# Clocks that "strike the quarter-hour"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clocks-that-strike-the-quarter-hour/348705>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 17, 2006, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clocks-that-strike-the-quarter-hour/348705 "2006-03-17T05:07:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clocks-that-strike-the-quarter-hour/348705/21 "2006-03-17T16:07:13Z")

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One of my chiming clocks, a Sligh Barrister, plays the Westminster on the quarter hours. As you know, it’s a 16-note tune. This clock plays the first 4 on the first quarter, 8 on the half, 12 on the third quarter, and all 16 on the hour, followed by the hour strikes.

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clocks-that-strike-the-quarter-hour/348705/22 "2006-03-17T16:38:10Z")

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The Beta Bells on the campus of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, chime on the quarter hour.

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**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clocks-that-strike-the-quarter-hour/348705/23 "2006-03-17T16:46:11Z")

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My mantle clock chimes the quarter hour, with the Westminister chime pattern. I love it.

My mum’s got two chimy, wall-hung grandfather style (but shorter!) clocks - one that chimes the quarter hour (with the Westminister bells) and one that bongs once only to announce the half hour, then the appropriate number of bongs on the hour. It sucks when you’re up late but don’t know whether it’s bonged 12:30, 1:00, or 1:30.

Honestly, you get so you don’t even notice the bongs. Until it’s 11:00 or so and you’re really into the DVD you’re watching. Then the chime’s interminable.

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**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clocks-that-strike-the-quarter-hour/348705/24 "2006-03-17T17:00:10Z")

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> [@Adoptamom\_II](#):
>
> We have a mantle clock that’s 50+ years old that chimes on the quarter, half and hour. Mr. Adoptamom’s parents gave it to his maternal grandparents for their wedding anniversary years ago and we’ve inherited it.
> 
> The chimes drive our kids nutz.

While I was house-sitting for my grandmother, I was driven batshit by her grandfather clock that chimed on the quarter hour, because it sounded exactly like her doorbell. I dealt with it for two days, and then stopped the clock. I don’t know how she stands it, or how she knows when its really the doorbell without looking at her watch.

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