[Bell Historians] Eddystone lighthouse

[David Cawley]

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I recall raising this subject earlier - but not where I raised it. Perhaps =
not on this site and therefore privately.=20

I wonder if the bells cast into the Croydon ones were the bells of the Smea=
ton light - assuming it had any. The note says "some" of the metal came fro=
m Eddystone, while there was anough in the 83-cwt of metal hung in the 1882=
light to cast the whole Croydon chime.

Not only are there the G&B adverts, there is also a painting/engraving of o=
ne of the bells being raised into position, and another of the light with t=
he two bells clearly visible below the gallery. Richard Bowden drew my atte=
ntion to these.

The bells no longer hang there; even if they did they would sooner or later=
be superseded by electronic devices as is progressively happening with mos=
t Trinity House and Gas Accumulator Co bells. Getting them down must have b=
een as difficult as putting them up - on the other hand, 2 tons is as nothi=
ng considering the size of some of the materials sent out to the rock.

DLC=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: CHRIS PICKFORD=20
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com=20
Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 3:20 PM
Subject: [Bell Historians] Eddystone lighthouse


The history of the bells at Eddystone lighthouse crops up from time to ti=
me. The bells were illustrated in early advertisements of Gillett & Bland, =
and the Croydon foundry records show that they were cast in 1881. The bells=
were a pair of "two tonners", one weighing 41-3-14 and the other 40-3-11.
=20=20=20
While browsing some wartime RWs last night, I came across the following:
=20=20=20
An article on centenary of Gillett & Johnston in Ringing World 21 January=
1944 p.28 states "Croydon's Town Clock and bells were made by Gillett & Jo=
hnston, but it is not generally known that some of the metal used came from=
the old bells of Eddystone Lighthouse which had been melted down"=20
=20=20=20
The Croydon Town Hall bells were cast in 1894, so it looks as if the Eddy=
stone bells had a very short life - cast 1881 and scrapped in 1894. I don'=
t recall having seen anything about when the Eddystone bells were removed, =
and I think this provides an answer to the mystery
=20=20=20
CP

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