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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Remembering the enquiry about this, I encl=
ose the=20
Bell News report on the dedication of the new ring (29.12.1894,=20
p387):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>DEDICATION OF NEW BELLS AT=20
NEWNHAM,GLOUCESTERSHIRE.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The dedication of the new peal of eight be=
lls,=20
which replace a<BR>similar number that occupied the belfry at St. Peter's=20
parish<BR>church, Newnham.on-Severn, took place at a special service<BR>hel=
d in=20
the church on Thursday evening, December 20th, when<BR>a fairly numerous=20
congregation assembled. After a pleasing<BR>voluntary hy the organist, the =
choir=20
and congregration sang the<BR>242nd hymn ' We love the place, O God." Then =
the=20
vicar,<BR>speaking from the pulpit, delivered an address eminently appropri=
ate=20
to<BR> the occasion, after which the choir following the=20
vicar,<BR>proceeded down the aisle to the belfry, when the I5oth Psalm<BR>w=
as=20
chanted. Several dedication prayers were read, after which<BR>Psalm cxxii. =
was=20
chanted. The vicar having repeated "I was<BR>glad when they said unto me, l=
et us=20
go into the house of the<BR>Lord," a very merry peal was rung for the few=20
minutes, filling<BR>the church with joyfull music. Next the hymn commencing=
=20
with<BR>the words, " Now at length our bells are mounted," was sung.<BR>The=
last=20
words in the benediction having fallen from the vicar's<BR>lips, the ringer=
s=20
again struck up some Bob Triples, and the<BR>ringing continued for some hou=
rs.=20
The leader was F. J. Blan-<BR>ton, and the Newnham company was strengtheued=
by=20
the<BR>presence and assistance of a few ringers from=20
Westbury,on-<BR>Severn.<BR>It is fitting now that a few facts immediately=20
connected with<BR>the above ceremony should be stated briefly. Late in=20
the<BR>month of March, information reached Newnham of the sudden<BR>death a=
t a=20
ripe old age, of John Hill, Esquire, of Streatham,<BR>Surrey. The deceased=
=20
gentleman was a native of Newnham,<BR>his family having been resident there=
, and=20
occupylng a high<BR>social position in the neighbourhood for many years=20
previously.<BR>He had carried on a lucrative business in London as an=20
india-<BR>rubber manufacturer, and had amassed considerable=20
wealth.<BR>Throughout his prosperous career he made as frequent visits to<B=
R>the=20
town as opportunity afforded, and he always evinced a deep<BR>and lively co=
ncern=20
for the welfare and progress of tile town, with<BR>whose interests his=20
forefathers were so closely connected.<BR>Without exception he was a cheerf=
ul=20
subscriber to any good<BR>work set in motion in the town, and from his ampl=
e=20
means he<BR>made such considerable donations as entitled him to be<BR>regar=
ded=20
in the town as a real benefactor. One of his most<BR>handsome presents was =
his=20
contribution to the Church Resto-<BR>ration Fund, and he also subscribed to=
wards=20
the fund raised for<BR>assisting the committee charged with promoting the n=
ow=20
almost<BR>forgotten Newnham Severn Bridge scheme. Shortly after his<BR>dece=
ase a=20
most welcome piece of information reached Newn-<BR>ham, that in his will, t=
he=20
gentleman above-named had made a<BR>bequest, having left the sum of =A32,00=
0=20
towards the erection of a<BR>clock and chimes in the church tower; for seat=
s in=20
the church-<BR>yard, and on the Round Green; and lastly for providing=20
warm<BR>clothing for the deserving poor of the parish. Later on a cer-<BR>t=
ified=20
copy of the clause in the will relating to the use of the<BR>munificent beq=
uest,=20
was obtained by the vicar and the Churchwardens (Messrs. Carter and Hinton)=
,=20
from which it was learned<BR>that the three objects mentioned were to be=20
undertaken in the<BR>following consecutive order: first the new chime clock=
;=20
next<BR>the two iron park seats, each nine feet long; and thirdly,=20
the<BR>investment of the balance for the purpose of producing an<BR>annual=
=20
income to be expended in the repairs of the clock and<BR>seats, and the pur=
chase=20
of the clothing every winter for such<BR>deserving poor persons of the pari=
sh,=20
as the trustees for the<BR>time being may in their discretion think fit=20
recipients for the<BR>Charity.<BR>The bequest was free of legacy and other=
=20
duties, and the<BR>trustees were the vicar and the churchwardens for the=20
time<BR>being, and in determining the particulars of his wishes, the<BR>tru=
stees=20
were repeatedly enjoined to act in their uncontrolled<BR>discretion. The=20
dedication service arose in consequence of the<BR>necessity for recasting t=
he=20
peal which the parish chllrch already<BR>possessed, so as to ensure perfect=
=20
tune, and this and the work con-<BR>nected therewith, was placed in the han=
ds of=20
Messrs. Mears and<BR>Stainbank. The framework of the bells is of iron, and=
=20
the<BR>raising of the ponderous weights required to be lifted with=20
the<BR>greatest possible care and accllracy.<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>