Fw: [Bell Historians] Eastry 3rd

[Richard Offen]

> DLC 22.3.07. Well, I have Richard's own very detailed record of the 
day  that the refashioned five was tried out. As he compares above 
the Taylor 1902 treble with the third, this makes an interesting 
comparison with the notes of 20th December 1975, in which the treble 
is called "good" and the new third "quite good".
> 
> As to being true-harmonic, I quote Alan Hughes writing on 26th 
April 1996: "The treble and 3rd bells are conspicuously brighter than 
the remainder as they were cast and tuned to the modern 'Simpson' 
five toned standard."
> 
> As to its quality, Alan stated that "the replacement 3rd.....is a 
perfectly good bell".
> 
> Now as to the old third, I reported in January 1970 that it was 
still of fair tone but that the crack was then 14" long reaching 
almost to the shoulder. Taylors had originally noted the crack in 
1934, and by 1973 it had reached the shoulder.Taylors were actively 
discouraging welding (Soundweld did not offer a guaratee at the time) 
and stating that recasting would guarantee a sound bell which would 
agree in tuning: "there is no certainity" they said "that a welded 
bell will agree in this way". They then went on that the bell was too 
light and thin - and then went on, as I have said before, to provide 
a replacement 2 1/2 inches smaller and nearly 2-cwt lighter than the 
old bell.  Thus the size relationship of the bells went 33 5/8" - 36 
1/4" - 37 3/8" [was 39 7/8"] - 43 7/8" - 47 1/4".
> 
> No-one could remember the old third before it was cracked, but the 
only other Kent bell by its founder, Henry Wilnar of Borden, is the 
larger of two at Challock, q.v. Dickon's excellent site. It has been 
tuned and is an excellent bell. It is only a little smaller, and its 
proportions are similar to the old Eastry 3rd. Comparison with other 
bells which have been welded in the crown suggests that original 
pitch and sonority are restored.
> 
> Well, it wasn't welded, as we had urged, but preserved on account 
of its rarity. The somewhat random relationship of the present bells 
to the tenor (19#, 19 1/2#, 21 #, 12 1/4#, 0) makes the presence of 
two Simpson bells in a mixed ring a bit of a red herring at present. 
They certainly offer possibilities. It is interesting however that 
both bellfoundries comment on the old 3rd:
> 
> John Taylor (Bellfounders) Ltd (January 1996):"The Diocesan 
Advisor's suggestion to reintroduce the old third bell into the peal 
after welding it finds favour with us. Our investigations into the 
tonal qualities of this bell indicate this as practical folloowing 
the tuning of the remaining bells". Whitechapel (April 1996): "The 
previous third bell in terms of its, size is a far better match with 
its neighbours than the bell that replaced it.(It) could be repaired 
by welding and put back into the peal".
> 
> From what Richard says, other counsels are to prevail. Both the 
1975 memorial bell and its predecessor which had served the parish so 
well and so long are to preserved, the latter in continued retirement 
and silence. We can only await the results of tuning, but as to the 
balance in size and weight, there is no doubt that there is a 
conspicuous hiccup in the middle.  
> 
> DLC

Well, there you go!   My memory is going!

David has the advantage that he has all the notes, including my own.  
I deposited all my files on Kent bells (a not inconsiderable 
quantity) with the KCACR some years ago, so rely on the skeletal 
information I retained and my, clearly failing, memory!   I often 
wish I had kept all my notes, but for space reasons, this was simply 
not practical at the time.

I certainly remember replacement of Eastry third was quite a saga, as 
indeed it seems to have been this week!

Ho hum!

R