AN EXCITING FUTURE FOR THE CARILLON MUSEUM
Loughborough’s Carillon Tower was completed in 1923 as a war memorial, but it was not until the early 1980s that a museum opened inside the building. And as Spring arrives, a new chapter begins in the museum’s story, with the forthcoming re-opening of a new, entirely redesigned interior and displays.
By the early 1980s, the interior of the tower had fallen into a sad state, dusty, damp and grimy, and in winter it was used for storing the park workers’ tools.
Around that time, three ex-military men, Len Butler of the Royal Engineers, Sam Evans from the Royal Corps of Signals and George Basford of the Leicestershire Yeomanry, took on responsibility for creating a museum out of this muddle, one which would honour those men who had made the supreme sacrifice. They obtained a grant and painstakingly put together some displays on the ground floor using second-hand cabinets and their own memorabilia.
Room for improvements
However, despite the team’s best efforts a lack of environmental control meant that some exhibits were deteriorating; medals corroding and silk fabrics fading. The Council agreed a sum to be spent on heating and window film to screen out damaging ultra violet rays, and some objects were removed for expert conservation treatment.
However, extending the museum was always the aim, with suitable conditions for caring for the collection. The opportunity came after a visit from HRH The Duke of Gloucester, then President of the English Tourist Board, when the three men were able to drop a persuasive word into the Royal ear.
1989 – expansion and recognition
After further funding, the first floor of the museum opened in 1989, devoted to exhibits from the Leicestershire Yeomanry, and the whole museum became the responsibility of the Loughborough War Memorial Trust. Then as now, a team of volunteers looked after the day-to-day running of the museum.
The collection continued to grow, including donations from Australians and Americans to mark the presence of these nationalities in Loughborough in WW1 and WW2 respectively. Towards the end of 1989 the museum successfully bid for a lottery fund grant of £400.
In November 2001 the Carillon Tower and War Memorial Museum became a Registered Museum.
Spring 2025 – a new era
With the beginning of the 2020s came a new lease of life for the Carillon War Memorial and Museum. An exciting new interior is being created on the ground floor with ‘The Human Cost’ as its theme. It has been a labour of love for the small volunteer team who are bringing it to life, under the guidance of the Carillon Museum’s indefatigable Chairman, Mel Gould.
It is planned that the museum will reopen this Spring, and we look forward to welcoming a new generation of visitors.
