I Just Take Pictures

The Aqua Horological Tintinnabulator, was installed in the Victoria Centre in Nottingham in 1973. This water powered musical clock was designed by Frederick Roland Emett who also designed the machines for the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. When originally commissioned by Capital and Counties Property Company Ltd, this clock played Rameau's Gigue en rondeau II from the E-minor suite of his Pièces de Clavecin when striking the hour. The clock parts were made by Thwaites & Reed.

It is 23ft high and has become an icon of Nottingham.



Between its installation in 1973 and 2010, around £250,000 in coins had been thrown into the fountain.

It comprises a silver-white clock. The moving sculpture underneath consists of copper flowers whose petals open on striking. It contains a variety of animals playing musical instruments, that turn when the clock strikes, plus highly jewelled flowers and floral leaf stems. Three arms extend out, one flying fish, one squirrel and pram and a peacock rowing, as well as birds. The clock strikes every quarter hour



Due to the current refurbishment of Victoria Centre, the clock is on loan in Birmingham.

Other work by Emett can be seen in the Ontario Science Museum