Bradford City Hall

The building was designed in the Venetian style. There are a series of statues of past monarchs on the façade;[1] the London firm Farmer & Brindley carved them from Cliffe Wood stone, from the local quarry on Bolton Road, at a cost of £63 each.[2] On the side facing Centenary Square, the line of monarchs includes Oliver Cromwell.[11] There is a flush bracket on the building with a code number once used to log the height above sea level.[12]

The 1872 clock shortly before replacement in 1947.

The bell tower was inspired by Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The top of the tower is 200 feet (61 m) high.[1] It contains 13 bells, installed in 1872, which weighed 13 tons 3 quarters and 6 lbs and cost £1,765. They first rang at the opening in 1873. Due to lack of space in the tower they were not hung for ringing,[13] but were chimed using an automatic carillon machine which could play 28 different tunes. The quarter-chiming clock, installed in 1872 at a cost of £2,248 5s was in operation until 1947; in that year it was replaced by a more modern mechanism.[14] The original clock and carillon machine were manufactured by Gillett & Bland of Croydon;[15] the bells were by Taylor of Loughborough.[16]

The two flagpoles carry the flag of Wales on Saint David's Day and the flag of Australia on Australia Day. Flag use in response to major world disasters is made according to Government guidelines.[2] The flags also reflect royal events, such as coronations and weddings.[2]

The building is set in Centenary Square, which was developed and pedestrianised in 1997, the city's centenary. Staff give tours of the building on request.[2] Annually in September the City Hall holds a heritage weekend, when visitors can see more of the building.[17]

Council Chamber

In the banqueting hall is a 19th-century overmantel and frieze carved by C. R. Millar. The frieze carries the Bradford city motto: Labor omnia vincit (Hard work conquers all), reflecting the ethos of an industrial city, and the work ethic of the Evangelical movement represented by many local chapels. The figures on the frieze represent the wool trade between Bradford and the world, besides architecture and the arts.[11]

Currently (2016) the bells ring every 15 minutes and play tunes at midday and late afternoon plus carols in December.[2] When an eminent Bradfordian dies, the City Hall flags fly at half mast until the funeral is over, while the minute bell rings for an hour after receipt of notice, and for an hour at the time of the funeral. The bells have played "The Star-Spangled Banner" to mark the three minutes' silence for those who died due to terrorism. At the memorial in 2005 of the 1985 Bradford City stadium fire, "Dozens of people broke down in tears as the City Hall bells played You'll Never Walk Alone and Abide with Me in tribute to the victims."[18]

However the bells normally play happier tunes, and in 2001 there was talk of replacing the old computer application which controlled the bells, so that they could play pop music.[19] The bells can now be programmed to play any tune, subject to musical arrangement and technical limitations. The bells have played No Matter What[20] several times in 2001, when Whistle Down the Wind was playing at the Alhambra; the operator of the bells was able to see the theatre steps from the bell tower, and timed the peals with the audience's exit. This meant that the superintendent had to undertake the long climb up the tower at 10.30 pm every day for a week, as the bell system was still under repair. In 2010, the bells played the theme tune from Coronation Street when the cast was filming in the area.[21]

View of Bradford showing the tower of City Hall at centre