The Norfolk War Memorial, Carillon Tower is one of the most iconic structures in the county.
It was built through public sponsorship in honour of the 216 men and one woman from Norfolk who lost their lives during the Great War of 1914-1918.
With its 23 bells, the tower stands 60 feet tall and was the second carillon in all of Canada when completed in 1925. The largest bell, weighing 1,568 pounds, was cast with a special inscription in memory of all who died for freedom.
Following the end of the Great War, the citizens of Norfolk rallied to establish an official memorial.
A committee was formed through the Great War Veteran’s Association, a forerunner to the Royal Canadian Legion, and was given full authority to raise funds, decide on the type of memorial, and secure a location. Two designs were debated – a bridge archway and a carillon tower. By the end of 1921, it had been decided that a carillon with a four-faced clock would make the most fitting of memorials.
The land for the tower was gifted by the Norfolk School Board in memory of the Simcoe High School students killed in the war.
A county-wide campaign to raise the required funds was launched with community groups, businesses, and individuals young and old donating to the cause. When construction costs exceeded the original budget, the community, with overwhelming support, pledged to cover all expenses.
The world-famous Gillett & Johnston Foundry of Croydon, England was commissioned to cast the carillon bells.
The cost was £3,005.00 pounds sterling, today’s equivalent of $213,000.00. When Norfolk’s bells were completed, they were first installed at the British Empire Exhibition and played by the world’s most prestigious carillonneurs for visiting royals and heads of state. Following the exhibition, they were shipped to Simcoe just in time for installation.
On June 17, 1925, over 500 Great War Veterans, bands, dignitaries and school children marched in the largest parade ever seen in the county.
They joined thousands of spectators for the Carillon Tower’s service of dedication. The memorial plaques inscribed with the soldiers’ names were unveiled by Silver Cross Mother Emiline West of Houghton who had lost three of her sons in the war. The plaque from the Simcoe High School on the east side of the Tower was unveiled by Silver Cross Mother Lydia Quanbury of Woodhouse who had lost two of her sons in the war.
In 1948, the plaques of the Great War were replaced with two larger bronze tablets listing both the names of those killed in 1914-1918 and the additional 147 from Norfolk who died in the Second World War.
These plaques were unveiled by Silver Cross Mother Nora Wagner of Teeterville who had lost three sons in that war. During the carillon’s 50th anniversary rededication a plaque was unveiled in honour of Norfolk’s 133rd Battalion whose volunteers had the distinction of serving in many of the fiercest battles of the Great War. In 2014, the Afghanistan conflict was memorialized by Silver Cross Mother Judy Klages whose son is inscribed on the plaque.
To mark the centennial of the Carillon Tower, a public service of rededication was held on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 – exactly 100 years to the day.
The North Shore Highlanders headed the parade which included colour parties from local Legions, veterans, cadets, dignitaries, police and emergency services. The 23 bells rang with a special performance with hundreds of citizens participated in the historic event. A hymn based on the original 1925 dedication speech was sung by 65 youth from West Lynn Public School and floral wreaths were laid by descendants of Norfolk’s Silver Cross Mothers. The service concluded with a moment of silence and the reciting of the Act of Remembrance as a public pledge to forever honour and never forget the meaning of Norfolk’s War Memorial, Carillon Tower.
