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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Looks fine to me. Have you seen my report of c1990
(alas recommending a chime)?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>D</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=c.j.pickford.t21@-bh3vo0CuLDrdpPKYpBDhWDmEcHOsTgQlj4e2GlJ2_kj7oBUKnxn-ZUKj8YXfkapVsR7kry4KRC-wtnzdF5-5h3_SVam34N3Qzw_R_s.yahoo.invalid
href="mailto:c.j.pickford.t21@XZ-KOptROVfg0-dJI2W4zJ2omLeMW6a_UI2SODC9OC8ErrEpuRw-U68T_9V0TDTphixRBqkKv_Kp_tzaGEruoHr5PFaajHSPow.yahoo.invalid">Chris Pickford</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> Saturday, May 19, 2007 9:02
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Bell Historians] Re: Listed
bells, why are they listed?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV id=ygrp-text>
<P>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=2>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=2>I visited St.Katharine Cree with
Christopher Dalton on 12 March 2002, particularly to look at the frame. We
thought the frame rather earlier (in part) than 1754, and the fittings may be
somewhat later. Here are some extracts from the notes I made at the
time:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><I><SPAN lang=EN-GB>Bellframe</SPAN></I></B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB>:<SPAN> </SPAN>Apparently a four-bell frame of c.1630-40
later adapted in two phases – first to take five (perhaps c.1710) and
eventually six (probably 1754). Pre-Civil War and pre-Fire. Bells hung
anti-clockwise with an awkward and very tight rope circle. Tenor pit built
into the stair well, and other pits make use of the belfry windows – the
treble swung diagonally into the west window, the third into the south widow
and the fourth into the east window. Originally three parallel pits with
gallows ends on the east side (for bells swinging E/W) and a transverse pit to
the west for the tenor. Only the fifth pit is unaltered. Tenor pit shortened
on the south the accommodate the treble.<SPAN> </SPAN>Third pit inserted
across the western end of the two parallel pits containing bells 2 and 4.
Trusses of sills, braces (13”) and long heads. Jack braces in the north side
of the tenor pit only. Posts for the gallows ends. The treble pit consists of
two short trusses of c.1710 – one with a reused head (with bearing notch now
facing the wall) - forming an open-ended pit with an iron bar linking the
heads. Iron bar in the north end of the tenor pit too. The pit for the third
seems to be the most recent alterations – probably of 1754 – and the
introduction of new timber to form the western head of this pit has destroyed
evidence of the original arrangement.<SPAN> </SPAN>Bells 2 and 4 hang
towards the east of the original pits - the fourth swung well out into the
belfry window and the tower wall has been hollowed out to allow the second to
swing. Clearance grooves in the heads and braces, and also in the posts
supporting the gallows ends. There are some carpenters’ marks. The frame is
supported on two N/S beams (one to the east of the stair turret and the other
near the east wall), with an E/W beam between them towards the south of the
tower</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><O></O></SPAN></P><B><I><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Fittings</SPAN></I></B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">: The
printed list produced by John Wooding of Whitechapel (successor to Edward
Simmons) refers to work here, c.1810. Bells now (including the tenor) all on
old oak headstocks with strap gudgeons, stock hoops and plain bearings with
wooden covers. Wheels removed. The fittings were overhauled in 1911 by Mears
& Stainbank<SPAN> </SPAN>who provided new supporting ironwork and
refurbished the clappers.<SPAN> </SPAN>Ropes are attached to the
clappers for chiming. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So perhaps not a contemporary installation of 1754 (a view supported now
by DLC), but certainly not a Thomas Mears lash-up of c.1840 as wrongly
identified by Rod Bickerton</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>CJP<!--End group email --></DIV></FONT></DIV>
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