A cash register that started its working life at Gosling's more than a century ago has been returned to its former home.

Yesterday Arthur Tatem, who has owned the antique for the past 40 years, presented it to Goslings at the company's Dundonald Street headquarters.

Mr. Tatem had lovingly restored the till to its gleaming former glory.

It was imported to Bermuda in 1895 by Chesley White, at a time when Gosling's is believed to have been in the grocery business.

It is believed the cash register was used by Goslings for some 50 years and was then purchased by Charles Clarke, owner of Clarke's Bar on Court Street.

There it remained until February 6, 1970, when Mr. Tatem, who worked for NCR Bermuda, bought it. Mr. Tatem's manager at NCR was Mr. Martin Cusack, now aged 89, who was on hand to unveil the register yesterday.

In yesterday's ceremony, Mr. Tatem said the register had been sitting in box for four decades.

"I thought I had better put it together and get rid of it before I got too old to remember how to do it," Mr. Tatem said.

"As you see it today, it has been a labour of love and, on finishing it, I thought that the best place for it to be would be here where it belongs, Gosling's."

Mr. Tatem is renowned for his skills at repairing machines and clocks. He is also a keen volunteer at the Bermuda Historical Society and for the past three years has been on duty at the Museum each Wednesday.