[Bell Historians] Re: Warner's big tuning machine (was Heythrop &c)

[Anne Willis]

I was, of course, only quoting hearsay, so it is quite likely that
the Big Ben bit was added by someone at Gillett's to embellish the
story. Wally maintained that Warners hoped they'd get the job of
recasting Mears' Big Ben after it cracked. As Warner's records are
lost, we shall probably never know!

R


According to Ferriday Warnres did tender, but it was too expensive,
apparently to Denison's regret, and the Office of Works declined it. Warner
had calculated that Mears would refuse the job, a gamble that did not pay
off. The negotiations were private but news of the result leaked out.

Poor Mr Warner is put in the corner
For making a bad Big Ben.
Good Mr Mears, as it appears,
Is to make us a new one - when?


Anne Willis