Birmingham's Ginormous Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower: The Enigma of

The Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower, affectionately known as Old Joe, towers at a height of 99.6 metres (326 feet) above the Edgbaston district of Birmingham. This architectural marvel was built between 1907 and 1909 by Aston Webb and Ingress Bell, forming part of the initial phase of the University of Birmingham’s campus. The tower's most peculiar trait? Its height, though it seems the university can't seem to agree on the precise measurement, listing it variously as 110 metres (361 feet), 99 metres (325 feet), and 100 metres (328 feet). In a 1945 lecture, Mr C.G, the University’s secretary, revealed that the tower measures '329 feet [100 metres] high.' An oddball, isn't it?

The tower was commissioned under the patronage of the first Chancellor of the University, Joseph Chamberlain, and was originally christened the Poynting Tower, after one of the University’s earliest professors, John Henry Poynting. However, it was later renamed in honour of Chamberlain himself. Rumours swirl that it was inspired by the Torre del Mangia in Siena, Italy, though it seems Chamberlain's adoration for Italian landmarks influenced its design far and wide. The tower has been used for radar experiments and lost its title as the tallest structure in Birmingham in 1965, when the BT Tower was erected. Still, it holds the crown as the tallest clock tower in the United Kingdom.

In 1989, an asteroid was named 10515 Old Joe in homage to this colossal structure that has become synonymous with the University of Birmingham. A superstition also circulates that if students stroll through the tower’s archway when it chimes, they will invariably fail their degree, adding another episode to Old Joe's already intriguing history.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons