[Bell Historians] Re: RSJ Headstocks - Bremhill - Webb & Bennett 1913

[Ken Webb]

MRTH wrote: I'm not sure if Barwells did but Bond of Burford used them also
(Kington St Michael, Wilts and Bremhill are two examples).

DB: I don't think Barwell's ever used RSJ headstocks - I expect CJP will be
able to say for definite.
The only firms I know to have used RSJ headstocks are Bowell, Bond and, more
recently, Arthur Fidler. RSJ headstocks are hardly elegant! David

RO: Elegant, no, but they worked extremely well (certainly Bowell's did) and
made very tough and reliable headstocks. The only disadvantage was that
there was no means of getting a staple bolt through - a problem which
Whitechapel (and, no doubt, others) have overcome by welding a piece of
flat steel on each side of the
web to strengthen the area to be drilled for a centre bolt. R

KAW: Bremhill are on RSJ headstocks supplied by Fred Webb of Webb & Bennett
in 1913 who hung the bells in a metal double-bar frame (no castings) - see
Bellframes by CJP page 31 - type 8.1C. Church Bells of Berks has
photos/descriptions of many W&B jobs. Whites removed the staples & plated
the Bremhill headstocks in 2001. W&B were apprentices to Whites. I've always
thought RSJ headstocks are a great improvement on most timber stocks. I
think W&B stocks were always upright, I think some, by others, were laid
flat?

Church Bells of Berks shows the frame type but with timber stocks at
Wokingham All Saints Plates LIV & LV. A 1903 job. Plate LXII shows the
curved gudgeon plate (but not the RSJ stock) & part of the frame at
Buckland - 1915 - on RSJ stocks - see note at top of page 47 - states
typical for W&B.
Ken