Clock with history in law now in Anderson House
A grandfather clock is an upright thing, but the one now to be seen in Invercargill’s newly reopened Anderson House has a past that includes just a smattering of naughtiness.
The Invercargill Licensing Trust has lent it to the Anderson Park House Trust, and trustee Craig Macalister has particular reason to welcome it.
It belonged to his greatgrandfather William Macalister, a founder of the law firm Macalister Brothers which was at one time the Crown Solicitor’s office.
When William’s son, Norman – Craig’s grandfather – was a lad, he found refuge inside it.
‘‘If he was in trouble, he would hide from his father in the clock,’’ Craig said.
Their home was the Avenal Homestead, now an ILT premises.
When Norman was a young travelling salesman, living in Dunedin, he would stay at the Avenal when he was in Invercargill.
Norman remembered full well how to wind the clock and set it to chime, and was still not above a little larrikinism.
‘‘One of his practical jokes was to wind up the clock and set it to chime at midnight, and go off to bed.’’
Fittingly, the clock has a connection to Anderson House as well.
Norman’s brother, Horace, a lawyer and also later the Crown Solicitor, married Sir Robert Anderson’s daughter, Irene.
Anderson House, which was formerly used as a public art gallery, was closed after earthquake safety concerns eight years ago, but after extensive repairs it reopened for public use earlier this month.