[Bell Historians] Orlando Cathedral

[Carl S Zimmerman]

At 11:56 +0100 06/06/02, Andrew Higson wrote:
>Rehung with ringing fittings by JT in 1987. 28.88" diameter, 4-0-2,
>nominal 1047Hz.
>
>Andrew

After seeing the photo that John uploaded, but before seeing Andrew's 
reply, I was ready to suggest sending an inquiry to McShane, because 
the composite angle-iron and timber A-frame is not a design that I 
would have expected from an English bell-hanger.  (Shows how little I 
know, eh?)

McShane are the last remnant of the old American bellfoundries, 
though no member of the McShane family has any interest in the 
company now.  In spite of the photo on the home page at 
http://www.mcshanebell.com/ (and others on that Website), the company 
has not actually cast any bells for many years, as far as I know. 
They are fully occupied with maintenance and repairs, rehanging 
and/or electrifying old bells, etc.; the new bells shown on their 
Website come from another foundry (probably JT, though possibly 
others as well).

Considering the variety of McShane's work, I would not have been 
surprised to find that they had rehung the Orlando Cathedral bell; in 
fact, I am more surprised to find that they didn't.  Perhaps Andrew 
can add further explanation.

Carl