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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>What happened at St Saviour, Leicester, had little
to do with metal prices. It was a very political decision. In fact the
Vicar would not even let the LDG or other interested persons near the bells
(which he personally disliked) even to rescue them at scrap value which they
offered. The result was that the allowance was nil, he had to pay for JT and two
bellhangers to take them out. He would not allow even one bell to remain for
chiming. He then spent another sum on Eayre & Smith for two bellhangers
- and a secondhand bell - resulting in about half of the metal value being
expended on works where a saving could have been made and (in the case of taking
out) was offered. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>St John Maddermarket, Norwich, were taken out and
sold for scrap in 1970, when Gilbert Thurlow was Diocesan Adviser, not
the mid-1970's when I was. These bells were ringable, although there was organ
obstruction. But I did go along with the removal in 1975 of St
Gregory's unringable six, the residual value of the metal being used to
cast and fit up the two trebles at Beetley and the remainder to 'pump-prime' the
Norwich Diocesan Association Bell Restoration Fund.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have the fate of Tivetshall St Margaret
- 1976/7 - at my door. They were a totally derelict five in a remote area,
the tenor being split almost in two and the medieval 4th fallen. That was rehung
'dead', the split tenor and very poor toned 19thC third were scrapped. The late
Bill Hughes generously kept the two trebles by for 18 months until we failed to
find a home for them - he had actually paid the parish for the metal and so was
out of pocket for their value at a time when bell metal was fetching
a high price.</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>
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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=alan_ellis@qOc37Zq_4T8x9SXptVGe7ED3UfLed3XpbgkyJdoECsul2BtH_JtDtm85BuykbAfzsQW4K1zvRVjhjKJB1zODRY4f3BcOsic.yahoo.invalid href="mailto:alan_ellis@Rxn4Y8DONbZNJhnEmgfN0HOoZ-biDLoUQ8q3FtruRNfblODUJqxJkiLVlhoq0RCH7G2JX4pm5k3gAqVj1A.yahoo.invalid">Alan
Ellis</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, March 01, 2008 1:26
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Bell Historians] Metal
Prices</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV id=ygrp-text>
<P>Also at St. John Maddermarket, Norwich, back in the
mid-1970s!<BR><BR>Regards<BR><BR>Alan<BR><BR><BR><BR>David Bryant wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=midBLU111-W11901D0EC38AAA0F55C33EFE140@6beB6k1q-gaUnY3t3yVVse2DQpDZ3FogaZ8jUjqNKP3lUEuRuKSuRoChIlSEuP8lzH2F8Qw6iZEo6gRRu-BBsEE0QkEegAsMm3-tbEeK36kmc_05M6W8vVCMbFGsGQ.yahoo.invalid type="cite">
<DIV id=ygrp-text>
<P>"<FONT face=Arial>The other problem with increasing metal prices is some
church authorities are looking at scrapping their "unused" bells as they see
it as a way of raising funds. Despite the efforts of the local ringing
association officers it looks like a ring of eight will be sold for scrap to
raise money for fabric repairs."</FONT><BR> <BR>This is always a risk
at times of high metal prices - isn't this what happened at St Saviour's in
Leicester?<BR> <BR>Are the bells in question currently
ringable?<BR> <BR>David<BR></P></DIV><!--End group email --></BLOCKQUOTE>
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