Chiming

[Edward W Martin]

--- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "jill.rogers96" <jill at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Well there you go. Thanks for that kind remark. In my tower when it 
> has been done, which is very rarely, it has always been with the 
bell 
> up for full circle ringing.  Sorry to be so stupid.  Fortunately 
most 
> ringers are wonderfully tolerant of learners of any age and very 
> supportive when they wish to learn or when they need help.
> Jill Rogers


I think that the word 'toll' means to ring a usually large bell in a 
solemn fashion. Back in the year dot, this would have involved 
chiming simply because the bell frame etc was not yet ready for full 
circle ringing. However, after full circle ringing has been 
practical, I think that a bell can be tolled either by chiming it or 
ringing it full circle.  As an example the great bell tolled one 
stroke per minute as the remains of Princess Di processed to the 
funeral ceremony. This bell was rung full circle & not chimed & very 
impressive it was too.
 
The OED mentions early usage of bells as 'tellers'  being means of 
communication and I feel that somewhere along the line, quite 
possibly in the Elizabethan era, what had originally been known 
as 'nine tellers' to signify a man, was changed by some wit to 'nine 
tailors make a man' because of the then popular joke that it would 
take nine tailors to equal the value of one bloke. There is a perhaps 
apocryphal story that Queen Elizabeth I, receiving a deputation of 
eighteen tailors, addressed them with a 'Good morning, gentlemen 
both!' 
 
Eddie Martin