Firing the bells

[jimhedgcock]

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One of the most 'spectacular' sounds I have ever heard was when the 
twelve at Liverpool Cathedral were fired with the bourdon booming out.
The occasion was Dean Patey's daughter's wedding. Dean Patey was to 
become somewhat anti - bells and would not sanction the purchase of 
new ropes!




In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "Chris Povey" <cmpovey at 3...> wrote:
> Malcolm Bland asked about firing at weddings. This is still done at 
a number of towers in the North Cotswolds and the Vale of Evesham, 
although probably not quite so much as 30-40 years ago. There are 
three firing sessions, all consecutive (ie the bells aren't stood in 
between), and each session consists of 'rounds, cross (Queens) and 
fire'. The number of firings per session is certainly not seven, 
because that would end at the wrong stroke, and it's usually a few 
more. After the last fire, the bells are brought into rounds, the 
trebles pulling in as quickly as possible and the tenors holding up. 
The firing is only done after the wedding and it is the first thing 
to be rung. Firing is supposed to bring good luck to the couple.
> 
> Firing is OK when it's good firing; when it's ragged, it's very 
poor. There is some satisfaction in getting some good bangs. The 
photographers normally don't like firing, because just as they are 
telling the wedding party to get into order for a photo, there's a 
big noise and he has to repeat the instruction. It has been known for 
a photographer to storm into a (ground floor) ringing room and demand 
that the ringing stops.
> 
> Chris Povey