| Old Father Time | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lord's Cricket Ground, London |
| Type | Weather vane |
| Height | 6 ft 6 in[1] (1.98 m) |
| Completion date | 1926[1] |
Old Father Time is a weather vane at Lord's Cricket Ground, London, in the shape of Father Time removing the bails from a wicket. The weathervane is a total of 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) tall, with the figure of Father Time standing at 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m).[1] It was given to Lord's in 1926 by the architect of the Grandstand, Sir Herbert Baker.[1][2]
Old Father Time was originally located atop the old Grand Stand. It was wrenched from its perch during the Blitz, when it became entangled in the steel cable of a barrage balloon,[1][3] but was repaired and returned to its previous position. In 1992 the weather vane was struck by lightning, and the subsequent repairs were featured on children's television programme Blue Peter.[1][4] Old Father Time was permanently relocated to the Mound Stand in 1996, when the Grand Stand was demolished and rebuilt.[1]
In 1969 Old Father Time became the subject of a poem, Lord's Test, by the Sussex and England cricketer John Snow.[5]