[Bell Historians] Hastings stays

[Chris Povey]

Question re Hastings stays:
It is surprising that a question about a high-profile item on which opinion
is divided should attract just three answers from two contributors. There
is an excellent and extensive article entitled 'Hastings stays' in RW 2003
pp1030-1231. There is no author shown, but as the article draws heavily on
information in Taylors' files, it is likely to be factual. I believe the
author was Colin Banton when he was at Taylors. It is much more factual
than the Whiting Society article, which, in comparison, contains many
historical errors, eg, the name of the inventor. His name was Rev Edward
Hastings Horne (as Chris Pickford informs), which prompts a question; was
his surname Hastings Horne (ie, double barrelled but with no hyphen), or
was it Horne, with two forenames, Edward Hastings? Does anyone know?

The Whiting Society article suggests the 'Rev J F Hastings M.A, was Rector
of Martley in  Worcestershire'. That is true, but he isn't our
man, particularly as there is no 'Horne' attached.. There were two
Rev Hastings in Martley, as outlined in a history of Hastings Close in the
village: father and son. Father, the Rev J Hastings, was there from 1796 to
1858 - although he died aged 100, he was probably with the angels in 1890 -
and then the son, who was Rev J F Hastings, who was there for 16 years as
curate and then as Rector from 1907 to 1944. As Edward Hastings Horne died
in 1939 (from CJP), Rev J F cannot be our man either. Lastly, it seems
Edward Hastings Horne was resident in Leicestershire and Tunbridge Wells.

It's sad to see a near frictionless system described as a 'horrible
device'. I've lived with 14 of them for 35 years and never had a problem
with them. Once correctly set up they keep performing faultlessly.

The Rev John Scott told me a little story about Hastings stays. He was
talking to a Mears & Stainbank bellhanger, who'd been working on a Devon
ring with Hastings stays. He was grumbling about the funny Taylor stays.
John told him they were invented by a cleric called Hastings Horne. The
bellhanger replied, 'Mr Scott, his parents couldn't have been married!'

Chris  Povey

On Wed, Feb 23, 2022 at 3:36 PM c.j.pickford--- via Bell-historians <
bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk> wrote:

> The Fletcher article seems good on the practical side by the look of it –
> but wrong (I’m more or less certain) on the identity of the inventor.
>
>
>
> Jennings *The Development of British Bell Fittings *(1991) credits the
> invention to the Rev. Edward Hastings Horne (p.93). Jennings is wrong,
> though, regarding Horne’s date of death – he died in 1939 (not 1929). He
> also refers to this as the invention of the Rev. Hastings Horne in his
> history of Taylors *Master of my Art *(1987) p.69-70. Horne was curate of
> Melton Mowbray 1889-91.
>
>
>
> The correct name, incidentally, doesn’t feature in Alison’s list!
>
>
>
> *Chris Pickford*
>
> Kinver (UK)
>
> Tel: 07811-453525
>
> e-mail: pickford5040 at gmail.com
>
>
>
> *From:* Bell-historians <bell-historians-bounces at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>
> *On Behalf Of *Peter Rivet
> *Sent:* 23 February 2022 15:24
> *To:* 'Bell Historians Mailing List' <
> bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>
> *Cc:* 'AMH' <hodgeam at btinternet.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [Bell Historians] Hastings stays
>
>
>
> So far as I am aware the best source on the history of the Hastings Stay
> is George Fletcher’s paper produced by the Whiting Society: The Whiting
> Society of Ringers - Design for a Rectangular Hastings Stay
> <https://www.whitingsociety.org.uk/articles/stay-making/hastings-stay.html>
> .  There may of course be more information available on its inventor,
> perhaps at Martley where he was the incumbent.
>
>
>
> Peter Rivet
>
>
>
> *From:* Bell-historians <bell-historians-bounces at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>
> *On Behalf Of *AMH via Bell-historians
> *Sent:* 23 February 2022 14:19
> *To:* 'Bell Historians Mailing List' <
> bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>
> *Cc:* AMH <hodgeam at btinternet.com>
> *Subject:* [Bell Historians] Hastings stays
>
>
>
> Hello historians -
>
>
>
> We are investigating the history of Hastings stays and have found at least
> three versions of who invented them. Some references say “Rev W Hastings
> Thorne” but we have found two other websites quoting “Rev J F Hastings” or
> “Rev Edward Hastings Thorne”. Is there a historian who knows the definitive
> answer please?
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
> Alison
>
>
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