East Ilsley, Berkshire, School Bell

[John Hibbert]

East Ilsley School has recently had scaffolding erected for building repairs. We took the opportunity to remove the copper shrouding from the, hitherto, unaccessible bell turret and found a Gillett and Johnson bell with a diameter if 17.5''. The rope had been disconnected and the bell hasn't been used for at least 60 years.

Is it likely that the bell was made to be unusable during the second world war?

Will there be any G & J records of the casting of the bell? The school buildings are 100 years old this coming October so I am presuming the bell to be of a similar age

We are aiming to get the bell ringing again in time for the school centenary.

John Hibbert

           
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ringingworld.co.uk/pipermail/bell-historians/attachments/20080903/73901b52/attachment.html>