[Bell Historians] St Andrews Derby

[Andrew Wilby]

What date was that peal John?

Was it not one of Mr Pladdys' last even bell peals for quiet a while, 
just before he plunged into his FE Robinson/ Stedman phase? My theory on 
the subject at the time, as JP has recently reminded me, was that he 
decided that turning in tenors was too much like hard work... but if he 
was not going to do it he was damn sure nobody else was going to either!

I was working in Derby after the church demolition had started. The 
contractor did drop the spire into the tower, a usual method of 
demolition. Only this time the door at the bottom was only single door 
sized and with all the masonry packed down behind it it was impossible 
to dig it out. The job stood for some while with the contractor going 
bust because of it.

A new contractor had to start at the top, knocking of one course of 
stonework at a time!

This was St Andrew's Litchurch (in Litchurch Lane near the Carriage and 
Wagon Works), built I believe by the Midland Rly Co for their staff.

Anyone have details?

Andrew




John Ketteringham wrote:

>I rang in the last peal before the final Sunday service at the above church. The following morning Taylor's had the ten bells out and when the spire was demolished I think it fell into the tower and they had difficulty in demolishing the remains. The intention was to build a new road I think but this never happened. I think the bells were eventually broken up.
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