Rowland Emett's "Heath Robinson Clock" - Merrion Centre

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chris.bishop55
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Post by chris.bishop55 »

Just came across this site googling to see what happened to Roland Emmet's machines. Many years ago I was Arnold Ziff's secretary (Chairman of Town Centre Securities who built and own the Merrion Centre) and he owned several of Roland's 'contraptions' and they were kept in a room below the centre. He allowed Roland and his wife to 'borrow' them to go on tour to Japan - I guess it would be sometime in the 1970's and they were accompanied by Arnold's chauffeur, Dennis. Sadly both Roland and Arnold have passed away and I wonder who actually 'owns' them now? I should think they are still in the Ziff family. I agree it is a pity there are not more of them on display for everyone to enjoy. I occasionally took visitors to see the ones in store - I seem to recall one with a rocking chair and a sweeping brush! I wish I could remember the titles of them all as they all had a purpose! It was all very bizarre.

simong
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Post by simong »

ArmleyLass47 wrote: Strange that they should have a Rowland Emmett clock in the Merrion Centre, in the city of my birth, but they also have one in Nottingham where I live. It was great to watch the music, the twirling ornaments go round and round. Sorry for the one of us who doesnt like that kind of thing. Ours in Nottingham is now broken and although it sounds the hour with a bell it no longer twirls. I often wonder is it because poor Emmett is dead and no one knows how to make it work again or is it lack of money from the Council???     I've just found a thread on what would appear to be the Nottingham equivalent of SL that suggests that some restoration work has been going on: http://nottstalgia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8868. In short the clock was moved in the 90s and not rewired correctly. In short, it was electrically powered and the music was on tape and time has caused bits of both to fail, but it would appear that that the site engineer has done what he can to bring the machine back to life. I can remember seeing the clock for the first time not long after it opened in 1973 and being utterly spellbound.    

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Leodian
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Post by Leodian »

The 'Memory Lane' feature on page 13 of today's YEP is a black & white photo captioned 'Memory Lane: That Magnificent Man with his Flying Machine. Leeds, November 18, 1977: Inventor and artist Rowland Emett with his "Featherstone Kite Open work Basketweave Mk. Gentleman's Flying Machine" which was unveiled today in the Merrion Centre, Leeds.'It's a fascinating photo of the very complicated looking but great contraption.
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Caron
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Post by Caron »

Soz. Don't know how to Link but brought this Thread up for the Poster asking about the clock.

winiwoohoo
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Post by winiwoohoo »

I remember spending time watching the Emmett contraption in the Merrion Centre. For some reason, as a kids I insisted on calling it the Weatherby Kite! Anyway, I found this link to the Saatchi Gallery in London...and it might explain where the clock has disappeared to. Link: http://www.saatchigallery.com/museums/f ... id/1372I'm really sad the 'Featherstone-Kite' has been moved, lent or possibly sold off, without folks in Leeds being told or consulted. This seems to happen far too often! I'd have really like to shown my kids what used to enjoy.
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uncle mick
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Post by uncle mick »

winiwoohoo wrote: I remember spending time watching the Emmett contraption in the Merrion Centre. For some reason, as a kids I insisted on calling it the Weatherby Kite! Anyway, I found this link to the Saatchi Gallery in London...and it might explain where the clock has disappeared to. Link: http://www.saatchigallery.com/museums/f ... id/1372I'm really sad the 'Featherstone-Kite' has been moved, lent or possibly sold off, without folks in Leeds being told or consulted. This seems to happen far too often! I'd have really like to shown my kids what used to enjoy. Looking at the link you posted winiwoohoo the kite appears to be here or has been therehttp://www.midamericamuseum.org/I believe there were two of these kites & I don't think it will be our kite EDIT He turned more and more to designing and supervising the building of what he called his "things" – always with silly names such as The Featherstone-Kite Openwork Basketweave Mark Two Gentleman’s Flying Machine, two copies of which exist, one of which used to be displayed in a glass case in the Merrion Centre, Leeds, the other on permanent display at the Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs, Arkansashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowland_Emett    

tiddler
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Post by tiddler »

Some of Roland Emmets works were featured on the One Show 23rd April 2014. It showed the flying machine that was previously in the Merrion Centre and mentioned that it had been rescued from the Merrion Centre along with some others.

Phill_dvsn
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Post by Phill_dvsn »

tiddler wrote: Some of Roland Emmets works were featured on the One Show 23rd April 2014. It showed the flying machine that was previously in the Merrion Centre and mentioned that it had been rescued from the Merrion Centre along with some others. It's on the One Show I player here for a few days.It features around 56 mins into the program http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... 3_04_2014/
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ArmleyLass47
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Post by ArmleyLass47 »

To update my Story of the Emmett clock in Nottingham Victoria Centre. After I had mentionedthat it didn't work, someone did try and mend it so it still chimes and they have got afew of the parts to twirl etc. I too saw the One Show last night and was very pleased that they have managed to digthem out of the cellars of the Merrion Centre and put them on view again.It didn't mention whether they were going to put them back where people could see themall the time, which is a shame. Why should they be locked away when they are sowonderful for both children and adults to look at???
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Leodian
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Post by Leodian »

On page 23 of the Yorkshire Evening Post (YEP) today (April 30 2014) it reports that several of Rowland Emett's mechanical machines are to go on display at the Merrion Centre "from October 3 until the middle of November". This is a link to the online version of the YEP report:- http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... -1-6586667
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