Old Joe

Known affectionately as ‘Old Joe’ the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower dominates our Edgbaston campus as a symbol of the University of Birmingham, visible from far and wide.

10 facts about 'Old Joe'

At 100m tall, Old Joe is the world’s tallest freestanding clock tower.
It’s fondly named after the University of Birmingham’s first Chancellor Joseph Chamberlain.
Chamberlain was instrumental in raising the funds for the clock tower, as well as its design, basing its aesthetic on the Torre del Mangia campanile in Siena.
The clock tower is the location for many University celebrations throughout the year, most notably our graduation celebrations.
It is famously believed to have been the inspiration for the tower of Orthanc, the black tower of Isengard, in J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
It is also believed that Old Joe was the inspiration for the clock tower in Pixar’s Monsters University. Though this is not confirmed, the tower in the film does bear an undeniable likeness!
In 1989 Brian G.W.Manning discovered Asteroid 10515 Old Joe, naming it in the clock tower’s honour.
During World War II revolutionary radar inventors working at the University used the tower in their tests.
The clock tower is home to nesting Peregrine falcons, which can be regularly be heard and spotted around Chancellor’s Court.
The tower's clock faces also change colour on special dates in the calendar such as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This act also helps celebrate the important research that goes on at the University.

Why not create your very own Old Joe with this printable cut out.

Interested in lighting up Old Joe?

Discover more about the history of Old Joe

Old Joe: A University Of Birmingham Icon

Old Joe

Tweets by Old Joe

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