[Bell Historians] Caleb Boney

[Chris Pickford]

I think these are the only bells he cast - none surviving now

 


1802

Boney, Caleb

Padstow

St.Minver

St.Menefreda

Cornwall

Recast

4/5

31.25

5-2-x

A

Recast Warner 1875

Dunkin


1810

Boney, Caleb

Padstow

Sennen

St.Sennen

Cornwall

Recast

2/3

31.75

5-2-x

A

Recast M&S 1889

Dunkin, WBF


1810

Boney, Caleb

Padstow

Sennen

St.Sennen

Cornwall

Recast

3/3

33.75

7-0-x

A

Recast M&S 1889

Dunkin, WBF


1814

Boney, Caleb

Padstow

Sancreed

St.Sancredus

Cornwall

Recast

2/3

32.5

6-1-20

L

Recast JT&Co 1882

Dunkin, JT&Co

 

There is a reference to Boney in the book by Canon H. Miles Brown on Cornish
clockmakers:

 

Moving further north in the county, we meet one of the most versatile and
widely-known of Cornish clockmakers, Caleb Boney of Padstow. A published
note at the time of his death in 1826 states that he was born at St Teath in
1747, and had little or no formal schooling. After teaching himself to read
and write Boney found employment at Delabole. From that village he went off
to Liskeard to work in a solicitor's office, but was frequently in trouble
for reading in bed at night. Returning to North Cornwall he became a
self-taught carpenter at Camelford, and then turned to clock and watch
making at Padstow, which remained his residence until his death in November
1826. Two other Calebs, a son and a grandson, were in the same line of
business. The former went bankrupt in 1828. / Several elaborate timepieces
and astronomical clocks were made at Padstow by Boney, some of which are
still extant and are described in the next chapter. There are many more
ordinary clocks made by him in existence. Boney was also something of a
musician, much in demand for tuning instruments, and from about 1806 he
included bell-founding among his many pursuits. Dunkin, in Church Bells of
Cornwall, 1878, traces four bells bearing the name Boney in Cornish towers -
St Minver, Sancreed, and two at Sennen. He also appears in the Kenwyn,
Truro, parish accounts as journeying from Padstow to see the bells there and
to give an estimate for their new casting. At the age of 78 he rode the 41
miles to Hayle to tune bells recast at the Hayle Copperhouse Foundry for
Helston Church. / After Boney's death the schoolmaster of St Merryn, one
Chapman, blossomed into 'verse' in his praise - "Sun, moon and planets he
did make, Like to Sir Isaac's notion, And neatly fixed them to his time,
Which set them all in motion." (H. Miles Brown, Cornish Clocks and
Clockmakers, 3rd. ed. (1980) pp.31-2)

 

. and I found a newspaper reference to a clock he had made:

 

Sale advertisement of the household furniture of Edward Arthur Esq, of
Trevanson, near Wadebridge - mentions a Geographical and Astronomical Clock
(by Caleb Boney) (Royal Cornwall Gazette, Saturday 23 September 1820)

 

Otherwise Neal Dodge and Peter Rivet have already provided most of what is
known (including some that's new to me - so thanks)

 

Chris Pickford

E-mail:  <mailto:pickford5040 at gmail.com> pickford5040 at gmail.com 

 

From: Bell-historians
[mailto:bell-historians-bounces at lists.ringingworld.co.uk] On Behalf Of
georgebellringer at gmail.com
Sent: 25 August 2020 16:25
To: 'Bell Historians Mailing List'
Subject: [Bell Historians] Caleb Boney

 

Whilst going through some stuff I came across his name as a bell founder.

Does anyone know anything about him?

 

George

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