[Bell Historians] digital recordings and other things

[David Cawley]

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I'd forgotten that I turfed Jim off St Dunstan's tenor: one of the "nicetie=
s" :)

I am, pretty certain that we have discussed Star Street on this page before=
. However, and very briefly, they were last rung in 1933 according to RHD, =
which is just before JT&Co put in the Ellacombe.

I visited the ruined church of St Michael, Star Street several times, and t=
ook details. On 4th November 1966 we did ring one of the 4 bells in the top=
tier up - the 3rd, I think - and there was sufficient visible movement fro=
m outside to convince us that even that was a risky undertaking.=20

I would be very surprised to hear that the bells had been rung after 1933; =
more especially after the bombing had compromised the tower stability of th=
e tower; and cerrtainly after c1962 when kids got in and set the clock room=
alight. Several of the bell wheels were severely damaged.

I think that the JP recording of St Dunstan's is the only one, and I had un=
derstood that someone was going to "clean it up" and make it available.

DLC
----- Original Message -----=20
From: jameshedgcock at h...=20
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com=20
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 9:44 PM
Subject: [Bell Historians] digital recordings and other things


I was pleased to read somewhere that digital recordings of Star=20
Street and St. Dunstan in the East, London, amongst others, are to be=20
released for sale.
I also remember reading that certain bells' reputations get better=20
the further into history passes the last event of their ringing.
I was not aware that Star Street had been rung. I had always=20
understood that the ringing of selected bells/ combination of bells=20
caused excessive tower movement and that even those intrepid=20
individuals decided against ringing them. Christopher?
In 1969, as a new student in Canterbury, I took the opportunity to go=20
up to London, to collect a few towers on the University of London=20
Dinner Day. London held a fascination for me, and I was excessively=20
keen to ring at the London towers. Until that time I had only rung=20
at St. Martin in the Fields (badly), although Dennis Beresford was=20
very kind to me; and at Stepney. I had listened to Bow and St.=20
Clement Danes on a Lord Mayor's Show day and had been impressed with=20
the standard of ringing and quality of the bells.
To everyone's surprise, and delight St. Dunstan in the East were=20
opened for ringing. This was the occasion when I was introduced to=20
one of the niceties of London ringing. You don't catch hold of a=20
bell in some places until you are asked to do so. No such niceties=20
where I came from, where you could catch hold for anything you could=20
ring - and things you couldn't. I remember well David Cawley turfing=20
me off the tenor for Stedman Triples and Ranald being asked to ring=20
it. My indignity was restored somewhat when David kindly asked me to=20
ring in the next touch.
This is where, wearing my full body armour, flack jacket, and tin=20
hat, I poke my head above the parapet to state that the bells that=20
most impressed me that day were Cripplegate.
John Pladdys has a rather poor recording of St. Dunstan's, so I will=20
be pleased to have my memory refreshed. I just hope that technology=20
is not used to enhance what the sound actually was.
My other lasting memory of the day was scrounging a lift to St.=20
Dunstan's with George Bonham and his friend in a bubble car!


On another matter, I am pleased that Nigel Taylor was so kind as to=20
make comment about Liverpool Cathedral tenor. Thank you. I eagerly=20
await further comment about the initial question.



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