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Hi<br>
I don't normally contribute to this group - and I'm not Robert - but I
have always been interested in the Westcroft Park bells and tower.
The tower still stands today and appears to be in good condition. I go
and look at it occasionally. It can be seen through the ornamental
gates standing in a very well kept garden. It is rumoured that the
house is now in the hands of an Arab sheik, but then such a rumour is
attached to every large house in this area because of the racing and the
polo nearby.<br><br>
Jackie Roberts<br>
(Acting Ed)<br><br>
At 11:36 26/10/2004, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><font face="arial" size=2 color="#0000FF">I'm
presuming that Chris Pickford has been away from his PC for a while, in
which case I hope he will forgive me for reproducing an extract from his
notes:<br>
</font> <br><br>
<b>Chobham, Westcroft Park</b> (Surrey - just outside
M25)<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><br><br>
[Carillon in tower on Lord Cowdray's estate, 28 bells (?) by Gillett
& Johnston, 1932?]<br><br>
Croydon Foundry records: Carillon of 23 bells, cast
Oct.-Dec.1932<br><br>
23. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4631
43½"
15-0-26
F sharp<br><br>
22. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4630
39
"
11-0-17
G sharp<br><br>
21. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4629
35"
7-3-0
A sharp<br><br>
20. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4628
33"
6-2-13
B<br><br>
19. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4627
31½"
5-3-14
C<br><br>
18. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4626
30"
5-0-17
C sharp<br><br>
17. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4625
28½"
4-2-3
D<br><br>
16. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4624
27"
4-0-3
D sharp<br><br>
15. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4623
26"
3-2-4
E<br><br>
14. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4622
24
"
3-0-10
F<br><br>
13. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4681
23½"
2-2-27
F sharp<br><br>
12. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4620
22¼"
2-1-8
G<br><br>
11. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4619
21"
1-3-18
G sharp<br><br>
10. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4618
20"
1-2-15
A<br><br>
9. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4617
19"
1-1-20
A sharp<br><br>
8. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4616
18"
1-0-20
B<br><br>
7. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4615
16¾"
1-0-8
C<br><br>
6. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4690
15<sup>15</sup>/<sub>16</sub>"
0-3-10
C sharp<br><br>
5. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4613
15<sup>15</sup>/<sub>16</sub>"
0-2-27
D<br><br>
4. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4612
14½"
0-2-15
D sharp<br><br>
3. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4611
13¾"
0-2-6
E<br><br>
2. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4676
13¼"
0-2-4
F<br><br>
1. Gillett & Johnston,
1932
4703
12
"
0-1-21
F sharp<br><br>
Gillett & Johnston purchased most of the bells from this carillon in
December 1945. Three bells (nos.15, 17 and 19) afterwards became
the back three of the light chime of six bells at Gidea Park (Essex),
installed in August 1947<br><br>
"Dove" 1st.ed. (1950) lists a carillon of 23 bells, 15-0-26 in
F sharp; 2nd.ed. (1956) refers (p.188) to the removal of the bells -
"on the death of the owner of Westcroft Park, Surrey, all the bells
except those required for the clock chimes were disposed
of".<br><br>
Gillett & Johnston catalogue, October 1928: "Carillons" -
Chobham, Westcroft Park (1923) 18 bells, 9 cwt<br><br>
Croydon Foundry records vol.3 pp.101-5: Bells for Chobham, 7-29
Nov.1922<br><br>
18. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
535
36½"
9-0-14
A<br><br>
17. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
512
32
"
6-3-17
B<br><br>
16. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
58
29"
4-1-18
C sharp<br><br>
15. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
57
28"
4-0-23
D<br><br>
14. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
56
27"
3-3-1
D sharp<br><br>
13. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
55
25"
2-3-25
E<br><br>
12. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
54
23"
2-1-3
F<br><br>
11. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
52
22"
2-0-7
F sharp<br><br>
10. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
51
21"
1-3-0
G<br><br>
9. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
151
20"
1-2-4
G sharp<br><br>
8. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
53
19"
1-1-15
A<br><br>
7. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
48
18"
1-0-16
A sharp<br><br>
6. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
136
17"
0-3-27
B<br><br>
5. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
45
16½"
0-3-18
C<br><br>
4. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
44
16"
0-3-12
C sharp<br><br>
3. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
141
15¼"
0-3-0
D<br><br>
2. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
42
14½"
0-2-22
D sharp<br><br>
1. Gillett & Johnston,
1922
41
13
"
0-2-1
E<br><br>
Later taken back - no.17 to Swaton S.O. 6701; no.14 to Newfoundland S.O.
6737; no.13 and no.4 to F. Sheffield & Sons Ltd; no.10 to Saughton
Hall<br><br>
Correspondence between Alan Buswell and Michael Boyd, following enquiries
about the Westcroft Park Carillon from Mr. P. Roy Collins of Farnham,
1996 - Westcroft Park was the home of Mr. H.O. Serpell, a biscuit
manufacturer with a factory at Reading. There were 23 bells with
Guildford clock chimes, and on which the bailiff (Mr. Percy Rolph) and
his daughter (Gwen) gave concerts on Sunday afternoons. They had been to
Belgium to learn how to play the instrument. When Mr. Serpell died the
bells were sold except for the fourth, on which the clock still strikes.
Mr. Serpell's daughter is believed to have married into the Johnston
family. Serpell had divorced his first wife under the mental health act
and married his secretary. When he died Mrs. Serpell broke up the
carillon and let the house and gardens go to pot. Part of the farm was
sold to Lord Trefgarne who built a large house called Pembroke Lodge. The
bell tower is still [1996] standing. The estate was sold to Sir Raymond
Brown when Mrs. Serpell died. [Information from this correspondence was
published in the British Carillon Society newsletter no.42,
Sept.1996]<br><br>
<br>
<font face="arial" size=2 color="#0000FF">Andrew Bull<br>
</font> <br>
<dl>
<dd><font face="tahoma" size=2>-----Original Message-----<br>
<dd>From:</b> David Cawley
[<a href="mailto:dcawley@w..." eudora="autourl">mailto:dcawley@w...</a>]<br>
<dd>Sent:</b> 25 October 2004 22:15<br>
<dd>To:</b> bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com<br>
<dd>Subject:</b> Re: [Bell Historians] G & J<br><br>
</font>
<dd><font face="arial" size=2>It is the former carillon tower at
Westcroft Park, Surrey. Don't know anything about the bells other than
that they were by G&J and according to Dove were disposed of when the
owner of the park died. Presumably there were 23 at least to qualify
numerically as a carillon; but how were they played.<br>
</font>
<dd> <br>
<dd><font face="arial" size=2>DLC<br>
</font>
<dd>----- Original Message ----- <br>
<dd>From:</b> <a href="mailto:colin@p...">Colin Turner</a>
<br>
<dd>To:</b> <a href="mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com">bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com</a> <br>
<dd>Sent:</b> Monday, October 25, 2004 10:35 PM<br>
<dd>Subject:</b> [Bell Historians] G & J<br><br>
<dd><tt>Whilst browsing through a Gillett & Johnston catalogue I noticea<br>
<dd>picture described as "A Bell Tower on a Country Estate".<br>
<dd>Does anyone know where this is, or is it simply an artists impression of<br>
<dd>what might be done?<br><br>
<dd>-- <br>
<dd>Colin Turner<br><br>
</tt><br><br>
<br>
<dd>This email originated externally and has been scanned by MessageLabs<br><br>
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