[Bell Historians] bell shapes

[David Bryant]

> Could someone please explain to me why bells hung for ringing and
> chiming bells having the same/nearly the same note, can be so
> dramatically different in shape? I have in mind Liverpool Cathedral's
> tenor at St. Helens Carillon bass bell. I assume that it may have
> something to do with the dynamics in making a ringing bell easier to
> handle and clapper correctly.

Surely the case you quote is because the bells are by different founders,
rather than because one is a ringing and one is a chiming bell. Obviously,
the front end of a ring is heavier than that of a chime to make the trebles
powerful enough, but I hadn't noticed any difference in profile in the
majoroty of cases. However, I believe Gilletts sometimes cast the tenor of a
chime rather long-waisted. Don't know why. The tenor at St Wilfrid's in
York, formerly the tenor of a chime, is one of these and it causes problems
with the timing of this bell (i.e. it's very slow) in relation to the
others.

Taylor's, at least (not sure about WBF and G&J) have sometimes cast trebles
of higher number rings longer in the waist, presumably to add weight.

David