Andy Synnott and his old factory clock

1991

AN old time clock from the now closed Drogheda shoe manufacturer’s Woodingtons has been restored and brought back to working order by Donore man Andy Synnott.

Many Droghcda people who worked in the factory will remember clocking in for the day using the same piece of equipment.

In fact Andy’s daughters, Mary Reilly and Ann Ebbs, worked in the firm and remember seeing the workers clocking in and out on it.

Mr Synnott, who is over 80, has been buying old clocks and restoring them for as long as Mary can remember.

He usually buys clocks that arc in a very bad condtion and then restores them fully and sells them to collectors. “You could call me a sort of clockaholic!” he says.

But late last year when he found the Woodinglon’s clock in an antique shop in Drogheda he could not believe his luck. The clock set him a real challenge and he got to work straight away on it.

“He even replaced the tiny pieces of ivory which made up the numbers and were missing,” says daughter Mary. Now the clock is in full working order and he is very proud of it.

Woodingtons manufactured fashion shoes and was set up in 1936 on the Marsh Road. Unfortunately it closed down in the early eighties and the time clock ended up in one of the antique shops in Drogheda.

Mr Synnott worked for CIE as a shunter and retired at the age of 65. Daughter Mary says his retirement gave him a great opportunity fo pursue his interest in restoring clocks.

He does not keep many of the clocks after they have been restored as he feels they would be better kept in the hands of collectors who have a real interest in them.