[Bell Historians] Cheltenham

[Andrew Bull]

Actually the original question was mine. Well spotted David - it does indeed
look as if the bells have been tuned. This means that the tenor actually
weighs somewhat less than its "Dove" weight, having had its canons removed
AND been retuned since it was supplied at 22-2-16.

 

It would be interesting to know if the correct details are actually in the
Whitechapel archives somewhere. I understand that in quite a lot of cases
the exact, finished weights of old bells that Whitechapel retuned in this
period were not recorded. In other cases, the only place that these details
appeared was on the plaque supplied to the tower.

 

I think the only other ring of twelve with rather sketchy details is
Newcastle-under-Lyme. Michael Wilby's website states that the bells were
retuned when the bells were augmented to ten in 1928, but I have checked
with Alan Buswell and the only details in the tuning books are for the
trebles to the ten. Michael Wilby goes on to state that G & J rehung the
bells in a new frame in 1953, but any details from this job would be in the
lost tuning book. Chris Pickford is of the opinion that the 16-2-10 quoted
for the tenor here is the "as supplied" weight when the bell was cast by
Abraham Rudhall II in 1732.

 

It would be nice to get these queries cleared up one way or the other, so
any information would be gratefully received.

 

Andrew Bull

 

  _____  

From: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com [mailto:bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of David Bryant
Sent: 15 August 2006 23:32
To: Bellhistorians
Subject: [Bell Historians] Cheltenham

 

In answer to Bill's question of a few weeks ago.

 

There are some photos of the bells on the tower website at
http://www.abbey1. <http://www.abbey1.org.uk/parish/local.htm#Layout>
org.uk/parish/local.htm#Layout

 

The first photo appears to show the back four, and of these all apart from
the tenor clearly show marks of machine tuning. The second photo appears to
show the 6th, with the 3rd in the background. There appears to be machine
tuning marks on the 6th - it isn't possible to see inside the 3rd.

 

So it appears that the answer to Bill's question about whether they have
been tuned is yes.

 

David

 

           
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