[Bell Historians] One N or two?

[David Bryant]

>One of the discrepancies that has occurred since our merger is one of
>spelling. The Taylor side has always spelt "canons" with one N, however
>David Marshall is insistent that there are two but, whilst it is true he
>has been around longer than the rest of us, we remain unswayed and
>unconvinced.

I would go with one 'N', and most bell historians since Fred Sharpe seem to 
have (Walters used two 'N's as I recall). There seems no clear etymology of 
the word - 'cannon' refers the a large gun, wheread 'canon' has several 
meanings. I have heard it suggested that 'canon'  in the bell sense may be 
derived from the fact that it supports the bell in the same way that the 
canons of the church uphold that organisation - this seems a bit of a woolly 
explanation, though.

I think it's one of those questions which there will never be agreement on!

David