[Bell Historians] Canon retaining bells

[Richard Offen]

--- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "David Cawley" <dcawley at w...> 
wrote:
> Richard is of course 100% correct. And, if anyone is in any doubt, 
then they can purchase a video of a full size Liberty Bell being cast 
at Whitechapel in very recent years - see the Whitechapel website for 
details. 
> In the good old days, when Richard was there, he will recall that 
full size replica Liberty Bells were cast with the "Thomas Lester of 
London 1751" inscription on the waist. The video shows that they now 
produce them with the "Pass & Stow Philada 1752" one, and with 
the "crack" engraved on the bell. The latter piece of nonsense was 
started by P&F fifty years ago and taken up with enthusiasm by 
Paccard; though neither the profile, canons nor the finish of their 
so-called replicas resembles the Whitechapel replicas.
> And, if you want bells cast in this country with traditional canons 
on, they may be obtained from John Taylor Bellfounders, who cast a 
number last year. They, of course, never used the 'Doncaster' head 
and the standard canons that I last saw used for an RC Church in 
Essex (I think) last year were like their angular type, but taller.
> 
> DLC
> (Who has a Liberty Bell replica - a 1/5 scale size, with canons, 
one of 2400 cast - in his front porch). 


Thank you David. 

It would appear that, somewhere along the line, the story of 
Pebworth's new bells must have got a bit distorted and someone has 
been misquoted. I just cannot believe that WBF would have claimed 
not to have cast a bell with canons since the early 1950s when they 
have cast so many! There must have been some other reason why 
Doncaster pattern heads were chosen for these particular bells.

As far as I have always been aware, both of our excellent British 
bell foundries can, and will cast, bells with canons to order.

As to replicas of the Liberty bell, the one that always amuses me is 
the one by P & F that hangs, as an ornament, outside Union Station in 
Washington DC. It has a facsimile of the inscription, an engraved 
crack and an engraved plaque screwed to its stand proclaiming that 
it's an exact replica of the original ...only trouble is, it weighs 
about 6 tons! As it's never sounded, it's a waste of bell metal if 
you ask me!

R