A portion of funds were set aside for Watkins to travel to Belgium, to study carillon with one of its foremost exponents, Jef Denyn.

[1] A report in the Auckland Star noted on 30 July 1930 that "Miss Gladys Watkins of Wellington, the official carillonneur of the New Zealand bells ... has a secured a diploma with distinction at Malines, Belgium.

[7] The finished bells were taken on tour for nine months in Hyde Park, where Watkins gave a demonstration recital on 24 December 1929.

The report in the Evening Post recorded that Watkins was "warmly ovationed by large crowds of Christmas shoppers ....

While Ball played several hymns and pieces during the main ceremony that began at 2.30pm, Watkins performed during the recital that took place at 7.30pm.

[11] Until Gladys Watkins retired from her role as Wellington's carillonneur in 1936, as a result of poor health, she had performed more than 300 recitals on the instrument.