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<DIV>David Sloman wrote:- </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Some of the Abraham Rudhall ring of 1722 from St.
Mary's were dispersed when the 1830 ring was installed, one to St. Peter's
Oldham, one to St. James Oldham and one possibly to Newton Heath(since recast-if
it did go there).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Is the disused Rudhall bell in the tower at. St.
Mary's, one returned from either St. Peter or St. James or another bell.
</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>Would be grateful for any
information.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><STRONG>Derek Thomas, Tower captain St Mary's Oldham has
provided the following:-</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The bell in question
was the one from St James’. It was acquired during the time they were also
disposing of most of their Gillett & Johnson 10 bell carillon, 8 of which
are now hung for ringing in Fen Ditton Cambridgeshire.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It was installed in the
tower during the spring of 1983, at the same time as the new flat 6<SUP>th</SUP>
bell was added to the ringing peal. The original intention was to have it hung
so that it could be used as a sanctus/service bell. This still remains an
objective, but as with many churches, other priorities have taken up what little
funding has been available. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I believe that this
bell was probably the 6<SUP>th</SUP> of the old 8 (i.e. the 4<SUP>th</SUP> of
the 1722 Rudhall 6 – two more bells were added c
1781/2)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The bell that went to
St Peter’s back in 1828 eventually found its way to St Ambrose Oldham in the
late 1960’s when St Peter’s was demolished. St Ambrose never made any use of it
and it remained on the floor of their Church Hall. I enquired about its
availability sometime in the late ‘70’s/early80’s when the project to raise
funds for the flat 6<SUP>th </SUP>was up and running.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The incumbent at that
time, Rev James (as in the beer brewed by Brains) said he would discuss the
matter with his PCC and invited me to make contact again.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">When I did so a few
weeks later I was appalled to discover that my first visit had made them realise
that they had something of value, and that in the intervening period the bell
had been broken up on site and the metal sold for scrap (to Whitechapel I think,
but I don’t have any written evidence). This was the worst possible course of
action that could have been taken as I could have arranged to meet the scrap
valuation figure and have avoided the bell being broken up. </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">This bell was larger
than the one from St James, so I assumed it was probably the 5<SUP>th</SUP> of
the 1722 ring of 6. (7<SUP>th</SUP> of the old 8)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I believe the old tenor
did go to Newton Heath All Saints and was subsequently re-cast. The other 5
bells went to Mears prior to the casting of the 1830 ring of 12 for the new
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Oldham</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Parish</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Church</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Hope this information
helps. </SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=navy
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Derek.
</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=#000080>Likewise, Michael Orme.<FONT
face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P></FONT></DIV></FONT> </BODY></HTML>