4-cwt eights

[David Cawley]

In responase to Richard's query, here are the details of a representative selection

Taylor

Rochford 1966 Newhey 1968 Lightcliffe 1970

16 1/2" 1-0-18 0-3-20 16" 0-3-19
17 1/2" 1-1-14 1-0-12 17" 1-0-13
18 1/2" 1-2-16 1-1-18 18 1/2" 1-1-15
20" 1-3-13 1-2-10 20 1/2" 1-2-17
21 1/2" 2-0-16 2-0-19 22" 2-0-23
22" 2-1-20 2-1-23 23" 2-1-22
24 1/2" 2-3-14 3-1-17 26" 3-1-14
27 1/2" 4-0-10 D 4-1-17 C# 28 1/2" 4-1-24 C#

Whitechapel

Denholme 1969 Scofton with Beetley
Osberton 1971

16 5/8" 1-1-0 17 1/4" 1-1-13 18 1/2" 1-2-0 1977
17 3/4" 1-2-4 17 3/4" 1-1-17 19" 1-3-0 1977
19" 1-3-5 18 1/2" 1-2-8 20" 2-0-4 1974
20" 1-3-24 20" 1-2-23 21 1/2" 2-1-12 1974
22" 2-2-7 22" 2-0-19 23" 2-3-4 1974
22 7/8" 2-3-9 22 3/4" 2-2-19 24 1/4" 3-0-24 1974
25" 3-2-11 25" 3-0-25 27 1/4" 3-1-20 1752*
26 7/8" 4-1-2 E 27" 3-2-25 Eb 29" 4-0-7 1752* D

Note at Beetley the old bells 7 & 8 have canons; had they been new bells they would have been 25 3/8" (app 3-2-0) and 28" (app 4-2-0)

I don't have the weights of Pately Bridge. Taylors seem not to have bothered themselves with "ice cream" eights after this, though they have successfully cast, tuned and installed lesser numbers of light bells.

WBF on the other hand put in quite a few (as well as lesser numbers) including among others in the UK:
Seasalter, Whitstable (24") 1-0-7 to 3-1-13 in G 1969 augmented 1973
Walworth (ex Lambeth) (27")1-1-21 to 3-3-20 in Eb Cast 1971 from HT Southwark bells
Woodchurch, Cheshire 1-1-21 to 4-0-3 in D Cast 1971
Llantillio Crossenny, Wales 1-2-16 to 4-2-4 in D Cast 1977
Stoke Damarel, Devon 1-2-12 to 4-2-12 in D Cast 1977
Brownsea Island, Dorset 1-2-20 to 4-2-21 in D Cast 1980
The last four have 28" tenors.
Highbridge, Somerset (?25") 1-1-1 (2nd 1-0-3) to 2-3-17 in F

Richard asked what put into my head the idea of tuning Seasalter bells down. The first was that it was Bill Hughes' suggestion; he actually made it following the dedication of Hadstock, Essex, bells (6: 24" 2-3-13 in F#) in 1970. The second was when the 1968 Expo bells (27") were tuned down from 4-1-8 in E to 3-3-27 in Eb very successfully. It will probably never happen: they'll rend up being listed!

On the handling qualities of these light rings, it seems that Whitechapel had more than the edge over JT & Co, largely because of the wheel sizes. Seasalter wheels (bells 15 1/4" to 24" diameter) are 3' 11" (the front four) through to 4' 6" (the tenor). Rochford (bells 16 1/2" to 27 1/2" diameter) have wheels from 3' 0" treble to 4' 5" tenor - and a longer draught.

DLC 









[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]