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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Church is St Katherine Cree in the City of
London.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In the 1990's I inspected these as part of
research in connection with the CCC's London Diocesan List of Bells for
Preservation. I was at that time a member of the CCC Bells Committee. I had been
charged at that time to draw up a provisional list for London (City) and
Westminster.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The frame, like the front 5 bells, is of 1754,
and not as Mr Bickerton says a "typical T Mears 2 shoe-horned in and much cut
about frame". Whether or not it was "subject to more butchery at a later date" I
do not know; but there is nothing about that in the invoice for recasting
the Tenor (T Mears 1842) or for adapting the bells for chiming (Mears &
Stainbank 1911). Apart from ascribing them to Thomas Lester instead of Lester
& Pack, the whole history is excellently presented on Lovesguide
<A
href="http://london.lovesguide.com/katherine_cree.htm">http://london.lovesguide.com/katherine_cree.htm</A> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The question is asked, why list the bells? Granted
at the time, 1990,they were not being used in any way at all, and were felt to
be at risk, the six Lester & Pack bells (1-5 and clock
bell) were in my view significant as an almost complete installation; the
only change being the recasting of the tenor. They are, in fact, after St
Bart's, the oldest (almost) complete ring in the City. St Andrew Undershaft
(6) are older, four being by Robert Mot, one by Bryan Eldridge and one
by Anthony Bartlet, so even less complete - but all listed, and, alas, now
hung dead.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The St Katherine Cree bells are not listed
because they are by Lester & Pack, but because they are an almost complete
installation by them in an area (the City) where there are no other
contemporary complete or nearly complete installations. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There are four bells by Lester, 1744 and
three by L&P 1764 at Aldgate, the fifth, seventh and
tenor of eight, which have tuned up very well. There are three Thomas
Lester bells in the present twelve at Cornhill, the two trebles recast in
1746 and the 8th recast in 1740, which are not the best examples, and were
installed piecemeal. Like Aldgate, they have lost their canons. None of these
ten Lester or Lester & Pack bells are listed. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There is every reason to believe that St Katherine
Cree would benefit from being tuned as a ring, which listing does not
by any means preclude. They do retain their canons, and listing would
anticipate their retention.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In this tiny tower, with space at such a premium,
it might not be possible to retain the 1754 frame if a major rehang were
contemplated; and, as at St Magnus, preservation by recording should be
sufficient. It is interesting rather than significant. It is not
listed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My views expressed here are my own and not those of
the CCC, of whose Bells Committee I ceased to be a member a year ago. Having
(with GAD) been on since 1975, we thought we were going to be listed
:)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>DLC</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2> </FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=roderic.bickerton@3j-TmR84hEWPus69ojCrt-agQeDyXs69uULOx3BP32TISElGSaKEtNCw3jZ8bviDPwnwrYMNYzYEvt0D5uZlENOrv2kxPp5CYAz0zJOpog.yahoo.invalid
href="mailto:roderic.bickerton@Uxe2y3AtJPO-YN3YbjF0NuWA58Z8hbL4ou-5T7KC62nt-HrGvLtUJwZGvvLWxVX6Cz2O7OGZwJm2M2tDWRfYJXvJi5KiYq8w.yahoo.invalid">Bickerton, Roderic K (SELEX)
(UK)</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com
href="mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com">bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 15, 2007 5:02 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Bell Historians] FW: Listed
bells, why are they listed?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV id=ygrp-text>
<P><BR>why are they listed?<BR>I asked this of George, and am now throwing it
open. I am not<BR>criticizing George, he is probably to busy to answer me more
fully.<BR>Perhaps I need to provide more information. They are in a typical
T<BR>Mears 2 shoe horned in and much cut about frame, subject to
more<BR>butchery at a later date.<BR>I hope this can go!<BR><BR>I was a bit
surprised to see them listed. Not a complete ring. <BR>3 is a real brute and
would have to be retired if it could not, or not<BR>be allowed to be tuned.
The others would not need to much doing.<BR>I have been advised the T Mears 2
tenor would probably tune down quite<BR>well, it is nearly a semi sharp.
<BR><BR>Would you be able to guess why they would be listed?<BR>"No idea.
GAD"<BR><BR>1 of 6 27.25 1754 Lester &<BR>Pack, Whitechapel <BR>2 of 6 29
1754 Lester &<BR>Pack, Whitechapel <BR>3 of 6 30.75 1754 Lester
&<BR>Pack, Whitechapel <BR>4 of 6 32 1754 Lester &<BR>Pack,
Whitechapel <BR>5 of 6 35.5 1754 Lester &<BR>Pack, Whitechapel <BR>Clock
24.81 1754<BR>Lester & Pack, Whitechapel<BR>I did not collect this
information. <BR><BR>SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems Limited<BR>Registered
Office: Sigma House, Christopher Martin Road, Basildon, Essex SS14 3EL<BR>A
company registered in England & Wales. Company no.
02426132<BR>************<WBR>*********<WBR>*********<WBR>*********<WBR>*********<WBR>*********<WBR>*********<WBR>**<BR>This
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