭlerkenwell is generally considered the former clock capital of London, but this miniature icon was built in Croydon. Its proximity to Victoria station mean it was probably there to help out non watch-carrying commuters (daylight saving was still a way off in the late 19th century).īut if its specific purpose was to commemorate Big Ben's completion, Little Ben was 33 years late. What's the point of the pint-sized imitator? Commemorative clocks of this kind were popular around the time this was made, in 1892. When the clocks go back every October, it stays jammed on the 'wrong' time for another five months.
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