Big Ben

One of the most recognised landmarks in England's capital city, Big Ben has stood proud next to the Palace of Westminster for about 150 years. The name actually refers to the largest bell inside the tower, not the tower or the clock.

Most of us are familiar with hearing the chimes of Big Ben at the stroke of midnight each New Year. They were first broadcast by BBC radio on 31 December 1923 - a tradition which been upheld ever since.

The famous clock is renowned for its reliability - it even managed to keep running accurately during the Blitz, despite the heavy bombing. It has had only one major breakdown in its lifetime (in 1976 the chiming mechanism broke due to metal fatigue) - quite impressive considering its age.

The stamp above shows a scene from Peter Pan where the Darling children fly past Big Ben. This was taken from the 150th Anniversary of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital stamp issue from August 2002.

The stamp below illustrates a more classic image of the Big Ben clock tower and Westminster Bridge. This stamp is from the Bridges of London stamp issue from September 2002.

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