SkegnessVideo.com

Singer celeb and songwriter Jane McDonald is to switch on the Skegness Illuminations 2008.

The event will take place at the Skegness Clock Tower on Saturday evening, 26th July.

Miss McDonald will also be appearing at the Skegness Embassy Theatre on 27th July, 2008. Follow the link to book online.

Don’t forget that we will be bringing you press pictures and video coverage of the event, as usual, so subscribe to our RSS feed or bookmark us NOW!

Can’t wait for the Skegness Illuminations Switch On? Then take a peek at Jane singing ‘You’re My World’ on the video below…

August 1999

THE 100th birthday of Skegness Clock Tower began in grand style last week, as Grand Parade was treated to an afternoon of poetry, drama, song, and the unveiling of a Millennium Countdown Clock.
The fully illuminated clock is designed in the shape of the Jolly Fisherman, and counts down the amount of days to go to the millennium.

The ceremony began in the Compass Gardens when a play entitled Clocked Tower was performed by members of Act Aware Youth Theatre and Ex-L stage company.
It was specially written for the occasion by local playwright and Standard photographer Micheal Cooper, and, with a mixture of song, dance, music and poetry told the story of the last 100 years from the perspective of the tower.

It was clearly a hit with the crowd, with one member of the audience telling Mr Cooper: “All the happy memories came flooding back. It brought tears to my eyes”.
Fantastic
Following the play, East Lindsey District Council chairman, Coun Fiona Martin, told those present: “I’d just like to say what a fantastic performance that was and how fitting that on this Skegness occasion it was presented by local people.”
She then presented producer Jez Beckett and writer Micheal Cooper with special mini glass Clock Tower clocks and presented all the children from Act Aware and Ex-L who took part with special Jolly Fisherman goody bags. She concluded by thanking the carnival committee, saying: “The carnival committee put a great deal of time and energy into making Skegness carnival week one of the best in the country.”
The action then moved to the Clock Tower, where Coun Martin again made a small speech before unveiling the Millennium Clock and commemorative stone.
“In 100 years’ time, I should like to think that my contemporary (in case I’m not around by then!) will be repeating this procedure and looking back over another 100 successful Skegness years,” she said.
She then unveiled the commemorative stone, and presented Skegness Mayor Coun Sheila MacKenzie with a Jolly Fisherman mini glass clock, and, with the aid of the mayor, unveiled the Millennium Clock.
Picture left: Skegness Town Mayor Coun Sheila MacKenzie and chairman of ELDC Coun Fiona Martin with the Jolly Fisherman at the launch of the Millennium Countdown Clock at the Clock Tower.

Picture right: The unveiling of Skegness Clock Tower in August 1899.

Source: Skegness Standard 1998
Photo: not credited

News story about the ‘time capsule’ which was buried on the Clock Tower Island in 1998. The time capsule contains a selection of items representing the town.

The capsule lies in the grass on the west side of the Clock Tower and is covered by the stone below:

See you in 2098…To celebrate the centenary of Skegness Clock Tower, Mayor Coun Terry Bryan buried a time capsule yesterday, Thursday.
Inside was a selection of items representing the town. These included a bottle of Skegness seawater, a bottle of Skegness sand, a selection of 1998 coins and, of course, a copy of the Skegness Standard.
Among those present for the ceremony were Charles Curtis and his daughter, Anne Walker, the grandson and great-granddaughter of stonemason John Curtis, who built the Clock Tower.
Our picture shows Coun Bryan and the Jolly Fisherman with the stone which covers the capsule.

end of transcript

I was pleased to find this news article, as the John Curtis who built the Skegness Clock Tower, as referred to in the story, is my sons’ 4xG-grandfather. Indeed, Charles who is referred to in the story is their great uncle.

The news article concludes by telling us there will be more about the Clock Tower Centenary in the following week’s edition of the Skegness Standard. I will check this out and make it available online as soon as possible.

 news story date 6th April 2006
The local St Clements Collage art students were painting  murals at the railway station in Skegness.
Skegness Video went along to see how they were doing.
We caught up with Sue Hartland who is an arts teacher at the college and asked her what was happening. 

Sue told us that they have two groups of students, year tens and sixth form, painting murals about Skegness at the train station. St Clement’s College were contacted by the railways who asked whether they were interested in doing this project. The art project will also be part of the students’ level two BETEC vocational art  examinations.
The students worked on the project over two days, under the watchful eye of the Jolly Fisherman, the mascot of Skegness.

Their designs were all connected with the seaside resort of Skegness and included the sea, boats, the Clock Tower, ice cream cornets, a guitar and much more.

The art students first sketched their designs on the canvas then started painting them in acrylics
These two students were painting a picture of the clock tower…

Finishing touches to a ferris wheel in an amusement park.

When the project was finished, Skegness Video went to the railway station to ask what people thought of it.
Hannah and Alice, visitors from London, said the paintings were brilliant, really colourful, brightening things up and making a big difference!

The St Clement’s students were a cheerful bunch, full of character and very helpful. We are indebted to them for contributing to Skegness’ history and  making our town a touch brighter!
They are certainly a credit to St Clement’s College and to Skegness!