Women's War Memorial

*Location:

   City Hall
   Darling Street
   Cape Town,
     Province of the Western Cape,
       South Africa
   LL: S 33.92536, E 18.42382

Site locator map
City locator maps and gazetteer page

*Carillonist:

   Alexios Vicatos
   E: avicatos@hotmail.com

   1925Ap30 ded. Anton Brees
   1925-?? Jan Luyt jr.
   c.1953  Jacq G Vermaak
   Keith Jewell
   19??-20?? Donovan W. Baguley

*Contact:

   City Hall
   Darling Street
   Cape Town, Western Cape  8000
   T: 021 400 2230
   E: contactus@capetown.gov.za

*Schedule:

   (unknown)

*Remarks:

   First 5 bells installed 1905 as a clock
   chime (Cambridge/Westminster, with
   hour strike at the fifth).  Nine bells
   ordered in 1922, more in 1923
   (including present bourdon), 1924 and
   1925; all installed 1925, with
   mechanical drum for 12 bells by
   J.Smith & Sons, Derby, England.
   Keyboard has some dropped trebles
   plus space for future expansion to
   four octaves.
   Electric action added Nov.2010.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 39 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is B  in the bass octave
   Transposition is down 1 semitone(s)
   Keyboard range:     C D   /    C G   
   There are no missing bass semitones
   The instrument was enlarged in 1954
     with bells made by Taylor      
   Prior history:
     In 1925, the instrument was begun with 37 bells
       made by Taylor (except for 5 made in 1905)
   Auxiliary mechanisms: M12I  
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is unknown

Additional information on the technical history of this instrument can be found in a database printout.

A peace carillon page has photos and additional information.

A description of the building (accompanied by a small photo) mentions the carillon.

Another brief description of the building provides more photos of it, two of which are clickable for large versions.

A bit of text about the city hall (in the context of museums).

A long news article (Mar.2020) about Alexios Vicatos includes a slide show of the Cape Town carillon, keyboard and belfry.

Photo of the 12-note transmission system from the fixed-pin drum

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Taylor bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Taylor bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all traditional carillons in this region by pitch (weight).
Ranking among all traditional carillons in this region by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all traditional carillons in this region by year of completion.

Index to all traditional carillons in South Africa (ZA).

Index to all tower bell instruments in South Africa (ZA).

   This page was built from the database on 26-Mar-20
   based on textual data last updated on 2020/03/21
   and on technical data last updated on 2014/08/07