It’s a replica of an old Smith’s wall clock. When I saw the Smith’s of London logo, I was hit by a Proustian rush of nostalgia. Smith’s Industries had a huge factory in Cricklewood which, when I was a child, employed about 8,000 people including several members of my family. That logo adorned the railway bridge by the factory and I hadn’t seen it for about 30 years until yesterday. For six full minutes (I know this, I was holding a great big clock), I glazed over and remembered a London full of factories. I suppose I should play a Smiths track but no. Far better to get another Smith to evoke the old clock factory’s golden era when a lot of the workers looked exactly like this.
My wife bought a clock and I went all funny.

- There are ver...27th Oct 2013
- I know this m...26th Oct 2013
- My career as ...25th Oct 2013
- Finally finis...24th Oct 2013
- Who'd have th...23rd Oct 2013
- You may not h...22nd Oct 2013
- Feck....shoot...21st Oct 2013
- Everyone has ...20th Oct 2013
- Ladies and ge...19th Oct 2013
- My mate Brian...18th Oct 2013
- I was told it...17th Oct 2013
- All hail Mr. ...16th Oct 2013
- Should there ...15th Oct 2013
- In praise of ...14th Oct 2013
- Why are rock ...13th Oct 2013 prev next