[Bell Historians] G & J

Tue Oct 26 15:11:09 BST 2004

Thanks to Andrew for posting this - happy to share the info, as always.

Yes, I've been offline for a bit as we moved from rural Warwickshire to Stourbridge last weekend. Computer unpacked last night, and bell notes etc still to follow.

New address is 23 Clent View Road, Norton, Stourbridge, DY8 3JE. Tel 01384 393000. E-mail unchanged (as this).

All kindred spirits, bell buffs and lovers of Bathams finest ales welcome to visit

Chris P

Andrew Bull <andrew.bull at t...> wrote:
I'm presuming that Chris Pickford has been away from his PC for a while, in which case I hope he will forgive me for reproducing an extract from his notes:

Chobham, Westcroft Park (Surrey - just outside M25)

[Carillon in tower on Lord Cowdray's estate, 28 bells (?) by Gillett & Johnston, 1932?]

Croydon Foundry records: Carillon of 23 bells, cast Oct.-Dec.1932

23. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4631 43¨ö" 15-0-26 F sharp

22. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4630 39¨û" 11-0-17 G sharp

21. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4629 35" 7-3-0 A sharp

20. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4628 33" 6-2-13 B

19. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4627 31¨ö" 5-3-14 C

18. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4626 30" 5-0-17 C sharp

17. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4625 28¨ö" 4-2-3 D

16. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4624 27" 4-0-3 D sharp

15. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4623 26" 3-2-4 E

14. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4622 24¨þ" 3-0-10 F

13. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4681 23¨ö" 2-2-27 F sharp

12. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4620 22¨ù" 2-1-8 G

11. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4619 21" 1-3-18 G sharp

10. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4618 20" 1-2-15 A

9. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4617 19" 1-1-20 A sharp

8. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4616 18" 1-0-20 B

7. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4615 16¨ú" 1-0-8 C

6. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4690 1515/16" 0-3-10 C sharp

5. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4613 1515/16" 0-2-27 D

4. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4612 14¨ö" 0-2-15 D sharp

3. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4611 13¨ú" 0-2-6 E

2. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4676 13¨ù" 0-2-4 F

1. Gillett & Johnston, 1932 4703 12¨ý" 0-1-21 F sharp

Gillett & Johnston purchased most of the bells from this carillon in December 1945. Three bells (nos.15, 17 and 19) afterwards became the back three of the light chime of six bells at Gidea Park (Essex), installed in August 1947

"Dove" 1st.ed. (1950) lists a carillon of 23 bells, 15-0-26 in F sharp; 2nd.ed. (1956) refers (p.188) to the removal of the bells - "on the death of the owner of Westcroft Park, Surrey, all the bells except those required for the clock chimes were disposed of".

Gillett & Johnston catalogue, October 1928: "Carillons" - Chobham, Westcroft Park (1923) 18 bells, 9 cwt

Croydon Foundry records vol.3 pp.101-5: Bells for Chobham, 7-29 Nov.1922

18. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 535 36¨ö" 9-0-14 A

17. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 512 32¨þ" 6-3-17 B

16. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 58 29" 4-1-18 C sharp

15. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 57 28" 4-0-23 D

14. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 56 27" 3-3-1 D sharp

13. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 55 25" 2-3-25 E

12. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 54 23" 2-1-3 F

11. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 52 22" 2-0-7 F sharp

10. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 51 21" 1-3-0 G

9. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 151 20" 1-2-4 G sharp

8. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 53 19" 1-1-15 A

7. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 48 18" 1-0-16 A sharp

6. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 136 17" 0-3-27 B

5. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 45 16¨ö" 0-3-18 C

4. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 44 16" 0-3-12 C sharp

3. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 141 15¨ù" 0-3-0 D

2. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 42 14¨ö" 0-2-22 D sharp

1. Gillett & Johnston, 1922 41 13¨ý" 0-2-1 E

Later taken back - no.17 to Swaton S.O. 6701; no.14 to Newfoundland S.O. 6737; no.13 and no.4 to F. Sheffield & Sons Ltd; no.10 to Saughton Hall

Correspondence between Alan Buswell and Michael Boyd, following enquiries about the Westcroft Park Carillon from Mr. P. Roy Collins of Farnham, 1996 - Westcroft Park was the home of Mr. H.O. Serpell, a biscuit manufacturer with a factory at Reading. There were 23 bells with Guildford clock chimes, and on which the bailiff (Mr. Percy Rolph) and his daughter (Gwen) gave concerts on Sunday afternoons. They had been to Belgium to learn how to play the instrument. When Mr. Serpell died the bells were sold except for the fourth, on which the clock still strikes. Mr. Serpell's daughter is believed to have married into the Johnston family. Serpell had divorced his first wife under the mental health act and married his secretary. When he died Mrs. Serpell broke up the carillon and let the house and gardens go to pot. Part of the farm was sold to Lord Trefgarne who built a large house called Pembroke Lodge. The bell tower is still [1996] standing. The estate was sold to Sir Raymond Brown when
Mrs. Serpell died. [Information from this correspondence was published in the British Carillon Society newsletter no.42, Sept.1996]

Andrew Bull

-----Original Message-----
From: David Cawley [mailto:dcawley at w...]
Sent: 25 October 2004 22:15
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] G & J

It is the former carillon tower at Westcroft Park, Surrey. Don't know anything about the bells other than that they were by G&J and according to Dove were disposed of when the owner of the park died. Presumably there were 23 at least to qualify numerically as a carillon; but how were they played.

DLC
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Colin Turner 
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2004 10:35 PM
Subject: [Bell Historians] G & J

Whilst browsing through a Gillett & Johnston catalogue I notice a
picture described as "A Bell Tower on a Country Estate".
Does anyone know where this is, or is it simply an artists impression of
what might be done?

-- 
Colin Turner

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