Speaking Clock: Gordon Gow and the Postmaster-General's Department

Before internet-connected devices kept us on schedule, how did Australians check the time? By calling the Speaking Clock.

This service, familiar to generations of Australians, was introduced by the Postmaster General’s Department in 1953 and could be accessed by dialling 1194.

The original system used rotating glass discs with voice recordings of hours, minutes, and seconds, provided by ABC broadcaster and actor Gordon Gow. It was eventually upgraded to a fully electronic system in 1990.

Telstra called time on the service at midnight on 1 October 2019, but its legacy continues. That same day, musician Ryan Monro (from the Cat Empire) created a web-based simulation to preserve the experience.

The clip above is an example of Gow giving the time. This is what you might have heard if you rang 1194 in 1954.

Watch a short documentary called The Speaking Clock, made by the Postmaster General’s Department in 1955.

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