A collection of historic clock tower artifacts that survived a devastating fire at Owen Sound’s old city hall more than 60 years ago is getting a new, permanent home. City council approved the donation of five bronze bells, four clock faces and the original clockworks to the Grey Roots Museum and Archives on July 27, 2026, ensuring the pieces will be preserved and displayed for residents and visitors.
The artifacts date back to 1921, when a new clock tower was built on the old city hall shortly after Owen Sound was incorporated as a city. For years, the bells chimed every half-hour and the clock faces with Roman numerals kept time for the community. But the clock stopped on February 24, 1961, when a fire ripped through the building, leaving behind a charred shell.
The clock tower stood through the blaze, and the bells and clockworks were salvaged in the aftermath. Since then, they have mostly been in storage, with one bell even being stolen and later recovered by the city in 1998. Now, the pieces are being formally transferred to Grey Roots, which already looks after more than 16,000 artifacts tied to Grey County’s history. Some of the clock items are already on display in the museum’s “Living Histories: Grey County” exhibit.
Mayor Ian Boddy says the donation is a chance to protect a key part of Owen Sound’s past. “This partnership helps protect an important piece of Owen Sound’s heritage and ensures these artifacts remain accessible for future generations,” Boddy said in a statement.
The bells themselves have a notable pedigree. They were made by Gillett and Johnston of Croydon, England, the same foundry that supplied bells for the Peace Tower Carillon in Ottawa in 1926. The donation grew out of a city program aimed at finding better long-term care for these artifacts. Full transfer to the museum is expected by the fall, where the historic pieces will be tucked into the broader story of the region.
