Big Ben Celebrates a Century of New Year's Broadcasts

This Sunday, London's iconic Big Ben commemorated 100 years since its New Year chimes were first broadcast live to the world. A tradition established in 1923, the BBC has annually aired the chimes, cementing Big Ben as a staple in British culture.

Known colloquially as the nation’s timepiece, these chimes are broadcast at specific times throughout the day. During a recent renovation, exceptions for notable events like Armistice Day and Queen Elizabeth II's funeral preserved this tradition.

On New Year's Eve, while crowds celebrate, clock mechanic Andrew Strangeway ensures the clock's precision. Despite past issues, such as a 1970s malfunction, the likelihood of errors is minimal. The clock, accurate to fractions of a second, is still fine-tuned by old methods, including adding or subtracting pennies on its weights.

Renamed in 2012 as the Elizabeth Tower for the queen's Diamond Jubilee, the tower and its clock now sync with GPS rather than phone signals. Strangeway expressed pride in his work and excitement for witnessing the turn of the year beside the renowned bells.