National War Memorial Carillon

*Location:

   National War Memorial
   Buckle Street at Tasman Street
   Mount Cook
   Wellington, North Island, New Zealand
   LL: S 41.29897, E 174.77712

   Hyde Park, London, England

   Evening Chronicle Campanile
   North-East Coast Exhibition
   on the Town Moor
   Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England

Site locator map
City locator maps and gazetteer page

*Carillonist:

   (position abolished by government)

   25Ap1932 ded.by Clifford Ball
     and Gladys Watkins
   1932-36 Gladys E. Watkins  (1884-1939)
   ('38-40 automatic only)
   1940-50 John H. Randal
   1950-54 Selwyn Baker
   1954-82 John H. Randal  (1912-83)
   ('82-84 disused)
   - and -
   Assistants:
     Evan Robert   (d.)
     John L'Estrange   (d.)
   1984-2025 Timothy Hurd QSM,   (C)
     National Carillonist of New Zealand
   - and -
   Dr.Sydney J. Shep,   (C)
     Associate Carillonist

*Contact:

   Paul Riley, Curator
   P.O. Box 6374, Marion Square
   6030 Wellington
   W: 4/385 2496   F: same, on request
   E: paul.riley@mch.govt.nz

*Schedule:

   Closed since Feb.2020 due to claims of
   earthquake risk based on condition of
   the bell frame, though it is not clear
   how closure of the tower will make
   anyone safer.

*Remarks:

   Original bells cast 1928, as a sister
   instrument to the Peace Tower of
   Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
   1986 trebles are Hurd/G&J profiles
   cast at Taylor foundry.  Space for
   4 basses added 1995-6 was provided
   originally in tower and clavier;
   but additional trebles required new
   keyboards in 1986 and 1996.
   New bass cast at Eijsbouts/Lips.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 74 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is D# in the bass octave
   Keyboard range:     F G   /    F C 31
   Transposition is down 2 semitone(s), i.e., from C to A#
   There is one missing bass semitone
   The presence or absence of a practice console is unknown
   The instrument was enlarged in 1996
     with  5 bells made by Whitechapel      
   Prior history:
     In 1995, the instrument was enlarged to 69 bells
       by Eijsbouts       
       (4 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
       Keyboard range was:     G E   /    G C 29
       Transposition was down 4 semitone(s), i.e., from C to G#
     In 1986, the instrument was enlarged to 65 bells
       by Taylor          
       (36 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
       Pitch of heaviest bell was G# in the bass octave
       Keyboard range was:     A#D   /    A#C 27
       Transposition was down 2 semitone(s), i.e., from C to A#
       There were no missing bass semitones
     In 1932, the instrument was begun with 49 bells
       by Gillett & Johnston
       (29 bells remain from that work.)
       Keyboard range was:     C C   /    C C 25
       Transposition was down 4 semitone(s), i.e., from C to G#
   No auxiliary mechanisms known
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is 1995

The Website of the National War Memorial opens with a photo of the tower.  The carillon page has a photo of the instrument erected at the foundry for testing; notice the three people who give a sense of the size of the original 49-bell instrument.  Four sound clips are available.  See also the History page.

News article: New approach for Carillon at National War Memorial reflects Anzac connection

News article (11 Oct 2020) about work needed on the Wellington tower

News article (2 July 2020) on the current state of tower assessments

News article (June 2020) on the current state of tower assessments

News article on closure of the tower in Feb.2020

A peace carillon page has photos and additional information.

News article on completion of the 4-year project to restore Wellington carillon and earthquake-proof the tower.

News article on restoration of the carillon by Tim Hurd; with video clip

Biography of Gladys Watkins

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Taylor bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the third phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Eijsbouts bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Whitechapel bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all Asian & Pacific Rim traditional carillons by pitch (weight).
Ranking among all Asian & Pacific Rim traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all Asian & Pacific Rim traditional carillons by year of completion.

Where the bass bell of this carillon ranks among all great bells in the Pacific Rim region.  (The next four bells can also be found in that list:  #2,  #3,  #4,  #5.)

Index to all traditional carillons in New Zealand.

Index to all peace carillons worldwide.

Index to all tower bell instruments in New Zealand.

   This page was built from the database on 10-Mar-26
   based on textual data last updated on 2026/03/10
   and on technical data last updated on 1996/06/01