Whanganui historian to give unique lecture on bells of the city

Scott Flutey with the Oneida bell that will feature in his talk, The Chimes of Whanganui. Photo/ Karen Hughes

Whanganui’s rich variety of bells is something many people aren’t aware of, but historian Scott Flutey aims to change that.

Flutey, a bellringer or campanologist, will be giving a lecture on the topic at the Whanganui Regional Museum as part of the 2023 spring lecture series.

“Like a lot of things in Whanganui, I had just taken it for granted that we had all of these bells around the town, but there is such a high proportion of bells in Whanganui, with fascinating stories and people connected to them.

“It reflects the way Whanganui has always been more like a city, and as a city strived to be cosmopolitan and quite culturally rich. There is a lot of richness here and interest in music and the arts, and it goes back a very long time. The bells and chimes are just one expression of that.

“The bells are also connected to civic pride, and aspirations of more musical offerings for the town in a public space.”

He said a number of influential Whanganui families were instrumental in the town’s development.

“They had their fingers across a lot of different pies and were involved in different cultural endeavours. In civic endeavours, there are a few key people that keep coming up when you do Whanganui research - frequent names that were involved in lots of different things in the town.”

Flutey first began studying campanology - the study, theory, and art of ringing bells - in Melbourne.

“I wanted to get really involved with heritage skills and trades – the ones that are difficult to engage with in New Zealand. I found Melbourne was a good place to learn a whole lot of different skills.

“I was working with a traditional upholsterer, I was doing hand-tooled woodwork, and I was doing bellringing in the evenings as an interest.”

The Oneida bell, which has an unusual half-circle shape, will be discussed by Flutey as it was privately commissioned to be made for the Burnett family.

Joseph and Mary Ann Burnett came to New Zealand in 1856 and acquired a 170-hectare property east of Whanganui four years later.

Their family home - Oneida - was finished in 1870.

“To have a family commissioning a set of bells to be installed at their house is very unusual - quite eccentric,” Flutey said.

“It showed how wealthy they were, and where their interests lay; they were quite a well-known family in their day.”

He said he also aimed to gather a stronger movement of support for all the bells in Whanganui.

“These bells are part of our wider story. I’m trying to get the momentum back up, for developing a plan for their future.

“They are vulnerable. They need maintenance, and often the structures they are in are very old.

“It’s all part of that wider heritage space that a lot of our buildings are in, where they need the upkeep and maintenance and specialist attention.”

Flutey’s talk The Chimes of Whanganui will be held on Friday, September 1 at 5.30pm in the Davis Theatre on Watt St.

Booking is not required and admission is free of charge but participants are encouraged to arrive early to ensure a seat.