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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>So far as I am aware the best source on the history of the Hastings Stay is George Fletcher’s paper produced by the Whiting Society: <a href="https://www.whitingsociety.org.uk/articles/stay-making/hastings-stay.html"><span style='color:blue'>The Whiting Society of Ringers - Design for a Rectangular Hastings Stay</span></a> . There may of course be more information available on its inventor, perhaps at Martley where he was the incumbent.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Peter Rivet<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'> Bell-historians <bell-historians-bounces@lists.ringingworld.co.uk> <b>On Behalf Of </b>AMH via Bell-historians<br><b>Sent:</b> 23 February 2022 14:19<br><b>To:</b> 'Bell Historians Mailing List' <bell-historians@lists.ringingworld.co.uk><br><b>Cc:</b> AMH <hodgeam@btinternet.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [Bell Historians] Hastings stays<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hello historians - <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>We are investigating the history of Hastings stays and have found at least three versions of who invented them. Some references say “Rev W Hastings Thorne” but we have found two other websites quoting “Rev J F Hastings” or “Rev Edward Hastings Thorne”. Is there a historian who knows the definitive answer please?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>Alison<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>