The Hogg Clock Tower (Little Ben)

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The Hogg Clock Tower built between 1894-1895 stands on a hill above Steamer Point and was erected to commemorate Brigadier-General Adam George Forbes Hogg, Political Resident and Commander-in-Chief of Aden from 1885-1890. 

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In January 1999 the British Consul in Aden appealed for help to restore one of the former colony's most famous landmarks, overlooking what was once the busiest port in the Empire. Known locally as 'Little Ben', due to its similarity to Big Ben in London, the 19th-century clock suffered badly in the three tumultuous and often bloody decades since the British left Aden in 1967. 

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Little Ben had been ransacked and vandalised and was lucky to survive when the socialist president's residence, less than 100 yards away, was shelled from the sea in 1986, but David Pearce, the Consul General for Aden, had it surveyed and asked building firms and specialist clockmakers to prepare detailed plans for its restoration.  He said: "Not surprisingly, our backers want to know about Little Ben's history before they commit themselves to sponsoring the project. Very little is known locally about it so we are appealing for information to build up a full picture of its historical value." 

 

The clock stands on high ground at Steamer Point, a silent sentinel, overlooking the Prince of Wales Pier, Sheikh Ahmed Tomb, and The Crescent. Once a symbol of the British presence in Aden, Little Ben had lost two of its four clock faces and all four sets of hands. The clock and tower were repaired in honour of the Queen's Golden Jubilee  in 2002.