[Bell Historians] Trebles on higher numbers

[David Bryant]

> The mechanical argument about time of swing I absolutely accept. But 
> is there any evidence that a bell cast to a thicker scale sounds 
> louder? Or that one can put a heavier clapper in without knocking the 
> bell to bits?

Not measured anything, but observations suggest that it is the case. As an example, the 1938 Gillett eight at St Wilfrid's in York were cast to chiming weights, albeit quite heavy ones. The treble is just over 3 cwt, and the front end sound noticeably weak. By comparison, the eight at St Cuthbert's Darlington (cast by Gilletts in the year before the St Wilfrid's bells, same tenor weight (18 cwt) and keynote (F)) are more satisfactory as an eight because the trebles are heavier and more powerful.

And as regards heavy clappers, come and have a look at the ones in the trebles at York Minster. If I remember rightly, the diameter of the treble's clapper ball is the same as that of the 10th.

David

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