[Bell Historians] Re: National Bell Database

[David Bryant]

I do not consider people on this list to be the type of ringer with no 
knowledge of bells - the very fact that people are members of this list 
shows that they are interested in bells. The idea of branch secretaries 
being asked to contribute data whether or not they have knowledge of bells 
is what I would strongly object to. The people who would be suitable are 
those who are interested in bells (obviously!) and these are likely to be 
best identified by 'the old boy network', for want of a better term - bell 
historians tend to know other bell historians.

I think the issue is accuracy, though. Ask many ringers to inspect a ring of 
bells and provide details of them and most wouldn't know where to start - 
you'd probably get an incomplete set of inscriptions and nothing else. I do 
not believe that there is any provision in the Central Council for 
identifying suitable people - the majority will not be members of the 
Council - and therefore the issue of identifying people who are known to 
provide accurate information could prove a tricky one.

David