[Bell Historians] Bells on Jersey and CBC Database project.

[Pag.Watts@btinternet.com [bellhistorians]]

Dear Colleagues,

 

Please could anyone with good knowledge of the church bells of Jersey assist me in clarifying some entries in one of the CBC Bells Database spreadsheets I am working through for the project initiated by Graham Pledger earlier this year.

 

My understanding is that there are three churches dedicated to St. Martin in Jersey:

 

*	St Martin (a.k.a. St Martin le Vieux) – the ancient parish church of St Martin’s Parish – one of the twelve administrative parishes of the Island;
*	St Martin de Gouray – in the village or Gorey, which confusingly happens to be in St. Martin’s Parish (above);
*	St Martin de Grouville – the parish church of Grouville Parish, another of the twelve ancient parishes.

 

However the CBC spreadsheet (sourced from George Dawson) has four entries:

 


Winchester

CARE

 

 

Jersey

St Martin le Vieux

1 of 1

 

6

30

 

C

1895

John Warner & Sons

 


Winchester

CARE

 

 

Jersey

St Martin de Grouville

1 of 1

Yes

6

43

 

 

1881

A Havard

 


Winchester

CARE

41/410

 

Jersey

St Martin

1 of 1

Yes

6

40.25

12.3.18

 

1769

Lester & Pack, crack, Insc

DLC 9/99


Winchester

CARE

41/409

 

Jersey

St Martin, Gouray

1 of 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NB:  There are also entries for St Peter La Roque and La Hougue Bie Chapels in Gorey, which are not part of this enquiry.

 

On-line sources for the three churches above give:

 

1.	St Martin (le Vieux):  https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/Official_history_of_St_Martin%27s_Parish_Church : “In 1768 the present bell was bought. It was still the custom to name church bells. This one was stamped in French: "I, Martin, for St Martin, have been founded in London in 1768. Lester and Poch [sic] made me. I weigh 12 cwt 3 qr 18 lb" Lester and Poch's Whitechapel Foundry had a worldwide reputation. It sent bells to Russia, Germany and America. The 70 cwt bell for Canterbury Cathedral was made by them. The St Martin's bell has four coins of George II welded on it.”
2.	St Martin de Gouray:  https://www.stmartindegouraychurchjersey.co.uk/the-history-of-gouray-church :  “The tower has a clock and contains one bell cast by John Warner and Sons in London in 1895”.
3.	St Martin de Grouville: https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/History_of_Grouville_Parish_Church :  “The bell is one of the finest in the Island and bears the inscription: J'ai este faite fondre a Londres par les paroissiens de Grouville an 1768 je paze 14 cwt 1 qr 2 lb. Ch de la Garde, Rector. Thos Labey, Constable. Frances Marett, Jean Hooper, Survts. Lester and Pack of London, fecit.”

 

[The underlining is mine]

 

Allowing for some lay misinterpretation of bellfounders names and bell inscription casting details, these histories suggest the entries in the CBC spreadsheet should read:

 


Winchester

CARE

41/402

 

Jersey

St Martin le Vieux

1 of 1

 

6

40.25

12.3.18

 

1768/9

Lester & Pack, crack, Insc


Winchester

CARE

41/409

 

Jersey

St Martin de Gouray

1 of 1

 

6

30

 

C

1895

John Warner & Sons


Winchester

CARE

41/410

 

Jersey

St Martin de Grouville

1 of 1

 

 

 

14.1.2

 

1768

Lester & Pack

 

However this doesn’t explain the reference to the 1881 A Havard (Villedieu) bell or where it is, or validate two Lester and Pack bells of the same date but different weights – unless the Grouville bell was recast in 1881 and the church history doesn’t record that recasting?

 

Can anyone please shed light on the situation?  (My DAC has no role in the Channel Islands).

 

Thx.

 

Phil

 

Phil Watts

Bells Advisor, Winchester Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches

Tel: 023 8025 2015         E-mail:               pag.watts at btinternet.com <mailto:pag.watts at btinternet.com> 

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