Father Time (Lord's)

{{short description|Weathervane at Lord's Cricket Ground, London}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}

{{Italic title}}

{{Infobox monument

|monument_name = Father Time

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|image = Lord's weathervane.jpg

|caption =

|location = Lord's Cricket Ground, London

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|type = Weathervane

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|length =

|width =

|height = 6 ft 6 in{{citation|url=http://www.lords.org/father-time-biog,1215,AR.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608133106/http://www.lords.org/father-time-biog,1215,AR.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 June 2011 |title=Father Time – biog |access-date=6 June 2010 |website=Lord's}} (1.98 m)

|begin =

|complete = 1926

|open =

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|coordinates = {{coord|51.52878|-0.17219|type:landmark_region:GB-WSM|display=inline,title}}

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}}

Father Time is a weathervane at Lord's Cricket Ground, London, in the shape of Father Time removing the bails from a wicket. The full weathervane is {{Convert|6|ft|6|in|abbr=on}} tall, with the figure of Father Time standing at {{Convert|5|ft|4|in|abbr=on}}. It was given to Lord's in 1926 by the architect of the Grand Stand, Sir Herbert Baker.{{citation|title=A brief history of Father Time at Lord's |first=Patrick |last=Kidd |newspaper=The Times |date=18 November 2009 |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article6920870.ece |access-date=6 June 2010 }}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The symbolism of the figure derives from Law 12(3) of the Laws of Cricket: "After the call of Time, the bails shall be removed from both wickets." The weathervane is frequently referred to as Old Father Time in television and radio broadcasts, but "Old" is not part of its official title.{{citation|url=http://www.lords.org/news/our-blogs/the-cricket-history-blog/father-time-and-the-lords-slope|title=Father Time and the Lord's Slope|date=28 January 2014|access-date=30 March 2015|website=Lord's|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201131329/https://www.lords.org/news/our-blogs/the-cricket-history-blog/father-time-and-the-lords-slope/|archive-date=1 December 2017}}

Father Time was originally located atop the old Grand Stand. It was wrenched from its position during the Blitz, when it became entangled in the steel cable of a barrage balloon,{{citation |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/columns/content/current/story/246297.html |title=Lord's under attack |last=Williamson |first=Martin |date=6 May 2006 |work=Cricinfo |access-date=6 June 2010 }} but was repaired and returned to its previous place. In 1992 it was struck by lightning, and the subsequent repairs were featured on the children's television programme Blue Peter.{{citation |url=http://www.timeout.com/london/features/2463/2.html |title=London's weather vanes |last=Brown |first=Matt |date=8 January 2007 |work=Time Out |access-date=6 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606192422/http://www.timeout.com/london/features/2463/2.html |archive-date=6 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}

Father Time was permanently relocated to a structure between the Mound Stand and the Tavern Stand in 1996, when the Grand Stand was demolished and rebuilt. It was again damaged in March 2015 by the high winds of Cyclone Niklas, which necessitated extensive repair by specialists.{{citation|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/32114081|title=Lord's Father Time weather vane damaged by high winds|access-date=30 March 2015|work=BBC Sport}}

In 1969 Father Time became the subject of a poem, "Lord's Test", by the Sussex and England cricketer John Snow.{{citation|first=John|last=Snow|title=Cricket Rebel: An Autobiography|publisher=Hamlyn Publishing Ltd|date=1976|page=77}}