[Bell Historians] Founder: Bowen of London

[Richard Offen]

You have a better memory than me Ted, I had completely forgotten about that correspondence!

Richard

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From: Bell-historians <bell-historians-bounces at lists.ringingworld.co.uk> on behalf of Ted Steele via Bell-historians <bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, May 7, 2024 8:54:55 PM
To: bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk <bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>
Cc: Ted Steele <bells at tedsteele.plus.com>
Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Founder: Bowen of London

On 04/05/2024 22:17, daviesbob via Bell-historians wrote:
.... Any information on the Bowen Foundry would be greatly appreciated.


I am a bit surprised that the answers to this enquiry have not included reference to the Bell Historians list archive, a link to which pops up with a Google search for “Bowen bell founder London”. The topic was discussed in 2009 and this is the complete thread.

Peter Dyson raised the subject; “Last Sunday I went to look at a single bell at Altrincham (Cheshire) St George, to advise on a 'broken rope'. The bell is 26.25" dia and had 6 canons, of which one is broken off. The only inscription is:

BOWEN FOUNDERS LONDON 1858

David Struckett's Dictionary list says he was casting in Clerkenwell between 1846 and 1890. A quick glance through GAD's NBR shows 2 bells in the Diocese of London.

Has there been any more been published on the foundry, please?”

Not much was said in reply but John Ketteringham wrote:

“This is from Lincolnshire Bells and Bell founders.  A second edition of this book is being published later this year! The firm of Bowen & Co. advertised as the Phoenix Church Bell Foundry of Dorrington Street, Mount Pleasant, London and cast a number of bells during the period 1846 to circa 1890. Most of this firm’s bells are small and there are two of their products in Lincolnshire, both of which are undated.  The first is at Barrowby school which was built in 1851 and the second is at the Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Peter, Woodhall Spa. This church was built in 1896 and presumably the bell was cast at about that time.

Source : Information communicated by Christopher J. Pickford”.

David Cawley wrote: “CJP is the authority on these bells by Bowen - it would be interesting to have a list, with particulars of his bells -also those of his contemporaries Barrett and Osborne (the London one, with an 'e')”

  CJP Obliged with:

“Here's a list for Bowen - not sure I've added all known bells, so E&OE

       1858 Bowen London Altrincham St.George Cheshire  1/1 26.125  3-2-x A  JG

      1851 Bowen London Barrowby School Lincs  1/1 13  0-1-x A Undated (School 1851) Ketteringham

      1846 Bowen London Brentford St.George Middx Scrapped 1/1 20  2-0-x A Scrapped in 1913 Walters Ms

      1851 Bowen London Campden Town St.Paul Middx  1/1    Undated (church 1851) Walters Ms

      1848 Bowen London Duncton St.Anthony & St.George Sussex  1/1 12  0-1-x A  Elphick

      1854 Bowen London High Wycombe St.Andrew Bucks Recast 1/1 21.25  1-2-27 L Recast for St.Andrew's, Hatter's Lane, by JT&Co 1960 JT&Co

      1848 Bowen London Holnest Holnest Park Dorset  1/1 18.75  1-2-x A Probably 1848 Dalton

      1855 Bowen London Ilsington St.Jude, Mildmay Park Middx  1/1 25.875  3-2-x A Inventiry says 1885 (but 1855 more likely) GPE inventory

      1859 Bowen London Lemsford St.John the Evangelist Herts Recast 1/1 23"  2-3-x A Undated (probably 1859). Recast 1977 RW 1977 p.1100

      1858 Bowen London Llowes St.Meilig & St.Llywes Wales (Radnor) 1/3 24.625  3-0-x A  Sharpe, CJND

      1858 Bowen London Llowes St.Meilig & St.Llywes Wales (Radnor) 2/3 26.125  3-2-x A  Sharpe, CJND

      1858 Bowen London Llowes St.Meilig & St.Llywes Wales (Radnor) 3/3 29.5  4-2-x A  Sharpe, CJND

      1856 Bowen London London St.Matthew, Oakley Square Middx  1/1 33    Walters Ms

      1856 Bowen London Radipole St.Ann Dorset  1/1 24  3-0-x A  Dalton

      1854 Bowen London Sandhurst St.Michael Berks Scrapped 1/2 16  1-0-x G Replaced in 1880 when ring installed Sharpe

      1854 Bowen London Sandhurst St.Michael Berks Scrapped 2/2 18  1-2-x G Replaced in 1880 when ring installed Sharpe

      1850 Bowen London Skewen St.John Wales (Glamorgan) 1/1 28  4-2-x A Undated - church 1850 Wright

      1890 Bowen London Strachan Established Church Scotland (Kincardineshire) 1/1 19"  1-3-x A [no details in Eeles] Clouston Ms, Eeles

      dnk Bowen London Woodhall Spa Our Lady & St.Peter (RC) Lincs  1/1 15  0-3-x A  Ketteringham

 I don't have details of the Barrett & Osborne bells in electronic form. CP“

he thread closed with Peter Dyson’s comments:

“Thanks very much for the replies on this topic, especially Chris. Doing a little bit of analysis shows:

 9 known bells remaining in England

4 known bells remaining in Wales

1 known bell remaining in Scotland.

 Yet a search on the CofE Churchcare database of listed bells shows only 1 of these, as "very rare".

 As Historians, shouldn't we be recommending that the other 8 be added, or is this a problem that the database hasn't yet been reconciled at a national level?”

The same Google search reveals an article from the Bridgewater Heritage Group which begins:“John Bowen (1785-1854) was born in Bridgwater, Somerset. He ‘was taken from school’ at the age of 11, but subsequently took every opportunity for self-education. He was apprenticed to Thomas Pyke, brazier and bell-founder in 1799 but became restless and left to seek adventure, eventually joining the Navy. After being shipwrecked he returned to Bridgwater and resumed his apprenticeship with Pyke. He moved to London in 1805, and in 1806 he started work with George? Robinson, a lighthouse contractor.”

There is no further reference to bells but I wonder if this was a relative of the Bowen in question?

Ted

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