Headwaters Health Care Centre and Shelburne Auxiliary have donated the hospital’s historical grandfather clock built by local clockmaker Alfred Sidney Smith to Dufferin County Museum & Archives.

“His timepieces are a treasure and we want to share that history with everyone by donating the clock from Headwaters Shelburne site. It’s important to maintain that piece of history,” said Cholly Boland, Headwaters President and CEO.

Alfred Sidney Smith was born in 1867 near Harrow in Essex County, the son of United Empire Loyalist pioneers. As a young man he apprenticed in a flour mill, later buying Sheldon Mill in Mono, which he operated for nearly 24 years. He sold the mill and retired to Tottenham in 1919 to care for his apiary. In addition to his bee keeping hobby he began making grandfather clocks. In the late 1920’s he moved to Alliston.

Using traditional methods and materials Smith methodically handcrafted his grandfather clocks out of solid oak and maple sourced from Kingsville, and used movement and chimes from Switzerland.

Today, admiration for Mr. Smith’s clocks continues to grow.

“As a museum piece more people will be able to appreciate the clock,” said Wayne Townsend, Curator and Director at Dufferin County Museum & Archives.

Many of Mr. Smith’s handcrafted grandfather clocks were donated to local area hospitals from the late 1920s to the late 1940s, including Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston (1928), Headwaters Health Care Centre, then Lord Dufferin Hospital, (1937), Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie (1938), The Burks Falls and District Health Centre Site (1949), part of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare and Shelburne District Hospital (bequeathed by the Smith estate in 1972).

Mr. Smith also donated his grandfather clocks to North Bay and District Hospital, Parry Sound District General Hospital, Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital and Huntsville District Memorial Hospital.

Grandfather clocks from the 1920 – 1940 eras require someone who understands clocks to take care of them and wind them.

“The clock is wound by pulling a chain that moves a drive weight. If the clock isn’t wound properly it will stop keeping time correctly. It needs someone who knows how to make adjustments properly,” said Mr. Townsend.

Local descendants of clockmaker Smith attended the donation. The museum’s horological exhibit will display the Headwaters Shelburne grandfather clock along with a history of Mr. Smith. The museum will employ traditional methods to maintain the clock, adhering to the unique nature of the craft.