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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Whatever the issues of principle here - th=
ese bells=20
were clearly misappropriated if not stolen, as it seems unlikely that the=20
church/ringers authorised alienation from the church - there may be little=
=20
option but to bite the bullet and buy them back. To establish proof o=
f=20
ownership, to trace their whereabouts over 60 years and offer=20
certainty that they were never lawfully disposed of may be impossible.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As Anne Willis has already discovered, the=
dealer=20
who has them now bought them from another dealer. At the Leeds end, t=
he=20
aged verger seems pretty sure about what happened to them though (to deal w=
ith=20
Aidan's point) it's more likely that the parish quietly forgot about them r=
ather=20
than claim on the church insurance for the loss. Without Sid's long=20
memory, all recollection of them would have been lost altogether.</FONT></D=
IV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I gather from David Brookes that they have come to the conclusion that=
they=20
will need to establish a "buyback fund" to recover the bells and that he in=
tends=20
to raise this at the PCC meeting next week.</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Doesn't this case offer an opportunity for=
this=20
List to be of practical assistance by securing funds to recover the be=
lls?=20
I have already offered David a contribution if it be needed. Would other li=
st=20
members be willing to contribute too? It would be good to take positi=
ve=20
action to match the strong sentiments on this issue that have been expresse=
d=20
already on Bellhistorians.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Offers of support can be sent direct to David at <A=20
href=3D"mailto:dcbrookes@b...">dcbrookes@b...</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Chris Pickford<BR>Tel: 01732-456147 or (mobile) 07811-453525<BR>E-mail=
: <A=20
href=3D"mailto:c.j.pickford@t...">c.j.pickford@t...</A></DIV></=
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