This index page, like all bellfoundry indexes on this Website, contains an entry for each set of bells shipped from the foundry for a carillon or a chime, as well as each independent great bell. For an explanation of what this index contains (and does NOT contain), and of the additional details on each entry, see the Bellfoundry Indexes Advice.
NOTE: Rings cast for places in the British Isles are not listed here
unless they belong to an institution that also has a carillon or chime,
or have additional bells hung stationary, or have an interesting chiming machine.
Some chimes cast for places in the British Isles are not yet included.
KIRKCALDY : SCOTLAND-FI 1880 C chime St.Brycedale Kirk St.Bryce Parish PAISLEY : SCOTLAND-RE 1882 C chime Town Hall MONAGHAN : IRELAND -MN 1895 C chime St.Macartan's Cathedral (RC) BANBURY : ENGLAND -OX 1897 C chime/ring St.Mary's Church PIETERMARITZBURG : S AFRICA 1899*C chime City Hall Tower * bells cast 1896-99 Toronto : CANADA - ON 1900 - great Old City Hall LONDON - STPA : CANADA - ON 1901 F chime The Meredith Memorial Bells St.Paul's Cathedral (Anglican) MONTRÉAL - STG : CANADA - QU 1901 C chime St.George's Anglican Church KINGSTON : CANADA - ON 1911 C chime St.Andrew's Presbyterian Church NEWPORT PAGNELL : ENGLAND -BU 1911 C chime/ring St.Peter & St.Paul Parish Church GREENOCK : SCOTLAND-RE 1912 F [chime] St.George North Church (of Scotland) GREENOCK : SCOTLAND-RE 1913 R [chime] St.George North Church (of Scotland) HALIFAX - STJ : CANADA - NS 1920 C chime St.John's United Church HALIFAX - STM : CANADA - NS 1920 R chime St.Mary's Cathedral Basilica (RC) CROYDON - GJF : ENGLAND -SR 1920 C [non-trad] Gillett & Johnston foundry tower KENNERLEIGH : ENGLAND -DE 1920 C chime St.John the Baptist Anglican Church LONDON - RE : ENGLAND -EC 1920 C chime The Royal Exchange TORONTO - MUC : CANADA - ON 1922 F trad Massey/Drury Memorial Carillon Metropolitan United Church CLITHEROE : ENGLAND -LA 1923 C chime St.James Parish Church PETERBOROUGH : USA - NH 1923 F chime All Saints Episcopal Church PLAINFIELD : USA - NJ 1923 F trad Pittis Carillon Grace Episcopal Church SIMCOE : CANADA - ON 1924*C trad Norfolk County War Memorial * Exhibited in 1924; not installed here until 1925 COHASSET : USA - MA 1924 F trad The Cohasset Carillon (formerly known as the Bancroft Memorial Carillon or the Jesse M. Barron Memorial Carillon) St.Stephen's Episcopal Church WEST TORONTO : CANADA - ON 1924 C chime St.John's (West Toronto) Anglican Church LONDON - MC : ENGLAND -E 1925 C chime World War I memorial East tower Memorial Community Church (was Memorial Baptist Church) ALMELO - G : NETHERLANDS 1925 C (trad) Sint Georgiustoren HERTOGENBOSCH - STJ : NETHERLANDS 1925 F trad Sint-Janskathedraal (Sint-Jansbasiliek) COHASSET : USA - MA 1925 I trad The Cohasset Carillon (formerly known as the Bancroft Memorial Carillon or the Jesse M. Barron Memorial Carillon) St.Stephen's Episcopal Church NEW YORK - RC : USA - NY 1925*F trad Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon Riverside Church (interdenominational: ABC/UCC) * cast for Park Avenue Baptist Church TILBURG - STJ : NETHERLANDS 1925 C [trad] Sint Josefskerk (or Heuvelsekerk) CHOBHAM : ENGLAND 1926 F [non-trad] Estate of H.O.Serpell DETROIT - JAPC : USA - MI 1926 C trad Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church EAST ORANGE : USA - NJ 1926 C chime Our Lady Help of Christians Church GUELPH : CANADA - ON 1926 F trad Cutten Memorial Carillon St.George's Anglican Church Philadelphia : USA - PA 1926 - great PNB-First Union Bank Building (formerly John Wanamaker's Department Store) TORONTO - STJO : CANADA - ON 1926 C chime St.John the Baptist / St.John's (Norway) Anglican Church MERCERSBURG : USA - PA 1926 F trad The Henry Bucher Swoope Carillon Barker Tower Chapel Mercersburg Academy BARNEVELD - NH : NETHERLANDS 1927 F trad Jan van Schaffelaartoren (or) St.Odulphustoren Ned.Herv.Kerk FENDALTON : NEW ZEALAND 1927 C chime St.Barnabas Parish Church DUMBARTON : SCOTLAND-DB 1927 F trad* St.Patrick's Church (RC) CHICAGO - STC : USA - IL 1927 F trad Crane Memorial Carillon St.Chrysostom's Episcopal Church FOND DU LAC - P : USA - WI 1927 F chime Pilgrim United Church of Christ GATES MILLS : USA - OH 1927 F trad* Church of St.Christopher-by-the-River GROSSE POINTE FARMS - GPMC : USA - MI 1927 F trad* Memorial Tower The Grosse Pointe Memorial Church (Presbyterian/PCUSA) OTTAWA - PT : CANADA - ON 1927 C trad Peace Tower Houses of Parliament COVENTRY : ENGLAND -WA 1927 C chime/ring Cathedral Church of St.Michael PRINCETON - PU : USA - NJ 1927 F trad The Class of 1892 Bells Grover Cleveland Tower Graduate College Princeton University TORONTO - UT : CANADA - ON 1927 F trad Soldiers' Tower University of Toronto HILVARENBEEK : NETHERLANDS 1928 C (trad) R.K.Kerk St.Petrus-Banden (St. Peter in Chains) LEUVEN - UL : BELGIUM 1928 F trad American Engineers' Memorial Carillon Universiteitsbibliotheek (University Library) LEUVEN - SJD : BELGIUM 1928*F trad Sint-Jan-de-Doperkerk (St.John the Baptist Church) * cast as the trebles of the University Library LONDON - A : ENGLAND -W 1928 C trad The Atkinson Carillon above Salvatore Ferragamo (was J.Fox & Co.; originally Atkinson's Stores) LONDON - RC : ENGLAND -W 1928 C non-trad Odeon/Regal Theatre Carillon (in storage) somewhere in Cornwall, England SNEEK : NETHERLANDS 1929 C (trad) Sint-Maartenstoren (Martinikerk) N.H.Kerk (Grote Kerk) DUMBARTON : SCOTLAND-DB 1928 E trad St.Patrick's Church (RC) COHASSET : USA - MA 1928 I trad The Cohasset Carillon (formerly known as the Bancroft Memorial Carillon or the Jesse M. Barron Memorial Carillon) St.Stephen's Episcopal Church ANN ARBOR - K : USA - MI 1928 F chime Kerrytown Chime Kerrytown Shops cast as trebles for the Cohasset carillon EAST LANSING : USA - MI 1928 F trad* Beaumont Tower Michigan State University NORWOOD : USA - MA 1928 F trad Walter F. Tilton Memorial Carillon Norwood Memorial Municipal Building (Soldiers Memorial, WW I) ROCHESTER : USA - MN 1928 F trad The Rochester Carillon Plummer Building Mayo Clinic NORFOLK - VAF/mobile : USA - VA 1928*C non-trad Virginia Arts Festival Schulmerich Carillons, Inc. * cast for another site WYKE : ENGLAND -YW 1929 C chime St.Mary the Virgin Parish Church BREDA - OLV : NETHERLANDS 1929 I trad O.L.Vrouwetoren (Grote Kerk) ENSCHEDE : NETHERLANDS 1929 C (trad) Stadstoren Groote Kerk (N.H.Kerk) LONDONDERRY : N IRELAND-D 1929 C chime/ring Cathedral Church of St.Columb (CI) CLYDEBANK : SCOTLAND-SC 1929 C chime Town Hall CLEVELAND HEIGHTS - STP : USA - OH 1929 F trad* Harry A. & Mariah H. Seabrook and Thomas Family Memorial Carillon St.Paul's Episcopal Church MARIEMONT : USA - OH 1929 F trad Mary M. Emery Memorial Carillon Thomas J. Emery Memorial Carillon Tower Dogwood Park LIEGE - STJ : BELGIUM 1930 E trad Eglise St-Jean-l'Evangéliste (St.Jan-Evangelistkerk) LONDON - RC : ENGLAND -W 1930 R non-trad Odeon/Regal Theatre Carillon (in storage) somewhere in Cornwall, England CARRICKMACROSS : IRELAND -MN 1930 C chime St.Joseph Catholic Church EAST LANSING : USA - MI 1930 I trad* Beaumont Tower Michigan State University JERUSALEM - YMCA : ISRAEL 1930 F trad Jesus Tower, YMCA OLDENZAAL : NETHERLANDS 1930 F trad Sint-Plechelmustoren (St.Plechelmus Basilica) WEXFORD : IRELAND -WX 1930 C chime/ring Immaculate Conception Church BRANDON : CANADA - MB 1931*C chime St.George's Anglican Church relocated in 1969-76 FOULRIDGE : ENGLAND -LA 1931 C chime St.Michael & All Angels Parish Church Colorado Springs : USA - CO 1931 - great Shove Chapel The Colorado College MANCHESTER - HN : ENGLAND -LA 1931 C chime Church of the Holy Name (RC) WINSCHOTEN : NETHERLANDS 1931 C (trad) St.Vitustoren, "Olle Witte" Ned.Herv.Kerk NEW MILFORD : USA - CT 1931 C trad Jose M. Ferrer Memorial Carillon Chapel of Our Lady Canterbury School NEW YORK - RC : USA - NY 1931 I trad Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon Riverside Church (interdenominational: ABC/UCC) WELLESLEY : USA - MA 1931 F trad Galen L. Stone Tower Green Hall Wellesley College SALTLEY : ENGLAND -WA 1932 C trad Our Lady's Carillon Our Lady of the Rosary and St.Thérèse of Lisieux RC Church SECLIN : FRANCE - 59 1932 C trad Collégiale Saint-Piat PORTADOWN : N IRELAND-R 1932 C chime St.Mark's Church (C.I.) CHICAGO - UC : USA - IL 1932 C trad The Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon Rockefeller Memorial Chapel University of Chicago BLACKBURN : ENGLAND -LA 1932 C chime St.Jude Parish Church CHOBHAM : ENGLAND 1932 E [non-trad] Estate of H.O.Serpell DEPTFORD : ENGLAND -SE 1932 C chime St.Luke's Parish Church WELLINGTON - WM : NEW ZEALAND 1932 F trad National War Memorial Carillon National War Memorial CONCORD - S : USA - NH 1933 C trad Houghton Memorial Carillon Chapel of St.Peter and St.Paul St.Paul's School BOURNVILLE : ENGLAND -WO 1934 E trad The George Cadbury Memorial Carillon (The Bournville Carillon) School Tower LONDON - STPA : CANADA - ON 1935 R chime The Meredith Memorial Bells St.Paul's Cathedral (Anglican) LONDON - HW : ENGLAND -EC 1935 C chime 133, Houndsditch (was Hounsditch Warehouse Company) GERMISTON : S AFRICA 1935 C non-trad? City Hall Tower PERTH : SCOTLAND-PR 1935 R trad St.John's Kirk (St.John the Baptist Church) NORWOOD : USA - MA 1935 R trad Walter F. Tilton Memorial Carillon Norwood Memorial Municipal Building (Soldiers Memorial, WW I) EAST LANSING : USA - MI 1935 I trad Beaumont Tower Michigan State University GROSSE POINTE FARMS - CC : USA - MI 1935 F trad Christ Church LITTLE WALSINGHAM : ENGLAND -NF 1936 F chime Shrine Church of Our Lady of Walsingham (The Pilgrim's Hospice) MADISON - UW : USA - WI 1936 F trad Memorial Carillon Carillon Tower University of Wisconsin PORT ELIZABETH - CM : S AFRICA 1936 C trad Campanile (Colonist Monument) MADISON - UW : USA - WI 1937 I trad Memorial Carillon Carillon Tower University of Wisconsin DUNFERMLINE : SCOTLAND-FI 1938 F non-trad* Dunfermline Abbey GROSSE POINTE FARMS - CC : USA - MI 1938 I trad Christ Church VICTORIA - MUC : CANADA - BC 1938 C chime (in storage) (was Metropolitan United Church) VAUCLUSE : AUSTRALIA 1939 C chime St.Michael's Anglican Church SAN FRANCISCO - GC : USA - CA 1939*C non-trad North Tower Grace Cathedral (Episcopal) * not installed here until 1943 WICHITA - I : USA - KS 1939 C chime Immanuel Lutheran Church CHARLOTTE - MPUM : USA - NC 1945 F non-trad* Myers Park United Methodist Church BRIDGE OF WEIR : SCOTLAND-RE 1946 C [chime] Mount Zion Church Quarriers Homes (was Orphan Homes of Scotland) ROCKHAMPTON : AUSTRALIA 1946 C chime St.Paul's Cathedral (Anglican) DUNFERMLINE : SCOTLAND-FI 1947 I non-trad* Dunfermline Abbey CHARLOTTESVILLE : USA - VA 1947 F trad Christ Episcopal Church STAMFORD - FPC : USA - CT 1947 F trad Walter N. Maguire Memorial Carillon Maguire Memorial Tower First Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) CAMBRIDGE : USA - NY "" - chime New Skete Monastery (Eastern Orthodox) (12 trebles formerly in STAMFORD - FPC) NEWCASTLE : CANADA - NB 1947 C chime St.James & St.John United Church (was St.James United Church) CROYDON - MOBILE : ENGLAND -SR 1949 C [trad] Gillett & Johnston Traveling Carillon Berlin : Germany 1950 - great Schöneberg Rathaus (City Hall) ALSTON : ENGLAND -CU 1950 C chime St.Augustine Parish Church GREENOCK : SCOTLAND-RE 1950 E [chime] St.George North Church (of Scotland) WYTHAM : ENGLAND -BR 1951 C chime All Saints Parish Church CULVER : USA - IN 1951 C trad Memorial Chapel The Culver Academies (formerly Culver Military Academy) PERTH - STM : AUSTRALIA 1951 C chime St.Mary's Cathedral (RC) ABERDEEN - STN : SCOTLAND-AB 1952 R trad Municipal Carillon St.Nicholas' Church HONG KONG - STJ : CHINA - HK 1953 C chime St.John's Anglican Cathedral ABERDEEN - STN : SCOTLAND-AB 1954 E trad Municipal Carillon St.Nicholas' Church CALGARY - CH : CANADA - AB 1956 C* ring Christ Church * (joint endeavor with Taylor; some cast 1952) EAST LANSING : USA - MI 1957 I trad Beaumont Tower Michigan State University (cast at Taylor foundry, tuned by G&J; the last 4 G&J bells ever produced.)
The firm traces its roots to William Gillett, who set up shop in 1844 as a maker of small clocks. Later he was joined in partnership by Charles Bland, and they began making turret clocks (tower clocks) under the name Gillett & Bland. In 1877, Arthur Anderson Johnston joined the partnership, now renamed Gillett, Bland & Co., and the firm added a foundry to produce their own bells for use with tower clocks and for other purposes.
It's not clear just when some of the changes of name occurred.
There was certainly some overlap of usage, because single bells are known
with names and dates as follows:
Gillett & Bland (1854-1879)
Gillett, Bland & Co. (1879-84)
Gillett & Co. (1884-1892)
By 1889, the name of the firm had been changed to Gillett & Johnston,
though "Gillett & Co." bells have been seen with dates as late as 1892,
and the earliest bells carrying the Gillett & Johnston name
are dated 1891 (uncertain) or 1893.
After Arthur's son Cyril joined the firm and developed the modern tuning principles pioneered by the Taylor foundry, they were for a time one of the world's largest producers of carillons, most of which were exported to North America. Cyril Johnston lost control of the firm in 1948 because of financial problems, and he died in 1950. Thereafter, the foundry declined rapidly, closing in 1957; the clock-making business was purchased by the present family ownership in 1960 or 1965 (accounts vary).
Total output of the bellfoundry to North America:
29 traditional carillons (plus 8 expansions thereof)
1 non-traditional carillon
14 chimes (plus two recastings)
1 ring (joint endeavor with Taylor)
3 great bells not in carillons
(Smaller single bells are known, but are not listed here nor counted.)
Now available:
ENGLAND's CHILD: The Carillon and the Casting of Big Bells [The Website of the author, formerly listed as a source for this book, no longer exists, having become defunct in 2021. Copies can be obtained through Alibris.com.]
Reviewers all over the world have been enthusiastically favorable. /s/ Carl Scott Zimmerman, Campanologist and Webmaster Appendix 2 of the book corresponds to the carillon work which is indexed on this Webpage, with the following differences (some errata, some not):
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The city of Croydon once listed the former foundry (demolished in 1997) as an Industrial Heritage Site.
Wikimedia photo of the foundry clocktower on Union Road, Croydon, England, decorated for peace celebrations at the end of the First World War, c1919
A Heritage page about the foundry has a photo of the clock tower (whose belfry housed a chime and a carillon at different times), a photo of the case for casting the Wanamaker bell, and casting a bell (possibly the same one).
Although the bellfoundry is closed, the name of the firm has been carried forward by the present owners in the original trade as clockmakers. Their Website presents an extended narrative of the corporate history (see under About Us), and provides full contact information.
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This index page was built from the database on 08-Jul-01 and last revised on 10-Mar-24.
Please send comments or questions about this page to csz_stl@swbell.net
