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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Yes, Matt. I remember that when I was
Norwich's DAC Bells Adviser one was never far from a Day of Eye job, and
very good bellhangers they became.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I would say that from c1880 onwards their work is
splendidly massive and robust. They clearly preferred - as did all bellhangers
of the period (except JT & Co after 1887) - to make wood frames,
characterized by the use of jack-braces which were otherwise going out
of fashion. They could work in iron especially where there were constraints
of space: the frame at Quidenham, Norfolk (8) is an example.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>It is interesting that in the excerpt from
correspondence over Barford which Peter Trent gives, the work involved using a
wooden single-bell frame, and fittings, made in 1884 by Moore, Holmes
& Mackenzie. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>It would be interesting to know the nature of the
relationship between Day and MHM. Through the kindness of the Hughes family I
was able during my Norwich years to go through the correspondence book of
the latter firm, now preserved at Whitechapel. Although thev first 100 pages (up
to 1881) are missing there is nothing in the subsequent period to indicate any
connection; and the style of workmanship between the two firms is strikingly
different. One wonders about the conversation if ever the Day men and the MHM
partnersa ever rang together!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Features of Day's work include having his bells
cast (originally by Warner, later by Mears) with a full complement of
traditional canons -they did not even use Doncaster heads, to my knowledge
- also the provision of cast-in crown staples, long after others had
discarded them. Their later bearing housings are often stamped with "DAY / EYE"
and about 1900 they adopted the square "Eye" trademark which was cast upon
the bells which Mears provided for them. One also finds their names on
supporting ironwork, and sometimes their frames have fine carved inscriptions,
as at Wymondham Abbey. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I would say that their restorations were sometimes
not up to the standard of their complete installations. There are a number of
frames that had seen better days even by the time they came to restore them;
some were sitting on very old foundation beams, a problem which Days did
not always adequately address, and there was the perennial problem of those
which were too high in the tower. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The earliest attributable Day rehang I have come
across is at Broome, Norfolk, now unringable, a poor job of the 1860's, using
the old frame. The last job of theirs which I personally advised on is at
Happisburgh, Norfolk, of 1924: here he put in a splendid 8-bell frame, all new
fittings for the five old bells (two of them recast by Mears) and provided
a treble. The frame remains, now holding 8 bells, the trebles provided and the
others rehung a few years ago by Taylors.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>No doubt Chris Pickford will give us "chapter and
verse" - but I thought that you and other list members might be interesated in
these observations made from personal acquaintance.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>And yes, they did cast at least one bell of their
own, a tinkler for St Helen's Church, Silfield, Wymondham. We rescued it when St
Helen's closed and for years it was in the ringing room at the Abbey. I believe
it is now at the Abbey's other daughter church at Spooner Row.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>DLC </FONT><SPAN
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