SAD LOVE QUOTES: At the third stroke, I will be 75: Britain's famous speaking clock celebrates landmark birthday

Thursday, July 21, 2011

At the third stroke, I will be 75: Britain's famous speaking clock celebrates landmark birthday

Iconic timepiece still receives 30million calls a year

Last updated at 10:16 AM on 21st July 2011

It is the British time-keeping institution so accurate even Big Ben sets its clock by it.

But this Sunday the 'speaking clock' will tick round to a major milestone of its own when it celebrates its 75th birthday.

Now widely considered a national institution and part of this country's heritage, the original speaking clock was introduced in 1936 for people who did not have a watch or clock to hand.

Start the clock: Ethel Cain became the first voice of the speaking clock in 1936

Old and the new: Sara Mendes da Costa (right) replaced Brian Cobby (left) as the voice of the speaking clock in 2007

Around 30 million calls are still made every year to the clock which is officially called Timeline.

Initially the accuracy of the clock was one-tenth of a second, but today it is accurate to within five thousandths of a second.

The 'voice' of the clock is almost as famous as the service itself, with only four permanent voices ever used.

Ethel Cain became the first voice of the speaking clock in 1936.

However, celebrity voices have been heard on occasion to help raise money for charity. In 2009 Gary Barlow, Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles, Kimberley Walsh and Fearne Cotton leant their voices to it in aid of Comic Relief.

Pat Simmons, who died in November 2005, was the voice of the speaking clock for 22 years until 1985

TICKING ALONG: CLOCK'S FOUR PERMANENT VOICES

Ethel Cain: 1936-1963

Pat Simmons: 1963-1985

Brian Cobby: 1985-2007

Sara Mendes da Costa: 2007-present

The fourth, and current, voice is Sara Mendes da Costa, who became the clock's voice in April 2007. Sara won a BT competition to find a new voice, which attracted almost 18,500 entrants.

David Hay, head of BT Heritage, said: 'Seventy-five years ago BT's technology created the speaking clock, which remains a much loved part of British life today.

'Celebrating its diamond jubilee demonstrates BT's determination to preserve the heritage of the world's oldest communications company.'

The clock was designed and built at the Post Office Engineering Research Station in north London.

Time announcements were automatically co-ordinated on the hour with Greenwich meantime signals.

In order to reach the service, subscribers would dial the first three letters of the word 'time', because telephone dials at the time included letters as well as numbers to aid automatic calls.

Dialling T. I. M. helped give the clock its common name, 'TIM'.

Celebrities Gary Barlow, Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles, Kimberley Walsh and Fearne Cotton leant their voices to the speaking clock for Comic Relief in 2009

Celebrities Chris Moyles (back row left), Gary Barlow (to his right), Kimberley Walsh (second left, front row), Fearne Cotton (to her right) and Cheryl Cole (to Fearne's right) leant their voices to the speaking clock for Comic Relief in 2009