[Bell Historians] Canon retaining bells

[Chris Povey]

Jim Hedgecock wrote re Pebworth
> > -----------------------------------------------------------
> > Treble (explained) and 7th have different weights on Bells in
Worcestershire and Tower site.


Yes, the figures are different on the two web-sites (as Jim has pointed out
to me privately). Confirmation of weights being sought, but nothing through
yet. Bells of Worcestershire is probably correct, as David is rarely
incorrect. Relevant corrections to be made when weights known definitively.
(Just seen Chris Pickford's note re this; tower web-site for correction.)

Andrew Wilby wrote:

>> The only solution offered is to cut off the canons. Is there not a case
to reverse this and cast new bells with canons to maintain compatibility?

Andrew, your suggestion works and works well. There is certainly a good case
for doing this. It was tried at Pebworth in 1995, for precisely the reason
of ensuring dynamic compatibility. The new trebles of 8 were cast with
Doncaster heads to match the existing 6, which all had canons and
Whitechapel horseshoe 'up-and-over' stocks ( provided by Whites at the full
rehang in 1987). By 1995 the horseshoe pattern stocks had been superseded
and were no longer available from Whitechapel, so Hayward Mills had some
fabricated to the same pattern. Everything worked perfectly. They were an 8
immediately. The same formula was used when the trebles for 10 were hung in
2002 and again everything worked perfectly. Dynamically they are a treat.
They are so like a proper 10 that the front 6 (4.5cwt) have to be pushed to
get any quick ringing.

Why did the new bells have Doncaster heads instead of canons? Whitechapel
initially refused to cast bells with canons (hadn't done so since 1954 or
so, apparently), but later relented as long as Doncasters were accepted.

And Pebworth (12cwt) could hardly be called sluggish and slow to ring. S.
Major can get down to 2-33. The first peal on the 10, Grandsire Caters, was
rung very comfortably in 2-50. The second, Yorkshire Royal was rung in 2-44.
A recent peal of Grandsire Caters was rung in 2-33 and was half-muffled to
boot.


G&J 'pot' canon retaining stocks:-

All the 6 bells (18cwt) of Broadway, Worcs, are fitted with these types of
stocks (G&J rehung them fully in 1928). They are huge. Yes, they do make the
bells swing slowly, but everything is consistent. They are all slow. The use
of one or two of these stocks in a ring where the others are flat-headed
must be a curse of the first order. Broadway's 3rd in particular can go up
wrong if not checked; the 2nd and the 4th can, too, but not so easily. I
thought these clappers might be tight in the pin, but they weren't. Longer
flights would slow the swing times, as would counter-balancing. The first
peal at Broadway after the rehang, 2 Minor, took about 3-30.

Chris Povey