Pat Simmons
Encyclopedia
Pat Simmons was the voice of the United Kingdom's Speaking Clock
from 1963 until 1985.
A supervisor at a London telephone exchange, in 1963 Simmons won a £500 competition to replace Jane Cain
, whose voice had been used since the service began in 1936. On 2 April 1985, Pat Simmons' last words on the clock were: "At the third stroke it will be 10:59 and 50 seconds", followed by the voice of Brian Cobby
who succeeded her in the job.
In 2000, a project called TIM 2000 was run by the Telecommunications Heritage Group to recreate the Pat Simmons speaking clock. Around 75 electronic speaking clocks with the Pat Simmons voice were sold.
The Speaking Clock machine that was used by Pat Simmons was displayed on an edition of the BBC
television programme, Antiques Roadshow
, originally broadcast on 19 October 2008. It had been on display as a working machine at the museum of the British Horological Institute
. About forty-four minutes into the programme, Alan Midleton, who had made past appearances as a watch and clock expert on the show in previous episodes but was appearing as a curator of the museum, claimed that the electric motor of the machine, which had been running at the institute, broke down on the same day that Pat Simmons died.
Speaking clock
A speaking clock service is a recorded or simulated human voice service, usually accessed by telephone, that gives the correct time. The first telephone speaking clock service was introduced in France, in association with the Paris Observatory on 14 February 1933.The format of the service is...
from 1963 until 1985.
A supervisor at a London telephone exchange, in 1963 Simmons won a £500 competition to replace Jane Cain
Jane Cain
Ethel Jane Cain was a British telephonist and the original voice of the speaking clock in the United Kingdom. She was appointed in 1936 following a "search for the girl with the golden voice". Her voice was used from 1936 until 1963, when it was replaced by Pat Simmons...
, whose voice had been used since the service began in 1936. On 2 April 1985, Pat Simmons' last words on the clock were: "At the third stroke it will be 10:59 and 50 seconds", followed by the voice of Brian Cobby
Brian Cobby
Brian Cobby , is a British actor and telephone exchange worker who in 1985 became the first male voice of the British speaking clock.In 2004, Cobby guest-starred in the Doctor Who audio drama The Creed of the Kromon....
who succeeded her in the job.
In 2000, a project called TIM 2000 was run by the Telecommunications Heritage Group to recreate the Pat Simmons speaking clock. Around 75 electronic speaking clocks with the Pat Simmons voice were sold.
The Speaking Clock machine that was used by Pat Simmons was displayed on an edition of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television programme, Antiques Roadshow
Antiques Roadshow
Antiques Roadshow is a British television show in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom to appraise antiques brought in by local people. It has been running since 1979...
, originally broadcast on 19 October 2008. It had been on display as a working machine at the museum of the British Horological Institute
British Horological Institute
The British Horological Institute is the representative body of the horological industry in the United Kingdom.-History:...
. About forty-four minutes into the programme, Alan Midleton, who had made past appearances as a watch and clock expert on the show in previous episodes but was appearing as a curator of the museum, claimed that the electric motor of the machine, which had been running at the institute, broke down on the same day that Pat Simmons died.
See also
- Speaking clockSpeaking clockA speaking clock service is a recorded or simulated human voice service, usually accessed by telephone, that gives the correct time. The first telephone speaking clock service was introduced in France, in association with the Paris Observatory on 14 February 1933.The format of the service is...
- Ethel Jane CainJane CainEthel Jane Cain was a British telephonist and the original voice of the speaking clock in the United Kingdom. She was appointed in 1936 following a "search for the girl with the golden voice". Her voice was used from 1936 until 1963, when it was replaced by Pat Simmons...
, first permanent voice - Brian CobbyBrian CobbyBrian Cobby , is a British actor and telephone exchange worker who in 1985 became the first male voice of the British speaking clock.In 2004, Cobby guest-starred in the Doctor Who audio drama The Creed of the Kromon....
, third permanent voice - Lenny HenryLenny HenryLenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
, comedian, temporary voice - Alicia Roland, 12-year-old schoolgirl, temporary voice
- Sara Mendes da CostaSara Mendes da CostaSara Mendes da Costa, born c. 1966, from Brighton & Hove became the fourth permanent holder of the iconic role of the voice of the UK Speaking Clock, first established in 1936, at 08:00 BST on 2 April 2007....
, fourth permanent voice
External links
- http://www.thg.org.uk Telecommunications Heritage Group