Inspiration behind ‘The Magic of Grandfather Time’ Part 1

During a recent blog interview I was asked about what inspires me to write, and I gave the example of ‘The Magic of Grandfather Time’ which came about after I won 1st prize in a seasonal short story competition with my entry ‘The Magic of Grandfather Christmas’.

Original Inspiration

I was originally inspired to write this story when I became interested in how the ‘Grandfather Clock’ got its name.

In my local library I found a wonderful book and the quote that stands out for me is this:

‘A grandfather clock has a face and a voice. As its name suggests, it is more than a piece of furniture; it is a member of the family’
Richard C.R. Barder 1983

(The book was ‘English Country Grandfather Clocks’)

After a great deal more research both through books and websites I discovered a fascinating song. ‘Grandfather’s Clock’ written by Henry Clay Work, an American who had heard an intriguing story in 1874 whilst visiting ‘The George Hotel’ in Piercebridge, North Yorkshire, England. To read this story click the image below :-

My favourite version of the song is by Tom Roush

Well I don’t know if you are aware, but I am a Read-a-holic so one tiny little bit of information lead to a whole lot more. The Victorian Era is one of my favourites, so for the rest of the story I dipped in and out of the library and tangled myself further in the web.

Now I do not wish to bore you all in one go, so I have decided to share where I took my inspiration from, for ‘The Magic of Grandfather Time’ over several parts.

I hope you enjoyed this little post. I would love to hear your comments and if you enjoyed it come back soon for Part 2.

Happy Reading