[Bell Historians] Joseph Hatch.

[David Cawley]

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Yes, it is a good little book; there are two others contemporary with it by=
the same editorial committee: "Sturry, the Changing Scene" and "Fordwich, =
the Lost Port"; this was followed later by "Hoath and Herne" - whose bells =
are also described by Richard (with a gracious acknowledgment to myself in =
the first case!).

1. In response to Jim's question: the circular three-bell stamp was first u=
sed at Whitechapel by Robert Mot (1570-1606), and its use was revived by Th=
omas Bartlet (1616-1632) and his son Antony (1640-1675) and grandson James =
(1675-1700). Mot placed his initials, RM with the sacred monogram IHS below=
; Of the Bartlets, all retained the three bells and monogram; in addition =
Thomas had THOMAS . BARTLET . MADE . ME circumferentially; Antony had no in=
dividual distinguishing mark and James had I B either side of the upper bel=
l. The use then declined so far as a casting mark was concerned until Arthu=
r Hughes took over in 1904. He omitted the monogram, placing his initials A=
H either side of the upper bell. A. A. Hughes and his brothers placed thei=
r initials either side or below the upper bell. A A H alone, spaced equally=
; or AA/H RA/H
and occasionally AA/H RA/H / LA/H. After c1930 AAH alone appears, the next =
change appearing in 1950 with AA/H WA/H / DH ; and a while after the death =
of Bert Hughes (1964) the present form WA &D / H was adopted. Joseph Hatch=
's stamp was similar, but had a milled border instead of a wreath, no crown=
over the upper bell and of course it contained his initials I H either sid=
e of the top bell.

2 There are still over 100 of Joseph Hatch's bells left in Kent. Quite a nu=
mber are in the condition that they (apparently) left the foundry, though f=
ew in ringing peals. A good number of his bells were cast flat and were tun=
ed by 'skirting' the lip. Some have been filed in the soundbow. Whether thi=
s was by him or later bellhangers is a matter for conjecture.

3. There are apparently no traces left of the foundry, which Stahlschmidt s=
tates (1887) on the authority of Mr James T Hatch stood "on the north side =
of King's Wood, in Ulcombe parish.....in a field at this day called 'the We=
lmonground'. evidently a corruption of 'the bellman's ground', and the scor=
iae and debris remained within my time and memory". Joseph's grave, in Broo=
mfield churchyard, was restored by the KCACR a few years since.

4. The foundry is described in Stahlschmidt, "The Church Bells of Kent" and=
Elphick "Sussex Bells and Belfries". There was a small pamphlet by J Hilto=
n published c1960, but some of the information therein needs to be treated =
with caution.

DLC
----- Original Message -----=20
From: jim phillips=20
To: Bell Historians=20
Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 9:00 PM
Subject: [Bell Historians] Joseph Hatch.


Browsing in the Oxfam bookshop at Canterbury I came across a delightful
little book entitled 'Chislet and Westbere, Villages of the Stour Lathe'.
The book was full of local interest concerning churches,chapels, ancient
houses etc, but what particularly caught my eye were two very comprehensi=
ve
articles by Richard Offen concerning the bells at Chislet (Kent's deepest
toned six) and also of the Joseph Hatch four of 1623 and 1624 at Fordwich=
.
The inscriptions of the bells are noted and I see bells 2, 3 and 4 at=20
Fordwich bear the
founders mark of 3 bells in a decorated circle very similar to the presen=
t
Whtechapel mark.

1. When does the present Whitechapel mark date from and on which bell di=
d
it first appear?
2. How many Hatch bells remain in original condition and what tuning met=
hod
did he use?
3. Does any trace of the Hatch bellfoundry exist i.e. a wall or marks in
the ground or perhaps even a suggestion of the casting pit and where can=
=20
they be found?
4. The Hatch foundry appears to have been prolific in its heyday. Has th=
ere
been any book or pamphlet about it?


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