Whatever happened to paternalism in employment? What happened to the companies – Lever Brothers at Port Sunlight in Cheshire, Rowntree in York, AEI at Blackheath in the Black Country – who cared for the welfare and social development of their employees?

And what happened to the most well-known and well-loved of them all, Cadbury in Bournville, the village these Quaker philanthropists and shrewd businessmen created to move their workforce out of Birmingham into the airy countryside?

Well, whatever the globalisation of market-driven takeovers (Kraft in Cadbury’s case), it is so heartening to report that affection for the family and the chocolate factory it ran was abundantly in evidence as Bournville celebrated the centenary of the opening of the charming little Rest House nestling at the heart of its village green.

This wonderful octagonal shelter was built by the workers at Cadbury and presented as a gesture of esteem and affection to Sir George and Lady Elizabeth Cadbury on the occasion of their silver wedding in April 1914. Designed to replicate the Butter Market in Dunster in Somerset, it was created as a place of rest for workers and travellers, with bench seats around the walls both inside and outside.

Towards the end of the last century the building fell into disrepair and became a target for vandals. But 17 years ago Trevor Workman, Bournville carilloneur, had the brainwave of turning it into a souvenir shop raising money on behalf of the Friends of the Bournville Carillon, and the idea has worked brilliantly.

Though the carillon is in need of 24 new bells (towards which the Friends would welcome any donations), it remains one of the most admired examples of its type in the world, attracting many of the most esteemed exponents of the art in playing this instrument which is part organ, part hand-bell, and even, as I suggested to Trevor, part glass-harmonica in its resultant sounds.

Last Saturday, Bournville heard recitals given by Boudewijn Zwart from the Netherlands, whose delicious programme included Que sera, sera and Somewhere over the Rainbow, and Frank Deleu, city carilloneur of Bruges in Belgium.

The Rest House in Bournville.
The Rest House in Bournville.

It was the chocolate connection which drew George Cadbury to Bruges (which has a famous carillon), and he returned with the intention of giving Bournville its own carillon, housed at the top of the primary school building. There is now a heartening frequent exchange between the carilloneurs of Bruges and Bournville (with Trevor Workman, also organist at St Francis Church in Bournville, coming close to completing half-a-century up in that atmospheric tower).

You have to scale what seems like an interminable iron spiral staircase to reach that eyrie, which has fantastic views over not only Bournville down below, but also across the surrounding hills, including the Lickeys, where the Cadbury family kept their homes for weekend retreats.

And inside this loft, which somehow reminded me of the bridge of a little sailing-ship (perhaps it was the wind whistling around), is the carillon itself, a most amazing instrument. It has a well-spaced wooden keyboard, and a sturdy pedal-board, all of the notes attached to stout wires rising through the roof and attached to an impressive set of bells ringing out across Bournville.

Trevor played me Elgar’s Salut d’Amour, displaying a surprising variety of touch and attack in order to achieve the dynamic contrast and textural delineation of which this instrument is eminently capable.

Sometimes he pummels the key with the end of a clenched fist, sometimes he caresses a key with the finesse of a pianist’s finger, and sometimes his hands are doing both at the same time. And the results are always so musically convincing. As I left after my pre-event introduction he was playing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata to me, and when I left last Saturday’s festivities he was playing Bach’s Sheep may safely graze.

And sheep safely grazing was exactly what George Cadbury would have loved for his workforce, determined that they should bring up their children in good clean air, fruit trees growing in the gardens of their specially-designed houses, and with healthy activities provided for their wellbeing.

Last Saturday, with all that music in the air, with the daffodils blooming their last and tulips in all their glory, Duncan Cadbury and Jayne Cadbury so eloquent in their welcomes, and with so much goodwill around that you could almost touch it, Bournville wellbeing was the factor I am sure we all took away with us.

* Bournville Village Trust details on 0300 333 6540.