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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>First of all, to Richard's letter:</FONT><=
/DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Mr Smyth, whose name appears on the recast=
tenor,=20
was very proud of the new bells and was most disappointed at the outco=
me.=20
CJP thinks I am unfair in suggesting that the place was destined to be "use=
ful=20
as a peal factory" (my words) and in fairness to the SMG, I think that the=
=20
number of volunteers to learn was equally disappointing.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>He was succeded in 1971 by the Revd A. J. =
F. Voake,=20
and it was he, not Mr Smyth, who didn't like (the) bells - and they were go=
ne=20
within the year!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The present Rector is the Revd R. F. Bashf=
ord, who=20
has been there since 1981.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The story about GF with the rope=20
being mistaken for the Executioner is quite possibly true. The bells w=
ere=20
dedicated in 1959 and in the time they were there, only one execution took =
place=20
at nearby Winson Green Prison (in August 1962). Two years later hanging was=
=20
abolished.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Coming now to Neil's query, I don't know a=
bout the=20
Deritend peal boards. If they aren't at Perry Barr, the chances are that th=
ey=20
did not go to Latimer's (they are not there now). Remember that Deritend wa=
s=20
demolished in 1944, and little care was taken of so many things at the=20
time.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Going up that mighty tower at Latimer=
's is=20
depressing. The tower is on the south side, at the junction of nave an=
d=20
chancel. A short staircase leads up to the high ringing room, into which th=
e=20
back of the organ intrudes. There are large and lofty gothic windows. A lon=
g=20
draught - there was formerly a home-made rope-guide, also an Ellacombe chim=
ing=20
apparatus. The place is bare and bleak now, with only the rope-holes to=20
remind one that there were ever bells there. An iron ladder up the wal=
l=20
brings you into the belfry. The two sets of foundation joists remain, among=
st=20
which is hung a tiny 19thC brassfoundry-type bell, wholly unworthy of the=20
church. There is a secondhand 3-cwt bell on the ground floor of the tower, =
by=20
Barwell, but it was never hung. Another long ladder takes you to the roof. =
NB -=20
the place in infested with pigeons.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Strangely, another church whose bells ring=
=20
elsewhere has a total immersion font - St Mary's, Lambeth where I rang=
=20
several times, the bells fittings and frame being transferred to Caterham V=
alley=20
about the same time as Perry Barr received the bells of Bishop=20
Latimer's.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>DLC</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0p=
x; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>Fro=
m:</B>=20
<A href=3D"mailto:richard@g..." title=3Drichard@g...>Rich=
ard=20
Grimmett</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A=20
href=3D"mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com"=20
title=3Dbellhistorians@yahoogroups.com>bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com</A>=
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, July 23, 2004 7:11 P=
M</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: **SPAM** Re: [Bell=20
Historians] Bishop Latimer, Birmingham</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D883051018-23072004><FONT face=3DArial><FONT color=3D#0=
000ff><FONT=20
size=3D2>V<SPAN class=3D883051018-23072004>icar never liked them. S=
ame old=20
chap is still there I think. Also some excuse about an unexploded b=
omb=20
near the tower!!</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D883051018-23072004><FONT face=3DArial><FONT color=3D#0=
000ff><FONT=20
size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D883051018-23072004></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </DIV=
>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D883051018-23072004><FONT face=3DArial><FONT color=3D#0=
000ff><FONT=20
size=3D2><SPAN class=3D883051018-23072004>George was accused of being a h=
angman=20
after a peal there, when he went into the lcoal with an old bellrope over=
his=20
shoulder</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV><BR><BR>
<P><FONT size=3D2>---<BR>Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.<BR>Checke=
d by=20
AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).<BR>Version: 6.0.720 / Vir=
us=20
Database: 476 - Release Date:=20
14/07/2004<BR></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>