Leigh-on-Sea

[Bill Hibbert]

DJB:

> There was a similar case in the 1960s at Leigh on Sea, Kent.
> One bell ... became the Perrin and Charnley bell.

Yes, this was definitely the case (Perrin's paper specifically 
explains that it was a Leigh-on-Sea bell). Andrew Higson described 
this bell, now in the Taylor museum, as the most studied bell in the 
world and I am sure he is right in this.

However, the Perrin paper was published in 1983 and I had assumed 
that the bells dated from the late 70s or early 80s, not earlier. I 
have no direct evidence for this.

There is a story associated with the P&C bell. Perhaps because of 
delays at L-on-S, the bell was available and lent to Loughborough 
University for the research work. When the time came to deliver the 
peal (presumably to Kirkheaton as David suggests) it transpired that 
the University had lost the bell (!!!) and a replacement had to be 
cast. When the bell turned up again some considerable time later it 
was collared for the Museum, fortunately because it is well looked 
after there and available (with Taylor's permission) for cross-
checking against the original research.

I correspond regularly with Robert Perrin, who now spends much of 
each year in New Zealand. One of Perrin's co-workers, George 
Swallowe, is still at Loughborough but does not reply to his emails.

Bill H