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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Many thanks for the information. Look forw=
ard to=20
chiming there one day!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hope you will never have to re-rope St Cat=
herine's=20
- I fitted new chiming ropes in 1974; the old ones of 1936 were quite =
worn=20
out, and a tortuous route they follow. I remember celebrating at the end by=
=20
chiming the Lourdes hymn, very wicked as the church is conservative evangel=
ical.=20
However, the then Vicar, Revd Stanley Plunkett, came over, full of=20
thanks for the ropes and for the tune, which reminded him of his nativ=
e=20
Ireland!</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>DLC</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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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:JMVD@u..." title=3DJMVD@u...>=
Jonathan=20
Dickenson</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> Sunday, January 30, 2005 1:3=
0=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Bell Historians] Re: Nor=
wich,=20
St. Stephens</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><TT>The inspection went quite well, considering they have=
=20
hardly ever been<BR>swung, they were in quite good condition (better than=
St.=20
Andrews)<BR><BR>Full wheels all in tact, bearings (plain) actually workin=
g,=20
and bells able<BR>to be swung. It's interesting to see the frame, you can=
tell=20
the old 5 bells<BR>were quite heavy as the frame has 'cut outs' at either=
end=20
of the frame to<BR>allow the lip of the bell to swing.<BR><BR>Not sure ho=
w=20
safe the bell frame is, as wouldn't know what to look for.<BR><BR>The vic=
ar=20
told us that they were not allowed to be swung, however we assured<BR>him=
that=20
swinging a bell through 20 degrees wouldn't be a problem to frame<BR>or t=
ower=20
fabric, so was quite happy to 'have a go'<BR><BR>Treble and Tenor were ro=
ped=20
up already, and were chimed from the (very well<BR>appointed, and quite=20
spacious) ringing room. I said i would contact him<BR>again to get a 3rd =
rope=20
put on, so chiming could be resumed for Sunday<BR>services only. I would =
go up=20
and do a little maintainance - i.e. grease the<BR>bearings, and make the=
=20
ground pulleys free, and oil the clappers (if<BR>possible)<BR><BR>Oddly e=
nough=20
the bells are not tuned to a major key, can't quite remember,<BR>but i th=
ink=20
they were 1, 2, 3 of a 4, but were quite tuneful for Mears<BR>bells!, als=
o=20
considering the size of the tower/frame, the bells have been<BR>roped so =
that=20
they all fall within 1.5ft of each other (possibly so 1 person<BR>could c=
hime=20
all 3 bells)<BR><BR>You can tell the old 5 were ringable, as there was a=
=20
provision for rope<BR>guides in the ringing chamber.<BR><BR>----<BR><BR>I=
also=20
have inspected, and am the ringer at St. Catherine's church on<BR>Aylsham=
=20
Road.<BR><BR></TT></BODY></HTML>