Leeds Civic Hall clock: Fascinating story unearthed on how turtles became featured on a local landmark
The owl may be the more readily noticeable animal to be featured on Leeds council buildings but it’s not the only one to have its place.
The clocks mounted on brackets at the side of Leeds Civic Hall are one of the building’s most eye-catching features.
They were originally designed by noted Leeds clockmaker Potts and Sons, who were established in Pudsey in 1833 by William Potts.
As the company grew, they supplied 1,568 clocks for locations including at Leeds Town Hall and Leeds Corn Exchange.
Potts clocks could also be found at Lerwick Town Hall in the Shetland Islands, the Roman Catholic Church Hall in Melbourne, Australia and the post office in Port Lyttleton, New Zealand.
Eagle-eyed residents might have noticed the tiny tortoises which also adorn Leeds Civic Hall’s clocks.
These were not believed to have been part of the original brief for the clock’s design, and were added later by the craftsmen.
The reason given was supposedly that any civic, south facing clocks should include a turtle reference, however small, a tradition linking back to ancient Greece where turtles were used to symbolise time.
However, rumour also has it that Tortoise was the nickname of their apprentice, who reputedly worked slowly and had a short neck.
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “Whilst we’ll probably never know for sure the real reason for the tortoises on the Leeds Civic Hall clocks, they’re certainly a noteworthy and unique feature of what is a beautiful and historic piece of Leeds architecture.
“Leeds is full of incredible buildings with their own unique character and story and there’s always something new to be discovered on any visit to the city.”
Built in 1933, Leeds Civic Hall is Grade II listed. As well as the clocks, the building features a pair of gilded owls seated on top of a pillar on either side of the building’s frontage.
Each owl stands seven feet, six inches tall and weighs half a ton.