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<DIV><SPAN class=265505708-09102010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I
think the trouble is that if, as is quite likely, the theft was carried out
in broad daylight many people would assume that the people doing
it were "official".</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=265505708-09102010></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=265505708-09102010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>A
story from many years ago: one afternoon a group of men turned up at the
cinema in Crowborough, Sussex and asked to see the manager's secretary.
"We've come to repair the safe" one of them said. "Where is it?"
</FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=265505708-09102010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>She pointed it out to them, the safe was carried out to a van parked
outside... and that was the last anyone saw of it.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=265505708-09102010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=265505708-09102010>Unfortunately, it seems to me that </SPAN><SPAN
class=265505708-09102010>any church that keeps bells on display on the floor of
the church has to regard them as being at
risk.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=265505708-09102010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=265505708-09102010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Peter
Rivet</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=265505708-09102010><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com [mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com]<B>On
Behalf Of </B>Peter Humphreys<BR><B>Sent:</B> 09 October 2010
09:32<BR><B>To:</B> bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com; 'Wirral Bellringers';
merseybells@lg-pEddxoUC_fLAhv-ymnMStaP7KC4IccgFhLuP25BGkOZWk4RRJhWt7N_tAvrHF2nNQkrxRuo4OlWlN672bHHSDdEs7.yahoo.invalid<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Bell Historians] Stolen
Bell, Shotwick, Cheshire<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><SPAN
style="DISPLAY: none"> </SPAN>
<DIV id=ygrp-text>
<P>
<DIV class=WordSection1>
<P class=MsoNormal><O></O></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The old Tenor Bell at
Shotwick, cast by John Scott of Wigan in 1664, and kept at the foot of the
tower, has reportedly been stolen.<O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">A picture of the bell may be
found on the Wirral Branch website <A
href="http://www.wirralbranch.org.uk">www.wirralbranch.org.uk</A> then
selecting Shotwick (from the clickable map) then selecting picture
gallery.<O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The church is located at the end of some half-a-mile of a
narrow country lane so it is perhaps a little surprising that the
thieves have taken the risk of finding their only escape route blocked had
someone in the village noticed something strange happening and called the
police. <O></O></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US><O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>Peter Humphreys<O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>15 Mount Park<O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>Bebington<O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>Wirral CH63 5RD<O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>Tel: 0151-608 9434<O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>Mobile: 07896 342 920<O></O></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><O></O></P></DIV>
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