Back in time: RGS clock springs back to life after decades of silence

Back in time: RGS clock springs back to life after decades of silence

AFTER decades of silence, the heartbeat of Ripon Grammar School is ticking once again.

The school’s iconic 1889 clocktower is back in working order after caretaker Matthew Buller spent around140 hours painstakingly restoring its historic mechanism - working through weekends and school holidays from November 2025 to August 2026.

The moment of truth came at around 6pm on August 19, when the clock officially sprang back into life.

“It was relief, excitement and overwhelming joy,” said Matthew. “I was ecstatic at the results. To look back from where the project started, to where it is now is very rewarding - but I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss my free time at the weekends.”

Sixth former William Renton was one of a number of students in the clocktower witnessing the historic moment: "It was amazing when the bells rang in front of me for the first time and I immediately knew that all of Matthew’s hard work had paid off! 

"The clocktower is such a central and integral part of the Ripon Grammar grounds and it chiming again (with the correct time!) really brings a great sense of community to the school. Congratulations once again to Matthew - it’s truly amazing what he's done."

Another student, Iona O'Hare, remarked: "The clocktower is iconic. Hearing it chime for the first time was incredibly moving and momentous.'

And one Ripon resident spoke for many when he contacted Matthew to thank him for the time and effort he had put into getting the clock working again: "On behalf of all the folk who drive past the school, thank you."

The remarkable resurrection of the clock attracted lots of attention beyond school, featuring in newspapers and other media. A TV production company has also been following Matthew's progress, visiting the school to record the restoration as it unfolded, with more details about the programme to be revealed at a later date.

Matthew, who joined RGS in October 2025, took on the restoration as a labour of love, determined to revive a remarkable piece of the school’s history.

And the scale of the job proved far greater than he initially imagined.

The clock mechanism and pulley system were dismantled down to individual components, with years of paint, rust, grime and tarnish painstakingly removed.

Every one of the clock’s thousands of gear teeth had to be cleaned, while brass components were submerged in ammonia before being brought back to a shine using fine steel wool.

“It’s immense the amount of time required when it comes to cleaning every single tooth on all the gears - thousands of them,” Matthew said.

“The gears are only about 30 per cent of the total work. I ambitiously thought it would take a couple of hours to clean everything up. I then booked off two weeks of holiday for the other six days it took.”

The restoration also involved scaffolding being erected to allow the bells to be removed safely, before their straps and hammers were restored and the bells reattached.

Once cleaned and repaired, the intricate mechanism was painstakingly reassembled and a new 5mm steel cable installed to safely carry the 368kg of weights that power the clock.

The work also uncovered evidence of repairs carried out during the clock’s long lifetime, including three replaced gear teeth and a specially made bracket where cast iron on one of the barrels had previously snapped.

The clock is now being carefully monitored as Matthew gets used to its workings. For the time being, he winds the weights every day, eventually moving to a six-day cycle.

Every six months, selected parts will need oiling, while the wire, bell straps, pulleys and hooks will be regularly checked for wear. The pendulum also has an adjustment underneath to regulate the clock’s accuracy.

For Matthew, the restoration has been a remarkable journey of discovery.

The clock, made by W Potts & Sons of Leeds, dates from 1889 and has a fascinating connection to the Houses of Parliament. Its working design was created by Sir Edmund Beckett, better known as Lord Grimthorpe, who also designed the machinery controlling Big Ben’s great bell and clock.

The RGS clock is believed to have last worked properly around 40 to 50 years ago.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb said: “Matthew has put in an enormous amount of his personal time and expertise into this project. His extraordinary dedication has brought more than an old clock back to life. He has restored a living piece of RGS history and, with the clock and bells now working again, reconnected generations of our school community with a landmark that has been part of Ripon’s story for almost 140 years.”

The restoration has also continued a remarkable tradition of community support. A public appeal launched to help fund the project raised more than £2,100, surpassing the original £1,500 target, with the remaining money to be spent on a weight chute and sand cushion alongside lighting and ongoing maintenance.

Now, after decades of silence, the clocktower has its voice back - and the familiar chimes can once again be heard above Clotherholme.

Back in time: RGS clock springs back to life after decades of silence
Back in time: RGS clock springs back to life after decades of silence
Back in time: RGS clock springs back to life after decades of silence
Back in time: RGS clock springs back to life after decades of silence
Back in time: RGS clock springs back to life after decades of silence