[Bell Historians] Which are the top 10 bell & /or bellhanging related boo...

[David Cawley]

Thanks to Matthew for the plug, and to the Swan Tower stand for selling copies of "The Church Bells of the Channel Islands".

Here are my top 10: I've left out Cawley & Sharpe!

1. Dorset (Dalton) - obviously
2. Sussex Bells and Belfries (Elphick) - and in many ways still the definitive modern bell book.
3. The Craft of the Bellfounder (Elphick) - which is really complementary to 2.
4. Essex - Deedes and Walters (1909) - surely the 'ultimate' among the old county books.
5. Warwickshire - Tilley and Walters (1910) - if you like Essex, you've got to like this one. But we are looking forward to Pickford!
6. A book that doesn't exist: Ranald Clouston's collected Scottish Towers. >From Ayrshire (1947) to Berwickshire (2000) including some unpublished counties. This really ought to be attended to.
7. "England's Child" - brings the incredible Cyril Johnston to life through his bells and his daughter.
8. "Master of my Craft" (Jennings) - the John Taylor Bellfoundry story to 1984, although rather thin on the post-WW2 period.
9. "Clocks, Watches & Bells". Denison. 4th Edition 1860. For non-horologists the first three-quarters can be skipped, but the bells section is a masterpiece of wrong-headed and opinionated dogmatism and invective - especially on the Westminster bells. Yet we owe him so much.
10. The Church Bells of England - H. B. Walters.Whatever its faults, there is nothing to touch it yet. Attempts have been (unsuccessfully) made. Perhaps, when I retire ....

DLC

Note. Mind you, there is always the sentimental attachment to one's first county book. CJP I believe spent half-a-term's allowance purchasing North's Leicestershire. I find it incredibly dull. I myself at the age of 14 spent 50/- (£2.50) on Stahlschmidt's Church Bells of Kent which still keeps me entranced. By the mid and later 1960's, I was not alone, as it frequently had to be retrieved from a still more youthful RCO who shared a similar fascination with the book.  


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: matthewhigby at G8mk_7Mxz9IEztsK7aaT65pjCgrE8fPSKxERoXQE5vlWmr22bkqy6JiI5yj9bOtpCAppj_pZSLQQ6Q09fhU.yahoo.invalid 
  To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 11:14 AM
  Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Which are the top 10 bell & /or bellhanging related boo...



  In a message dated 03/09/2008 09:53:16 GMT Standard Time, c.j.pickford.t21 at zgPRxij_FdtEhzzZ7p-x6HpgAZEbd3MbeKGhqdcp3I5fJdVYFEDjECB6P1765hSRfNSsTtYgDWhTaQ.yahoo.invalid writes:
    But one superb book has been overlooked so far - Andre Lehr's "Art of the Carillon in the Low Countries". Probably the most authoritative and lavishly-produced book yet produced about bells

    Dalton's "Dorset" vies with it - and wind, of course, as far as an English title goes

    Also, don't overlook Jones/ Ingram "Belfry Life in Birmingham" (John Day's recollections) - a great read, and now nicely illustrated too
  I agree with Chris - Andre Lehr's book is one of my most treasured ringing books - in fact I have a spare copy if anyone is after one.

  Daltons Dorset is still my number one, and I like DLC's Channel Islands too.

  See most of you at the roadshow,

  Matthew

  Matthew Higby & Company Ltd,
  Church Bell Engineers,
  Jasmine Cottage,
  The Street,
  Chilcompton,
  Bath,
  BA3 4HN.

  www.bell-hangers.com

              
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