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<div dir="ltr"><div><div><div>There is a slight error to the Serial Numbers to the G&J bells for Corbridge.<br></div>Taken from their earliest Tuning Book (my volume reference is ' - ' a minus) and on page 65 one will find: #1: 1089; #2: 1087; #3: 1088; #4: 1083; #5: 1090; #6: 1084.<br></div>The weights given are probably the cast weights.<br><br><br></div>AAJB<br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Feb 20, 2015 at 8:39 PM, <a href="mailto:khsbelring@aol.com">khsbelring@aol.com</a> [bellhistorians] <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com" target="_blank">bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:center" align="center"><b><span style="color:black;font-size:16pt">CORBRIDGE <u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">It would appear that I have stimulated
interest in Corbridge by explaining the current position which I now think,
for the state of accuracy, I should <span> </span>expand a bit. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">Prior to the recent installation of a solid
permanent wood floor the bells could have been rung by removing the large
planks used to cross the frame to gain access to the tower roof for the purpose
of flag raising. Now the wood floor is in place that is not possible as five of
the bells can no longer swing. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">So the bells themselves were ringable
but to have rung them may very well have caused long term damage to the tower. Technically
Corbridge <span> </span>should have more correctly
been given a tower unsafe designation. Now they are <b>definitely physically unringable.<span> </span></b><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">Prior to 1888 there were three bells in
the tower the largest cast by Aaron Peever of Kirk Oswald in 1629. These bells
had long lain silent and at a public meeting in January of 1887 it was decided
to install new bells in honour of the jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Victoria in
June of 1887. Mr. F.M. Laing of Farnley Grange and Mr. T. Sheldon of Summerville
each agreed to pay for one bell, the remaining cost being defrayed by present
and former parishioners.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">So it was that six new bells were cast in 1887.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> </span><span style="color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:12pt">1 <span> </span>Gillett & Co.
Croydon<span> </span> <span> </span>G.& J. no. 1084<span> </span>251/2”
<span> </span>4-0-02</span><span style="color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:12pt">2<span> </span>Gillett & Co.
Croydon<span> </span>G.& J.
no. 1087<span> </span>261/2”<span> </span>4-0-14</span><span style="color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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</font></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:12pt">3<span> </span>Gillett & Co.
Croydon<span> </span>G.& J.
no. 1088<span> </span>28”<span> </span>4-1-09</span><span style="color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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</font></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:12pt">4<span> </span>Gillett & Co.
Croydon<span> </span>G.& J.
no. 1083<span> </span>291/2”<span> </span>5-1-00</span><span style="color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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</font></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:12pt">5<span> </span>Gillett & Co.
Croydon<span> </span>G.& J.
no. 1090<span> </span>311/2”<span> </span>5-2-09</span><span style="color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:12pt">6<span> </span>Gillett & Co.
Croydon<span> </span>G.& J.
no. 1083<span> </span>34”<span> </span>6-2-23</span><span style="color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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</font></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> </span><span style="color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">In 1888 they were hung and first rung
by ringers from St. Stephens, Low Elswick at the dedication service as reported
in the Bell News and Ringers Record of June 2<sup>nd</sup> 1888.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">During the 1800s all of the bell
foundries tried to outdo each other and this was accomplished in the main by
putting the largest bells possible in the smallest space and hanging them right
at the top of a tower so that the sound<span>
</span>would carry further with no regard to the structure. From memory of 1972,
I recollect that when standing on the upper frame sills you can rub your head
on the roof.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">In my opinion the two main things that
eventually stopped the full circle ringing at Corbridge were –<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">Firstly there was indeed tower
movement, first mentioned as late as 1908 by Canon Lonsdale, and discussed at
various points up to the early 1920s when full circle ringing was finally suspended.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"><span>
</span>Secondly there was constant enmity between the ringers and the<span> </span>P.C.C. mainly documented as total
disagreement with who was responsible for maintenance of the bells (
specifically purchase of new ropes and greasing of the bells ) This constant
almost warfare between the two groups probably made the decision to stop full
circle ringing much easier as it got rid of two problems at the same time.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> <span> </span>We
now jump forward to 25<sup>th</sup> March 1972. On that day a number of well
known ringers and bell “consultants” met and rang the bells. They were <b>easy enough to ring with no mechanical
problems </b>and the ringing was of a high quality and much appreciated. <b><u>However</u></b>. Wishing to explain this
in an acceptable way we ringers talk about peal speeds as a judge of time spent
ringing at individual towers. Thus a peal at Newcastle Cathedral with its
thirty seven hundredweight tenor should take between 3 hours. 30 mins<span> </span>and <font>3</font> <font>hours 45 mins</font>. The natural ringing speed at
Corbridge is about 2 hours 45 minutes.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">When rung</span></b><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> <b>at 2-45 speed there is no argument that the tower does indeed go into
periodic spasm.</b><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">When rung</span></b><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> <b>at 3 hour speed all of the spasmodic movement disappears</b>.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> <span> </span>A main part of the
problem is that the bells are so high in the tower and that they all swing East
/ West.<span> </span>No bell hanger would hang the
bells in this fashion today. The frame would be designed so that the bells did
not all swing in one direction and they would be put slightly lower in the
tower.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">The wobbleometer was in use and the tried and tested threepenny piece
stood upright on top of the tower did not fall over. It was noticeable that
there was movement as our brains seem to pick up movement very easily when we
expect there not to be any.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">What has happened since 1972. ?<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> <span> </span>One of the
unfortunate things about the whole situation is that in the 1970s there were no
bell restoration funds available. Had that 1972 inspection been done more
recently funds would have been available to partly defray the cost of restoration.
In the meantime I am aware that at least one incumbent had an aversion to bells
so that for many years nothing could or would have been done. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> <span> </span>By request of the
Rev. Constantine in 1991 Dr. S.B. Bell ( the then Diocesan bell advisor ) did a
cursory inspection prior to the clock weight train being electrified. In this
inspection he wrote -<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">“<i>I would therefore recommend that
the bells and fittings are kept in good order with the necessary preservatives,
until a time when it might be possible to position them lower in the tower so
that they can be rung full circle in the traditional English style”.</i> <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">To be fair to the P.C.C. they have done
everything by the book. There was no will to embark on any bell restoration and
in spite of what you may think about the wealth of Corbridge inhabitants
allegedly there was not much likely hood of securing the funds.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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</font></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">These days the issues of safety are not
neglected by the bell hangers and modern schemes would incorporate them and
although what is now a solid floor allowing no scope for ringing it would be
reversible if someone with the funds came along and managed to stir up
sufficient interest. The bells would need to be hung lower down in a different
frame layout. To sum it all up there remains a small glimmer of hope that sometime
in the future the bells could be rung full circle again.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt"> <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="color:black;font-size:14pt">Howard E. J. Smith – Diocesan bell advisor.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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</font></div>
</span>
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<br>
<!-- |**|end egp html banner|**| -->
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