Cast maker's plates from Mears & Stainbank.

[philholtsdgr]

At my home tower,Holt, Wiltshire, we have a bell-metal? founders 
plate which was discovered in the bell-chamber, and is now displayed 
in the ringing chamber. It reads "MEARS AND STAINBANK BELL-FOUNDERS, 
WHITECHAPEL RD.,LONDON", the background being green, and was 
obviously supplied when the bells were re-cast in 1925. 
Four questions. Are plates like these common? Were they peculiar to 
Whitechapel? Are they in fact bell-metal? & was the background always 
green?
Phil Lucas