AN ONLINE petition has been launched to have the Hayweights clock in Musselburgh moved to its original home.

Councillor Stuart Currie is asking the community to support his proposal to ‘Bring the Hayweights Clock Back Home!’, stressing that he was keen to initiate “a healthy debate” on the future site of the clock which could be used as a tourist information point.

The clock was moved from its North High Street location in the late 1960s and now occupied a grass area in Mall Avenue, opposite the Tesco superstore.

Mr Currie said: “In recent months many local folk have said to me that it is a real shame that the Hayweights Clock is currently nowhere near its original site next to the Brunton Hall in Fisherrow.

“I want to start the debate on whether there are strong feelings either way.”

He explained: “My own view is that if it is possible to have such a historic clock back where it was originally, then that must be an option to be considered.

“I would love to see the clock at the heart of tourist information about our amazing town.

“I also think it would be great to have young people from our construction academy involved in the work if it was to go ahead to create a lasting legacy.”

He added: “If looking at this is thought worthwhile then I would very much want to work with local residents and organisations to identify potential funding sources.

“When I look at old photographs from decades ago and see the clock where it was at the Hayweights then surely it is worth having a debate about making sure our local history is in the right place wherever that is possible. I look forward to the discussion and hearing local views.”

The original Hayweights building, which was constructed in the 1880s, did not have a clock on it.

The clock was presented to the town in 1909 by A.M. Black Esq, Writer to the Signet, as a token of affection and was was mounted in an ogee roof which gave the building a new feature.

The purpose of the building was to house a mechanism used to weigh vehicles – originally horses and carts with hay – standing on a weighing plate adjacent to and outside the building.

One of the weighmen was Peter Livingstone, who had one leg, and manned the weighbridge office for 20 years from 8am till 5pm daily, collecting the revenue for the town from the vehicles laden with sand and gravel, taken from the foreshore under licence, and other items.

When the adjacent Brunton Hall was built, the clock and tower were removed for storage to a council yard.

After a period of years the clock was installed in the clock tower of Stuart’s Net Mill – replacing its similar, original clock that had failed.

Financed by Tesco, the wooden ogee tower, protected by lead with an new digital clock installed, was erected on pillars in the car parking area at The Mall. The lead was stolen at some later date and replaced with a new covering.

The petition is available to view at https://www.change.org/p/east-lothian-council-bring-the-hayweights-clock-back-home?