[Bell Historians] McShane bells in the British Isles

[Chris Pickford]

The Birmingham bell is certainly still there (and I think it may have been mentioned previously on this list; Christopher Dalton certainly referred to it in an account for the Ringing World of our "day out" in Birmingham when we got up to this bell). Details are:

BIRMINGHAM - St.Anne (RC), Alcester Street

The mission here was founded in 1849. The present church was built in 1884 to the designs of A. Vicars of Vicars & O'Neill of London, architects. It is a brick building in the Early English style, having a north west tower with an octagonal belfry stage and a stone spire. There is no fixed access to the belfry.

There is a large bell, which is hung for slow swinging and fitted with a tolling hammer for the angelus. 

Bell                             Inscription

1.    On crown (incised): 2033

      Waist: MC SHANE BELL FOUNDRY. / HENRY MC SHANE & CO. / BALTIMORE, MD. / 1884.

 

      Bell Founder and date Diameter Note
     Cwt.
     Qrs.
     Lbs.
     
      1.
     Henry McShane & Co, 1884
     46
     E
     18
     0
     17
     

 

This is a rare example in the United Kingdom of the work of the American bellfounder, Henry Mc.Shane & Co of Baltimore, Maryland. The number on the crown is probably the weight of the bell - 2033lbs would be 18-0-17. Other work from this foundry includes a chime of thirteen bells at Falkirk Old Kirk in Scotland, cast by McShane in 1926. The bell at St.Anne's has a button head. It is hung in the American style with a pedestal frame (similar to Bellframes type 8.3.B.a) resting on two stout wooden beams. The frame castings carry the inscription "Mc.SHANE & CO. BALTO. MD.". The fittings include a horseshoe-shaped iron stock with bolted steel gudgeons, plain bearings, wooden wheel and clapper with springs. The bell is secured to its stock with a single bolt which doubles as a crown staple for the suspension of the clapper. There is a separate tolling hammer. The frame and fittings are as supplied by McShane in 1884.

Visited: CJP, RLJ, CJND, 24 January 2003 and CJP, CJND (ladders) 28 February 2003

Interesting to learn that it's mentioned in the McShane list.

Chris           
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