[Bell Historians] St John's Bradford

[David Cawley]

St John, Bradford.

Ring of 8 bells, plus original bell hung for ringing

Treble 27.3/4" 5-1-25 Barwell 1873
2nd 29. 3/8" 5-3-17 "
3rd 29.5/8" 5-2-21 "
4th 31.1/2" 6-2-0 "
5# 33.1/2" 6-2-26 T Mears II, 1840
5th 34" 7-2-21 Barwell 1873
6th 36" 9-0-7 "
7th 39.1/2" 11-0-9 "
Tenor 43.3/4" 15-0-20 "

Nett weights received at Loughborough April 1966. The treble & 3rd were retained and subsequently recast as the two trebles in 12 at the Cathedral. 

The semitone bell hung on beams above the rest; the rope was drawn to fall beside the 5th in the intermediate chamber.

>From the description, I am fairly certain that the bells were hung by Shaw, whose Works were nearby. He certainly provided a chiming machine, destroyed in 1966; also he cast for them a set of 18 handbells, which were still in the ringing chamber in 1965 (were they saved ?).

I am also quite certain that the T Mears bell hung alone in the tower until Barwell cast the ring of 8 (provided at the cost of J. R. Cordingley). It was in use as a semitone with the chiming machine from the first, so the intention was there in that respect. The ringing aspect is less clear, but the bell was adapted for this purpose by heavy drawing of the rope to the correct position.

Taylors did not have a good word to sayabout the bells, fittings or frame in 1947: "Pigeons have had a free run of the tower for about 20 years and everything is filthy". I was told. by whom I don't remember, that they were done up (?locally). Anyone know anything on this ?

DLC 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: David Bryant 
To: Bell Historians 
Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2004 5:40 PM
Subject: [Bell Historians] St John's Bradford


Does anyone have details of the former nine bells at St John's, Bradford
(Yorks)? What I want to know particularly is what the ninth bell was (I
assume a sharp 5th) and whether it was a historical survival which existied
because the ring had been augmented by topping and tailing.

David




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