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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This looks as if it beginning to beg the q=
uestion,=20
"How accurate is a bell weight anyway; and, though interesting, does it mat=
ter?"=20
I remember Alan Hughes addressing the meeting of Bells Advisers etc arrange=
d by=20
the CCC in November 2003, and he made the point along the lines that some b=
ell=20
historians were obsessed with bell weights! The 19thC and later bell=
=20
historians - indeed, most until Fred, did not concern themselves overmuch w=
ith=20
them. Bell diameters were considered of greater importance. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The cynic will say, yes and they got most =
of those=20
wrong too. But I have come across cases where </FONT><FONT face=3DAria=
l=20
size=3D2>contemprary researchers have queried measurements I have obta=
ined;=20
and vice-versa. One can usually be more precise in the surroundings of a be=
ll=20
foundry.....unless the bell is not round!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As to weights, we all know that reputed we=
ights=20
frequently exceed the received ones. But "given" weights of quite modern vi=
ntage=20
are sometimes at variance with what is later measured. Take certain bells f=
rom=20
Canterbury Cathedral old 12 as sent out from Whitechapel and as received in=
=20
1981:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Treble (1923) 6-0-16; 6-0-18 (+2) Doncaste=
r head;=20
independent staple</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>2nd (1923) 6-1-15; =
6-1-18=20
(+3) Doncaster head; independent staple</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>3rd (1802) 6-=
3-24;=20
6-3-16 (-8) 6 canons on; staple drilled out</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>4th (1892) 7-1-0;&=
nbsp;=20
7-1-14 (+14) 6 canons on; staple drilled out</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>5th (1855) 7-1-17;=20
7-1-8 (-9) 6 canons on; staple drilled out</FONT></=
DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>8th (1855) 10-2-25; 10-2=
-7 (-18)=20
6 canons on; staple drilled out</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Tenor (1951) 32-0-6; 32-0-6 () Flat head,=
=20
independent staple but a piece weighing 2 lb knocked out of / ground f=
rom=20
lip.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In the end it just goes to show that it de=
pends=20
whose scales you are using, and how accurate they are. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>There was another case I remember, at=20
Ash-by-Sandwich, Kent where Mears & Stainbank recast the tenor in 1927.=
The=20
new bell weighed 21-1-18. In 1978, Taylors tuned and rehung the bells and=20
augmented to ten. After tuning, the weight of the tenor has increased to 21=
-3-0=20
!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Cyril Johnston sometimes did very od=
d things=20
with weights when displaying his framed bell records.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The answer to David's question about the a=
mount to=20
be allowed for when considering a bell whose cast-in staple has been=20
removed will depend not only on the size of the bell but also that of =
the=20
staple - as we know some care very large with huge roots buried in the crow=
n of=20
the bell, the removal of which is attended with difficulty and danger,=20
especially if undertaken in the tower.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>DLC</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
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<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:davidbryant@h..."=20
title=3Ddavidbryant@h...>David Bryant</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> Tuesday, January 25, 2005 3:=
17=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: [Bell Historians] Sou=
thwark=20
cathedral</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><TT>>I agree entirely. It's sad that it is no longer=20
possible to quote nice,<BR>>exact weights for all the bells, but the p=
lain=20
and simple truth is that the<BR>>front six have not been weighed in th=
eir=20
current form.<BR><BR>In fact, surely the weights of 8,9,10,11 aren't goin=
g to=20
be correct any more <BR>either. Removal of the cast-in staple and drillin=
g of=20
a centre hole will <BR>have reduced the weight by a noticeable amount,=20
specially with the larger <BR>bells. How many pounds would this remove fr=
om a=20
bell as large as the 11th?<BR><BR>David<BR><BR><BR></TT></BODY></HTML>