Clock celebrates man who devised eight-hour day
The clock depicting industrialist Robert Owen, looking over shoppers in Belper
- Published
A clock celebrating the life of social reformer Robert Owen has been installed in a Derbyshire town.
The clock is in place at the entrance of Co-op's store in Strutt Street, Belper.
The installation prompted criticism from people in the town, who questioned why public money was used.
But the Co-op said it was important to mark the life of a "visionary" man, who was credited with devising the modern eight-hour working day.
Mr Owen was an associate of the Strutt family, who were from Belper.
He had a textile mill in New Lanark in Scotland, but historians credit him with improving the welfare of workers and encouraging them to have a work-life balance.
He had a mantra of "eight hours' labour, eight hours' recreation, eight hours' rest" that forms the modern work pattern.
A portrait of Robert Owen at the unveiling of the new clock in Belper
The new clock was jointly funded by the Co-op and Belper Town Council, with the council contributing £8,000 towards it.
Use of public funds had drawn criticism from residents on social media.
Jason Thomas Brown wrote online: "If you paid me £8k I would've just stood outside the Co-op with a watch all day and told people the time."
Lorraine Froggatt commented: "What a waste of money, the state of the roads in Belper are a disgrace, who authorises such stupendous amounts on a clock?"
But town councillor Katie Harris defended the move.
She said: "I am happy and proud to support this. It is the sort of thing that will put Belper on the map."
Co-op community relations officer Tanya Noon
Senior Co-op staff gave speeches at an unveiling ceremony at the store.
Tanya Noon, a community relations officer at the Co-op, said: "I think we should never forget the forefathers of the Co-operative movement.
"Robert Owen is just one of those, but he inspired our Co-operative movement - that's why we wanted to celebrate him here in Belper because of the connection with the mills."
The clock is divided into three, eight-hour sections to show how Mr Owen thought the working day should be split.
On the hour, the clock face forms the image of Robert Owen.
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