[Bell Historians] canons etc

[David Bryant]

> On most of (if not all) the Italian bells (including modern bells)I 
> have seen via the internet, canons are present.
> Are these for decoration, or is there some advantage to having them 
> that we are missing?

For decoration, and for suspending the bells. The traditional method of hanging bells is by their canons, it was only done away with in this country because it is easier to hang bells for change ringing without them, and is easier to make them go well, be correctly timed and not sluggish.

> And what of button top (or flange top bells)- what was the purpose 
> of these?

Button tops, which have only a central pillar, were a Lord Grimthorpe invention of the 1850s designed to allow easy turning of bells. They proved unpopular with the founders, and were not used much although the design was later adopted by Trinity House for their buoy bells. Grimthorpe later invented the Doncaster Head, which proved more popular.

Flange tops have four additional strengthening pillars or lugs, and the bells are usually suspended by bolts through holes in the flange, rather than by J bolts under the flange as was the intention with button tops. Taylor's (and sometimes Gillett's) used them on the front bells of tens and twelves (e.g. York, Worceser, Rotherham (Taylor), Birmingham Cathedral (Gillett). Taylor's occasionally used tom on larger bells, such as the three formerly at Eastbougne (?), tenor 21 cwt and now in Hobart. I don't know why they did this.

David

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