Discussions

March 28 1932.  
 
Another Bell story from Brandon occurred on March 28, 1932. It was Easter Sunday morning when the dedication ceremony of the Arma Sifton Carillon, presented by the four sons of Sir Clifford and Lady Sifton in memory of their mother occurred.  
 
The first United Church was filled to overflowing long before the service began.  
 
Microphone connection had been made with St. Paul’s church across the street and the latecomers could follow the service from the auditorium.  
 
Carillons are rare in Western Canada, there is only one on Brandon today, and the peeling of fourteen bronze bells became a distinguishing feature in Brandon.  
 
Nearby neighbours protested the pealing of every quarter-hour, and this lead very shortly to only every hour being marked.  
 
When the congregations of the First United and St. Paul’s combined to become the Central United Church, and the original Methodist Church was demolished, the Sifton Bells were put into storage: the tower of St Paul’s was not structurally capable of housing the Carillon.  
 
With the consent of the Sifton Family, the Carillon was donated to the International Peace Garden, where it is, as far as I know, currently housed in a temporary tower awaiting the construction of a new peace tower.  
 
Mrs Smart played the Carillon from the day of its dedication until it’s dismantling in 1968, often in cold weather, the steel cables and compressed air mechanism by which the bells were tolled would snap.  
 
P.S. the Coronation Bell is no longer in the Bell Tower, it was removed in 1971 to relieve stress on the Tower, and it is stored somewhere in the #1 Fire Hall.  
 
Source: Brandon Library.