Nearly Home Time - Manchester Town Hall

What is it about clock towers that draws the eye? No matter how much detail exists in the rest of the tower, the clock lures you in. Manchester town hall clock is no exception. Here it reads five 4:45pm Just before home time.

Clocks like this were designed to be impressive, beautiful and a landmark. The fact it's the town hall, and not the City Hall, has always puzzled me, but I don't think the name should be changed even though, when it was built, Manchester was the city.

The colour is the next thing that captures my attention and one of the reasons I've exaggerated it in this and other paintings. Growing up, my impression of Manchester was a dark city with buildings blackened by soot. Details were masked, light absorbed and it felt like a black and white photograph. It's ironic that most images of the time are black and white. Watching the cleaning of the city, during my school years and beyond, has been a joyous experience, as familiar buildings were transformed and hitherto unseen details were revealed. The transformation as colour gradually filled the monochromatic city and brought a new light and atmosphere.

The town hall is a familiar landmark, and as with all such places, people use it to navigate as a place to meet, to guide journeys and that's before we begin to cover the function of the town hall in the life of the city.

The degree of detail is bordering on the excessive and a fine example of its time and there we are back to clocks and the marking of the ephemeral. For something we cannot control, time occupies much of our thoughts.

How long?

When will we mee?

Is it time yet?

Will I be able to get it in time?

Will I be able to do it in time? This is is taking ages! We could go on.

Time is important for coordination of transport, and people's working lives, and there is another rabbit hole I could traverse.

Back to the painting. It's arches and columns, not one, but sets of three or four. Trefoil windows with stained glass, water-spout Griffons and so many turrets, it could be a Fairy Castle. All in rich weathered stones, ranging from honey yellow, through rich reds and greens, to dark umber and black: a rainbow of colour. A jewel in a city with a proud history. Manchester Town Hall, a landmark on the journey home frozen in that moment just before work ends for the day.

It's Nearly Hometime!