G&J Simpson rings

[Richard Offen]

--- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "Andrew Aspland" 
<aaspland at y...> wrote:
> There is a six at St Andrew Kirkby Malzeard near Ripon which were 
cast in
> 1909.
> Kirkby Malzeard
> St Andrew [PC]
> SE 236 746
> 1	Gillett & Johnston	1909	5.0.12	29.125	D
> 2	Gillett & Johnston	1909	5.3.12	31.1875	C
> 3	Gillett & Johnston	1909	7.0.15	33.125	Bb
> 4	Gillett & Johnston	1909	8.3.8	36	A
> 5	Gillett & Johnston	1909	12.0.23	40.125	G
> 6	Gillett & Johnston	1909	16.3.0	45	F
> 
> These are a super peal of bells. Hung in an H frame with box-
section
> headstocks. To my mind they are a copy of a Taylor installation! 
There was
> a fire in 1908 and these bells replaced the previous bells of which 
I have
> no information to hand. Comparing Kirkby M with other towers in 
the area it
> is unlikely the old bells were anything like as heavy and that 
leads me to
> look for a Taylor six (or more) of 1909(or before) of similar 
weight and
> dimensions which CJ could have had extensive access to. ANY IDEAS?
> They don't seem to have the twang associated with early G&J but 
then they
> are pretty quiet in the ringing room.
> 
> Andrew

Kirkby Malzeard are splendid outside.

Why do we assume that Cyril Johnston copied a Taylor bell? He was a 
pretty clever chap by all accounts (he certainly managed to keep the 
bailiffs from the foundry door on many occasions!), so might he not 
just have worked it out for himself, just as the Hughes's did at 
Whitechapel in the early 20s (they took their old style guage which 
produced bells closest to a Simpson bell and adapted it)?

Richard

Richard