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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Two salutary "preservation tales" from War=
wickshire=20
- preservation <EM>ex situ</EM> is tricky</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>At Offchurch, the old frame was going to b=
e=20
recorded by an architect living in the village before the bells were restor=
ed.=20
He had expressed concern at the loss of the frame and agreed to record it. =
It=20
was also decided that the frame would be reassembled in the grounds of the=
=20
Diocesan Retreat house nearby. In the end, no record of the frame was ever =
made.=20
The timbers were removed to the Retreat house, but left in a pile and never=
=20
reassembled. When I saw the timbers some 10 years later, they were wel=
l=20
beyond recovery. If the timber had been sold at the time to a carpenter for=
=20
reuse, the restoration fund would have benefited - and a substantial quanti=
ty of=20
good seasoned oak would have been recycled and put to use rather than left =
to=20
rot</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>At Walsgrave, the old frame was reassemble=
d in the=20
churchyard (there's a picture in my <EM>Bellframes</EM> book) but it wasn't=
=20
under cover and wouldn't have lasted long. But this attempt at "preservatio=
n"=20
ended, I believe, when the local police asked for it to be removed because =
local=20
kids were using it as a "den" and causing disturbance in the=20
neighbourhood</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>On the way to Warwick today for a peal, I =
happened=20
to notice a van belonging to Flack and Chapman - any relation of Whitechape=
l's=20
"great traffickers but no artists" (<EM>pace</EM> William Ludlam) of the=20
C18th?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Have just discovered the website <A=20
href=3D"http://www.oldbaileyonline.org">www.oldbaileyonline.org</A> with ex=
tracts=20
from the trial proceedings at the Old Bailey. Not much on bells, but there =
are=20
two references to theft of goods from Thomas Mears at Whitechapel. In =
1815,=20
James Lamb (59) an employee at the foundry was caught "red handed" by the=20
foundry clerk, William Chamberlain, and found guilt of stealing 1=
.5=20
lbs of brass from his master. In 1805, John Russell (83), was sentenced to =
12=20
months in the House of Correction and fined 1st for stealing three metal be=
lls=20
(value 5s) belonging to Thomas Mears. John Whitby, who cast the bells, gave=
=20
evidence. Interesting, if only to add a few names to the list of former fou=
ndry=20
staff</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>CP</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>