[Bell Historians] Oxford

[David Cawley]

As David B says, there is technically nothing to stop them being rung up provided they are roped properly; unless, of course, as at Oxford, there are obstructions.
 There's probably a world of difference between fairly average sized  bells with 'balanced' headstocks and really large ones. I've many times swung 'Great George' of Bristol (9 1/2t) on both the old and the new fittings. Of course the rope is impossible, because of the angle at which it comes off the wheel and then goes through a right angle bend at the wall; but even without the rope and with two ringers heaving on the wheel - and it is in a concrete frame, so no movement there - it will only go about 2/3 of the way at best - striking right side as well.
The large 1949 G&J bell (22-0-0) with balanced fittings at St Nicholas, Leicester, goes up "right side" and "all the way" without difficulty. Last year whilst in St Helier I rang the Town Church bell (9 cwt, balanced fittings 1959, Whitechapel) it was up in three or four whole pulls, right side. And of course the Veronese system is a variation on the theme.
To return to the Oxford bell: Richard said something about Fred ringing it before it was rehung. Old age is creeping up on Richard as sure as it has on me. We were both (well, I was) at a lecture given by Fred in Tenterden when the great man showed "before" and "after" prints of Great Tom; and it was in a pretty derelict condition. What Fred said was that everyone wanted the bell rehung in time for the Coronation, except the then Christ Church Bursar, who would of course be paying the cheque. He relented on one condition, "That when Great Tom is rehung, Sharpe will be the first one to ring the bell, and when Tom Tower collapses, the villain will perish with it!"    

DLC

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: davidhird_uk 
  To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2007 9:54 PM
  Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Oxford


  --- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "David Bryant" 
  <David.Bryant at ...> wrote:
  >
  > "I think you'll find that happened before it was rehung on its 
  present 
  > iron headstock."
  > 
  > Techincally, there is nothing to stop a slow-swinging bell being rung
  > full circle, provided there's nothing in the way and the rope is long
  > enough. They handle strangely because of being tucked up and the
  > position of the garter hole, and clapper unevenly at the top, but 
  they
  > will go up.
  > 
  > David
  >

  How high have you had Gt Peter?

  David



              
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