[Bell Historians] Bells & clocks

[Dickon Love]

Thanks for the question. Responding from the Dove perspective.

 

We do record some ancillary aspects, for example, we record the presence of an Ellacombe rack, but only provided we are advised of its presence. In the case of Madley, we hadn’t been notified, but I have just updated the Dove record. https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/11004

 

We also note if bells are rung from e.g. baton keyboard, electronic controls, with the same proviso.

 

We do not record which bells are used as quarter or hour bells unless they are installed as such as their principle use.

 

We know about the AHS Database, and indeed I have my own log-in details for it.

 

In theory we could start recording which bells are quarter/hour bells, and indeed record references to the AHS database. The issue is that of time and the ability to maintain these data to a sufficiently high quality. We would also need to complete additional development to allow these fields – although once done, this would not in itself be a huge effort.  In the case of the AHS database, it is not public, so the value would only be limited. Of course, those who run the AHS database would be welcome to maintain Dove Tower IDs within their database, and provided the quality is sufficient, data exchange could take place in that direction, and I’d be happy to speak to them about that.

 

There has been a fair degree of expansion within Dove over the past few years to meet the interests of the ringing community and the Church of England, as well as to support the various appendices in the published book, so we have to be careful what else we take on, although there are a couple more major expansions in the pipeline.

 

Dickon Love

Dove Lead

 

From: Bell-historians <bell-historians-bounces at lists.ringingworld.co.uk> On Behalf Of Carl S Zimmerman via Bell-historians
Sent: 31 May 2026 03:36
To: Bell Historians <bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>
Cc: Carl S Zimmerman <csz_stl at swbell.net>
Subject: [Bell Historians] Bells & clocks

 

Inspired by a news article on restoration of the clockworrks at Madley, Herts., I write to ask whether there is a national list of tower clocks comparable to what Dove provides for bells.  If so, is anyone considering connecting such a list with Dove? or expanding Dove to include mentions of ancillary equipment?  Madley, for example, has a restored Ellacombe rack that operates on all eight bells, plus a tower clock that strikes the hour as well as the half hour (and perhaps the quarters as well).  But neither of those facilities is mentioned in Dove's entry for Madley, so it is not clear which of the eight serve also as clock bells.  Other rings have associated chiming machines of various kinds, probably also associated with clockworks.

 

Currently I am working on a project to consolidate lists of known products of American tower clock manufacturers, with the aim of eventually connecting that with the various surviving lists of the products of American bellfounders.  I hope to increase tower clock enthusiasts' appreciation of the bells associated with such clocks, and vice versa.

 

Comments?

 

Carl Scott Zimmerman, Campanologist 
Saint Louis, Missouri, USA -
 - 19th c. home of at least 37 bell founders or resellers 
Tel. +1-314-821-8437 
Webmaster for www.TowerBells.org <http://www.TowerBells.org> 
 * Avocation: tower bells
 * Recreation: handbells

 * Mission: church bells

Webmaster for www.TSCChapter134.org <http://www.TSCChapter134.org> 

Treasurer, World Carillon Federation



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