[Bell Historians] Fort William

[Bryan McCahey]

Thanks for this, Chris / Alan.
Bryan




________________________________
From: Alan Ellis <alan_ellis at et_xR2P6EgBusUJg9v86wEIR34nyI3MHZL-oZRjxexdToo1z7qBJQHmWbbIdSY2uAwpmhC0ZG12ojWaKqLL1.yahoo.invalid>
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, March 24, 2010 10:45:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Fort William

   
Hi Bryan,


The following is an excerpt from an article I am writing about St.
James.


Best wishes


Alan



St. James (Granville) Vancouver, B.C.


This tower has a
ring of 8
bells cast by Taylor ’s
of Loughborough in 1936.  
 
The tenor weighs
41cwt 1 qrtr
8 lbs.   If only they had been
hung for ringing, they would be the second
heaviest ringing 8 in the world.  
 
Thanks to Andrew
Higson of Taylor ,
Eayre & Smith,
the complete details of the bells are as follows:
 
NOTE                WEIGHT                        DIAMETER
C                      5-1-22               30.5 in.
B                      6-0-22               32.0 in.
A                      8-3-22               36 in.
G                      12-2-11            40.5
in.
F                      18-1-7               45.5 in.
E                      20-1-25            48
in.
D                      31-2-20            53.88
in.
C
(517 Hz)         41-1-8               60.5 in.
 
The inscription
band for bell
nos. 1 through 7 shows
 
* JOHN TAYLOR
& Co. *
FOUNDERS * LOUGHBOROUGH * ENGLAND 
* 1936 *
 
End of quote



Bryan McCahey wrote: 
  > 
>Thanks for this Alan. What date is the Vancouver chime?
>>Bryan
>
>
>
>
________________________________
From: >Alan Ellis <alan_ellis at telus. net>
>To: bellhistorians@ yahoogroups. com
>Sent: Wed, March 24,
>2010 8:53:21 PM
>Subject: Re: [Bell
>Historians] Fort William
>
>  
>Hello Bryan,  
>
>>This is interesting because the clavier for the Taylor 42 cwt chime in
>St. James (Anglican) church in Vancouver is also located immediately
>beneath the bells.  It is surrounded by walls and ceiling of what we
>know as 'ten test' for sound control inside the room.  
>
>>Someone had written out a course of Stedman Triples in music format,
>which my wife played.  Sounded great on that 42 cwt 8.
>
>>At St. James, there is also an automated chiming system, fed from the
>player-piano style equipment behind the choir.   This system uses
>electro-pneumatic connections between  player and belfry.
>
>>Thanks for your info.
>
>>Alan Ellis
>>Vancouver BC
>> 
>
>
>
>
>>Bryan McCahey wrote:
> 
>  
>>The 8 bell chime in Fort William is indeed at St. Mary's RC
>>Church to the east of the town. I did a knock-knock there when on
>>holiday in 1995. The parish priest gave me the tower key and was very
>>happy for me to explore unaccompanied. There was an old people's home
>>immediately next door so he asked me to ring only for a few minutes,
>>which I duly did! They were a magnificent Taylor chime of 24 cwts in D,
>>contemporary with the church (1930s, I think). The tower is massive and
>>rises above the sanctuary at the east end. Access was from a prominent
>>stair turret in the north west corner of the tower, accessed from the
>>rather elaborate sanctuary. 
>>
>>>>I seem to remember quite an impressive painted ceiling below the tower
>>a la Buckfast, but might be wrong here. The church itself has an
>>impressive parabolic vaulted roof to the nave and is reminscent,
>>inside, of a 1930s art deco cinema. Because the tower is so squat,
>>there is no ringing room. Consequently the baton clavier is attached to
>>one side of the bell frame itself with no sound-proofing cabin for
>>protection.  Why the chiming appratus was not positioned at
>>ground-level is unclear. Perhaps for aesthetic reasons?  The noise from
>>the clavier was understandably deafening and it was just as well I only
>>rang a few hymn tunes and some plain hunt! Probably because of the
>>unsatisfactory ringing arrangements (and possibly complaints from the
>>home next door) the bells were not rung very often. The installation
>>was in good order though and the bellchamber very clean and well
>>maintained. The small louvres are in rows of four round-headed arches
>>on each side. An unusual feature was that some were hinged for opening.
>>Several were ajar, I think. 
>>
>>>>Bryan McCahey
>>
>>
>>
>>
________________________________
From: >>Richard Smith <richard at ex-parrot. com>
>>To: bellhistorians@
>>yahoogroups. com
>>Sent: Wed, March 24,
>>2010 11:21:08 AM
>>Subject: Re: [Bell
>>Historians] Fort William
>>
>>  
>>Mike wrote:
>>
>>>>> I have been asked for information about the bells at St 
>>>>> Mary's Church, Fort William. Can anyone help? Is this the 
>>>>> R.C. church, perhaps?
>>
>>>>Dove claims the unringable four are in St Andrew's, which is 
>>>>the dedication of the Episcopal church there. The Catholic 
>>>>church is dedicated to St Mary. From memory, there are four 
>>>>churches in Fort William with towers that look substantial 
>>>>enough to house a light four, and it's possible that one of 
>>>>the others may be dedicated to St Andrew too.
>>
>>>>RAS
>>
>>
>>
>
 


                 
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