Bell Hangers

[John Ketteringham]

For Lincolnshire Bells and Bellfounders I carried out considerable research 
on this subject and this is the entry I included in the book:

The various Trades Directories for the nineteenth century include a 
considerable number of tradesmen who are listed as bellhangers under the 
general heading of Whitesmith, Locksmiths and Bellhangers.    It seems very 
unlikely that these tradesmen did, in fact, hang tower bells and were 
responsible for installing and maintaining house bells, which, before the 
introduction of electrically powered bell systems, were installed in many 
private houses.    This seems to be confirmed by White's 1882 Directory in 
which 'Bellhangers' and 'Church Bell Hangers' are listed separately.

When George Dawson and I visited Grimsthorpe Castle we found a large numbeer 
of very interesting  house bells in the basement.    Operating these4 bells 
by wire must have been veery complex in such a large building so I suggest 
that house bell hangers were skilled people.    I wonder if anyone knows of 
a set still in operation?