Clock malfunction: principal spring failure in the Fleet Time mantel clock
In the heart of Montreal, between 1936 and an unspecified year, the Fleet Time Company operated, producing nondescript mantel clocks that have since become a subject of intrigue for horological enthusiasts. The company, which was listed as an importer of clocks and watches, produced two and three-train mantel clocks with German movements, and their clocks can still be found in collections today.
One such collector, in their pursuit of knowledge, is seeking information to aid in their search for a donor movement for their Fleet Time Co. clock. The author's clock, with its tinted lacquer finish that does not survive well over time, has shown signs of wear and tear. However, what sets this clock apart is the location of the star striking wheel on the movement's outside of the rear plate - a somewhat unusual placement.
The Fleet Time Co. clocks, all of which were spring-driven and featured pendulums, were not sourced from France during the war years and thereafter. While the reasons for this are not explicitly stated in available records, it is plausible to infer that the disruptions caused by World War II played a significant role. With France being occupied by Germany from 1940 to 1944, severely limiting French exports and trade, it was likely challenging for the Fleet Time Co. to source movements from France.
Moreover, the Allied countries, including Canada, often avoided sourcing from Axis-occupied or Axis-aligned countries due to political and logistical barriers. The supply lines from France to Canada would have been unreliable or impossible during the war. As a result, it is likely that Canada sourced from neutral or allied countries, or even from domestic production, to ensure supply stability.
The Fleet Time Co. was not immune to the war's impact. The drying up of movement sources negatively affected the company, contributing to its short lifespan. Interestingly, both clock movements and complete clocks were imported from Germany and sold through department stores by the Blackforest Clock Company of Toronto, Ontario.
The Blackforest Clock Company, founded by Leopold and Sara Stossel in 1928, was not related to the Black Forest region of Germany but was instead a Canadian company. Forestville clocks, produced by the Blackforest Clock Company, were assembled in Canada with foreign movements in local and foreign-made cases.
In the author's collection, they have two Fleet Time Co. clocks. One of these clocks has an unknown German movement, while the other has a German Gufa movement. The barrel and second wheel on the time side of the author's Fleet Time Co. clock were damaged during servicing, but the clock still strikes on 3-rods, producing a distinctive bim-bam sound.
The author's Fleet Time Co. clocks have undergone some changes - the case of one clock has been reconditioned, with the addition of a dial and bezel from an old Blackforest Clock Co. clock. Further research in company archives or specialized horological history sources would be required for a definitive explanation of the Fleet Time Co.'s decision to avoid sourcing from France during the war years and thereafter.
As the author continues their quest to understand the Fleet Time Co. and its clocks, they join a community of horologists who share a fascination for these intriguing timekeepers from Montreal's past.
The horologist's pursuit of knowledge includes researching vintage clock movements, like the one in their Fleet Time Co. clock, as they seek a donor movement due to damage incurred during servicing. Intriguingly, the Fleet Time Co., amidst challenges during the war years, may have resorted to importing clock movements from Germany, possibly from Gufa or unidentified sources, as an alternative to French movements that were scarce due to World War II disruptions.
