The maker of Gastown鈥檚 famous steam clock says some of the best years of his life were in Surrey.
鈥淚 lived in Guildford in the mid-1960s,鈥� Raymond Saunders recalled in a phone call. 鈥淚 was working at the Woodward鈥檚 store, where I was in charge of the watch and clock department for a few years before I moved.鈥�
Little more than a decade later, in 1977, Saunders was commissioned to make the steam clock that would make him famous.
The 46-year-old clock still attracts curious tourists to the corner of Water and Cambie streets, where it stands over a grate that鈥檚 part of Vancouver鈥檚 distributed steam-heating system.
On Saturday (April 22), Saunders travelled back to Surrey to see 鈥淛ust Time,鈥� an art show focused on time and clocks at Newton Cultural Centre. Some of the art was created by Delta-based Theresa Moleski , who incorporated some clock parts from Saunders鈥� collection.
鈥淚 bought the two that I like the most, hand-painted art, oil on canvas, and I collect those as a hobby,鈥� explained Saunders, who lives and still works as a horologist in Richmond, with his Landmark Clocks International.
鈥淢y office has lots of steam-clock pictures on the walls,鈥� he added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very gratifying how popular it鈥檚 become in the city, where it鈥檚 a must-see attraction for tourists, I guess. And I have two of them in Japan, too 鈥� the same model and patterns, and they鈥檙e more popular than the Gastown one. Sometimes there鈥檚 a thousand people standing around , and they all clap when it goes off.鈥�
Four years ago, tens of thousands of dollars were raised for Saunders when he fell off a ladder while working on a clock in Trenant Park Square in Ladner. He landed in hospital with serious injuries, including a broken pelvis, ribs and some vertebrae.
鈥淩ay has never received royalties from any of the millions of photos, album covers, T-shirts and other things displaying the images of his most famous clock (in Gastown),鈥� said .
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
I first interviewed Saunders for a story in the WestEnder newspaper in February 1990, when the Gastown clock was just 12 years old.
At the time, Saunders talked about the creation of the $64,000 clock and how it was designed to harness steam. It was a wet September during the installation, and a hut was built to shelter Saunders and crew, but the steam on the plastic ceiling condensed.
鈥淚t just poured on us,鈥� Saunders said in 1990. 鈥淚t was raining outside and inside. We had boxes of nuts and bolts that were filled with water.鈥�
While in Surrey last week, Saunders donated four books about the steam clock to the gallery, which will benefit from sale proceeds.
鈥淚鈥檓 83,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd I鈥檓 trying to retire, but it鈥檚 not easy to retire when you have a long history of doing work for people. I do a lot of work for people who have nice-sized collections of clocks, including some real unusual ones.鈥�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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