Last Sunday I met my Friend in Japan, who is no longer in Japan and three of her friends. One a paramedic who I think now trains paramedics, and a female couple, one a retired cop and the other a retired army officer. We got to know the first two through Ray's work, and the couple through our Friend in Japan. All are wearers of sensible shoes.
They all have great senses of humour and we had a very nice lunch at Southbank. I left home at 11.40 to meet at 12.00 and I didn't get home until 3.00, so it must have been a good time.
I told Phyliss I was meeting friends 'under the clocks' before going somewhere for lunch. He asked where was that. I replied it was public transport related and he straight away he came back with the correct answer. He is just so smart.
So what does 'under the clocks' mean?
It means that you meet at the steps under the clocks at Melbourne Flinders Street Station. If your friend is late arriving, you might sit on the steps.
The clocks show the next departure time for most suburban train lines, as kind of an encouragement to dodge through moving traffic to catch your train. I've not looked closely at them for years but I do know they are now electronically connected to the train company's operation system. Into the 1980s they were manually adjusted by a person with a long stick. It was proposed to replace them with modern screens, but so great was the outcry, they were kept. I think very young people might struggle nowadays with clock faces, rather than digital.
Meeting under the clocks has become somewhat redundant in the age of instant personal communication, yet plenty still do, and then one yet to arrive person will call their friend to say, I am five minutes away, when they are at least fifteen minutes away. I hear it on trams all the time. I am five minutes away, when I know very well they ten minutes away.
Photo from Alamy.com There are three more clocks to the left of this photo.
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What a wonderful short hand description for an excellent meeting place. I am sure that you are right about younger people having trouble with analogue clocks and I am glad you had such a good time.
ReplyDeleteThanks EC. I know my oldest great niece can read an analogue clock if she studies it, by yes, it is a dying 'art'.
DeleteThat's a good meeting place.
ReplyDeleteJB, it is, and at major railway station and tram intersection, you can go anywhere.
DeleteP has mentioned that to me in the past. Obviously a good old Melbourne tradition.
ReplyDeleteJayCee, I am glad he can remember the place.
DeleteFor years it was my favourite place in the City to meet up. Apart from being a convenient location, the entrance to the station and the clocks also looked great.
ReplyDeleteHels, yes it is great history and continues to this day.
DeleteAndrew, I wasn’t aware the clocks were still in working order, thought they were redundant but retained for heritage purposes. From now on I will take notice when approaching rather than running inside looking for the digital version. Marie, Cheltenham
ReplyDeleteI haven't really checked the clocks Marie, but that is how I think they now work. They are a bit hard to read.
DeleteI love that you still have this meeting place. Iconic.
ReplyDeleteit is good Boud, and I guess I haven't been culled by your social media reduction. 😊
DeleteNoooo!!! Nevah!
DeleteA fun place to wait and people watch, too!
ReplyDeleteDeb, the people watching there is amazing.
DeleteAh, I'm so glad someone is still doing this and I just love the way you get on with Phyllis.
ReplyDeleteSydney's meeting place was the Town Hall Steps. I don't know if it's still used that way, going to town is too much for me
Kylie, the steps being near which station? Of course I can look it up.
DeleteTown hall station is underground, under the town hall
DeleteMy question was stupid Kylie. Town Hall Station was about the only time I've ever been concerned for my welfare because of overcrowding. Thankfully the new Metro has reduced crowd numbers there.
DeleteOh I remember the rush across the intersection to try to make the Sandringham line train after work in the 70s.
ReplyDeleteMerlot, I was just guessing about crossing Flinders Street against the lights, and I am sure it happened. See you next week?
DeleteLooking forward to it!
DeleteGrowing up in Philadelphia in the olden days when we went downtown for shopping, we would go to John Wanamaker department store. He was one of the first merchant princes who taught Harrod's how to do it. Anyway, he had a giant bronze eagle in the center of the Grand Hall of his masterpiece where the giant organ would give recitals every afternoon. In Philly we would say I'll meet you at the eagle. And of course the American football team of the city is also the eagles. Though I'm not sure there is a connection. I recently lost one half of a female married couple that are my friends. The deceased was a high-ranking Honolulu police officer lieutenant. Thanks so much for taking me to lunch and showing me the clocks. Aloha friend
ReplyDeleteAh, Cloudia is a Philly girl. What a great connection to the eagle and The Eagles. I'm sorry to learn that one of your friend's died.
DeleteI loved this post. You and Phyllis really have a good friendship. I love reading about your 'circle'.
ReplyDeleteDebby, we do have a good connection. I have to remind myself that he is young and doesn't know much about cleaning. Tissues are his go to.
DeleteLove "wearers of sensible shoes."
ReplyDeleteKylie beat me to it with the Town Hall steps in Sydney. You still see people meeting there.
Haven't we all when on public transport overheard such truth-stretching calls!
MC, I've heard amazing conversations on public transport, and also fake phone conversations to try to garner some support or money.
DeleteI remember where Under The Clocks meant, and I'm glad you had such a lovely time with your friends.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to see people from the past, River.
DeleteOMG I have repeated myself. Should I say the same thing again?
ReplyDeleteIs that you, MC?
DeleteYes it was. If I comment on Chrome it gives an my google id but not on edge. Sometimes I'm in Edge because some govt sites I need to use don't work on Chrome.
DeletePS: picture which I think you might like here: https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fadhh5600qmzd1.jpeg
DeleteHot afternoon after school riding a red rattler!
Very evocative, for me anyway.
And that was also me, on/in[?] Edge.
DeleteWe would now see such a train in restored condition, not a bit knocked around as they were. It's a great photo.
DeleteI didn't know what it meant but of course it makes perfectly good sense.
ReplyDeleteOf course Margaret. You may know Victoria well, but not the centre of Melbourne.
DeleteThe perfect place to meet up. As we have huge clocks at some of our stations, under the clock is a popular meeting place at Waterloo or Charing Cross.
ReplyDeleteAh, ok Fun60. I haven't been to Waterloo and I can't remember there being a clock at Charing Cross.
DeleteCaro mentioned crossing the intersection - what I remember when we first arrived (1972) and trips to the city were a novelty, was being so taken by the police’man’ on point duty in the middle of Flinders/Swanston/St Kilda Road blowing a whistle I forgot to move across the road to the station when our turn arrived. It was like being caught up in a tidal wave of people as I was pushed off the pavement.
ReplyDeleteIt still feels like something special standing there seeing those steps and the clocks above the entrance
Cathy, an experienced cop could really keep traffic moving and they were at many major city intersections. There must have been a big rush for trains at 6pm when Young and Jacksons closed. Yes, standing under the clocks is special and we don't always thing of such special parts of our city. Old black and white footage shows the huge crowds of pedestrians who crossed to and from the station before the City Loop opened. In the early 80s I remember seeing the first policewoman controlling city traffic and she was a big solid unit and to be feared. Do you remember the cop at Camberwell Junction controlling traffic?
DeleteI love clocks and anything associated with them. As a youngster I lived in Oxford. If we were meeting anyone in Town it was often under Carfax Tower.......well known for its striking clock.
ReplyDelete" They all wear sensible shoes " brilliant. They would be my kind of folk.
Alison in Wales x
Sensible shoes for women is a loaded phrase, Alison. So you met under the singular clock rather than plural clocks.
DeleteGuilty I am of the time twisting texts when on the late side.
ReplyDeleteJust stop it, Strayer.
DeleteThe clocks are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWe thinks so TP.
DeleteI thought the now long demolished Steamworks in La Trobe street was the house of Chopsticks and Walking sticks?
ReplyDeleteAnon, I think I heard the same about Caulfield Sauna in Elsternwick.
DeleteYo Brother Drew , Its Travis From Colorado
ReplyDeleteAs you know , most of my blogging disappears in this digital landscape. Unfortunately , I just discovered / update. My sincere condolences!! I had no idea and I wish I was a better friend. Sending positive vibes your way.
Also , dig the Flinders photo
Cheers
We meet at the clock in Union Station. My parents would meet under the clock At Clery's on O'Connell St. in Dublin!
ReplyDeleteJackie, it does seem to be a thing. The GPO clock in the city was another place to meet.
Delete