Manx Bells by R. W. M. Clouston

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MANX BELLS Ranald W M. Clouston BSc Eng FSA

PUBLISHED PRIVATELY 7986 2

Feltham and Wright in their tour of the Isle of Man in the summer of 1797 made sketrhes of the churches they visited; these all show open bellcotes and quite small bells. At that time Kirk Patrick was ruinous and had no bell; St. Patrick's Church in Peel Castle, Kirk Braddan, Kirk Marown and Kirk Halew each had double bellcotes with two small bells. The remainder had only small single bells. Some of these have survived, but none were cast earlier than the 18th Century. The larger bell at Kirk Braddan Old Church, 23'1,, inches diameter, bears the date 1780 incised on the shoulder. This fabric was re-erected in 1773 on the site of a much older church. The bell bears a normal arrangement of moulding wires, six canons and an argent. While incised dates and inscript­ ions can be put on a bell at any time after casting, the details of the bell do support 1780 as the likely casting date. Probably from an English foundry, as the design shows that the founder was quite used to casting bells and moulding the quite intricate canons and argent, the loops on the crown. The companion bell, 17~ inches diameter, is a little later, say 1800; there are no moulding wires on the shoulder or by the inscription band, and though there are argent and six rectangular section canons, the moulder has made a mistake in putting the cast-in crown staple, which supports the clap­ per, 90° out compared with the canons. So the bell appears quarter turned with the single canons under the timber headstock and the double canons show­ ing on each side. There is no inscription or evidence as to the founder; probably English. Lezayre has a small bell, 16 inches diameter, which bears on the waist the date 1788 and a representation of what seems to be a liver bird, which suggests Liverpool as the site of the bell foundry. The original chapel dedicated to St. Matthew in Douglas was consecrated in 1708. A clock, now in the Manx Museum, was given before 1740 and struck the hours on the present bell before the old church was demolished in 1895. The present bell, 211,, inches diameter, is uninscribed, and has every app­ earance of having been cast in the late 18th Century by a founder who was not very experienced at casting bells. There are three moulding wires just by the thickest part of the soundbow; this latter is most unusual as it would be at this point that a clock hammer should strike. Six rectangular section canons have tapering bases. These latter streng­ then the junction of them with the crown and were introduced by the White­ chapel Foundry in London in the mid-18th Century. This bell is not one of Ha. nd. -&-e H (Town""'-~~~;;;;;;~ S-ftou{dtT T~~(. A;gt:n) (TOWn2 ~~:J

LL-/\..

Names of parts of a. bell. B

Single bell hung as for change ringing. A. Rcndswck. E. Slider. 13. Wheel. F. Clapper. C. G. Frnme. D. Stay. H. Pulley. 3

theirs, and so a rather later date is indicated to allow the idea to reach other founders. As at Kirk Braddan, the inexperienced moulder has put the cast-in crown staple 90° out compared with the canons. The two bells at Malew St. Lupus are both about 20 inches diameter, the deeper toned or tenor is apparently uninscribed when viewed through a tele­ scope, and has two moulding wires on each side of the inscription band. Rect­ angular section canons and a casting date of about 1780. The treble here is som~what later, circa 1830, with no moulding wires by the inscription band and probably cast with a solid pattern. On the west side the waist bears a garlanded head and on the other what appears to be a shield, the upper part of which bears a face and the lower roots or tentacles. The writer has not found this mark elsewhere· and is not aware of its significance. The Douglas Grammar School bell, now in the Manx Museum, is said to be 18th Century. The bell is completely blank with no moulding wires, but with a step at the top of the soundbow and two slight ridges by the shoulder. 14i inches diameter. The handbell type argent is bolted to a wrought iron head­ stock. The bell could date from 1780, but might be somewhat later. The 19th Century was a period of considerable activity in casting or re­ casting bells for Manx churches and other buildings , and we find for the first time bells which can definitely be said to have been cast on the Island. The earliest of these is the treble at Castletown St. Mary which has a decorative border all round the inscription band and incised on the waist:- T. GELLING FECIT . 1835. 18~ inches diameter. The crown is set hard on the underside of a large tim­ ber headstock and any canons and argent that there might be are completely enclosed in the timber. A directory of this period shows Thomas Gelling as a founder on South Quay, Douglas. This bell is the only one so far discovered bearing his name. The Patrick bell weighing about 2 cwt bears the . inscription:- J G G (Manx escutcheon) 1861 The initials clearly stand for James G. Gelling who is noted in the directory to have been a brass founder in Market Place, Douglas, while Richard Gelling carried on as an iron founder on ·South Quay. The canons are unusual; the singles are much wider than usual, and the whole is turned 90° compared with the crown staple. There are no moulding wires below the shoulder. The Baldwin St. Luke bell, about 18 inches diameter, is also from the Douglas foundry. The Manx escutcheon appears at the top of the waist with a 4 border of arcading immediately below all round the bell. There is a step by the shoulder, four moulding wires at the top of the soundbow, and one just above the border. The canons are again unusual with only two wide loops to the argent and no single canons. The church was consecrated in 1836; the bell could be as old as this, but more likely to be a little later, say circa 1850. The Peel former Primary School has a small bell, about 10 inches diameter, hung in an open bellcote. Only part of the inscription is visible from the ground, but Mr G. Palmer of Peel kindly informs the writer that it reads:­

PRESENTED BY ROBERT ~IOORE ESQ 1848 (Manx Escutcheon) The inscription is on a raised flat band just below the shoulder and a hand­ bell type argent is bolted to a wrought iron headstock. The bell from the former Cornelly Mine of the Isle of Man Mining Company is preserved in the Manx Huseum in Douglas. 14 "/" inches diameter with an ornamental border all round just where the inscription would normally be with the Hanx escutcheon on the waist. The argent has no hole through it and two very large section canons are located one on each side where the double canons would normally be. No moulding wires and only two ledges above and below the soundbow. This bell is very similar to the Patrick bell, and was most prob­ ably cast by James G. Gelling of Douglas around 1860. It was used at the Cornelly Hine in the period 1860 to 1886. Dealing with the other bells dating from the first half of the 19th Cent­ ury we first have the uninscribed tenor at Castletown St. Mary, 23~ inches diameter, which is unlike any other bell seen on the island. One large mould­ in~ wire at mid-waist and three just above the soundbow and a ledge just be­ low the shoulder. Any canons and argent are recessed into a large timber headstock and are not visible. The soundbow inside and outside curves are flatter than normal and the maximum thickness of 1~ inches is not limited to just one point. The casting date would seem to be around 1800. Marown Old Church has a double bellcote with one bell in the southern opening. This bell, about 16 inches diameter, has three spaced moulding wires below the shoulder, and two at the top of the soundbow. Six rectangular sect­ ion canons. No visible inscription or marks, but the design suggests a date of about 1800. The tower of the ruined church of German St Peter in Peel built in 1872 houses a bell, 221 inches diameter, inscribed: E • PERRY WHITEHAVEN· 1809 Large and rather rough letters between two large moulding wires just below 5

the shoulder in the normal position. Pairs of moulding wires on the crown and at the top of the soundbow, but none by the lip. Oval section canons secured to a massive timber headstock. No other bells by this founder are known either in Cumbria or elsewhere, so he probably combined bell founding with some other trade. The bell is not easy to reach, being hung from six stout iron rods attached to some beams above. The bell is mouth uppermost and the six rods

ar~ secured to the ends of the timber headstock. A peculiar linkage enabled an internal hammer to strike the bell.

The Tromode Linen Factory bell, now in the ~lanx :-luseum in Douglas just bears the date on the waist: 1825 10 ' /u inches diameter .• with a hand bell type argent. Two moulding wires on the crown , none below the shoulder, and the outside of the soundbow with curved mouldings of the period. Probably English. The bell in the tower of Jurby church, 18'/,, i nches diameter, bears: AD 1831 Moulded with a solid pattern most probably by a firm with shipbuilding conn­ ections. The argent has a solid centre and the s ix canons have convex outer faces. The tower of Ballaugh New Church, which wa s consecrated in 1832, contains a set of three unusual bells. Th e two trebles with the higher notes bear in­ cised on the waist:

COWGILL & CO~IER LIVERPOOL and on the inside of the soundbow close to the lip WARRENTED twice, once in­ verted and once inverted and reversed. So odd, as it is just in this zone where machining or hand chipping would be necessary to alter the note. Perhaps the bell ceased to be warrented if tuning was undertaken! The tenor bears a raised inscription on the middle of the soundbow outside: COWGILL & COMER.LIVERPOOL As the bells are so unusual the following particulars are given:

(All dimensions in inches) Treble Second Tenor

Mouth diameter. 23 '/18 23 11/. • 23~ Soundbow thickness. 2! 2' ;.. 2•/.. Lip to shoulder at tangent. 15 16! 17~ Shoulder circumference. . 40 40~ 40! 6

Treble Second Tenor

~ominal pitches, Hz ... c 1840 c 1660 c 1560

~ominal pitches, musical notation. Bb-.23 Abexactly G-.09 Fundamental pitches, Hz. 800 800 755 Hum notes, Hz •... 434 425 425 Approximate weights, cwt 3! 3 3 Tone ..... Very poor Fair Fair Cheetham in his survey of Lancashire bells, Trans. Lanes. & Ches. Antiq. Sec. l"ol XLV (1930) p.l26, notes them as having cast a bell in 1839 for 0smotherly (Ulverston), and as Cowgill, Comer & Jones, one for Lydiate in 1841. As will be seen the three bells have virtually the same mouth diameters, the same shoulder circumferences, but are made somewhat taller for the deeper notes. The treble, with the highest note, is much thicker in the soundbow than the others and is probably the heaviest of the three! The Nominals give musical intervals of 1.77 and 1.09 semitones, and the fundamentals and the Hum Notes are virtually the same for the three bells. The treble on the inside of the soundbow has an inclined flat surface in from the lip 1! inches wide; this feature is not found on normal English bells cast after about 1350! Massive full wheels are provided, the spokes are 5~ ins wide axially, but there are no stays or sliders. St. Stephen's chapel at Sulby has a small bell about 10 inches diameter, inscribed: (a crown) MONA 1840 Clearly a secondhand ship's bell. Reference to F. Henry's Ships of the IsLe of Man Steam Packet Co Ltd., 3rd Edition (1973), pp 6ff, 42, 43, shows that a vessel bearing this name was built by Robert Napier and arrived in the Isle of Man in July 1832. 98ft long, 17ft beam and drawing 9!ft. The first Mona remained in service till 1841 and was then sold to the Liverpool Steam Tug Co. So this bell may have been cast as a replacement in 1840, or the vessel may not have had a bell in the period 1832-40. The first chaplain here was licensed on 12 December 1839. The bell in the tower of St. Jude's chapel, Andreas, 19''~• inches diameter, just bears the date 1841 on the waist. Grooved mouldings on the crown and on the top of the soundbow with a step by the lip. Clearly moulded with a solid pattern and not strickled up. Probably made by a foundry casting ship's bells in England. 7

St. Mary's chapel , Oallure, in South Ramsey was restored about 1850 and the single uninscribt>d bt>ll, about 18 ins diameter, seems to be of this date. Cronk y l'oddy chapel was consecrated in Februa ry 1852 and the open western bcl lcot~ contains an uninscribed bell of about 1 cwt of this date. The prominent wt> st tower of Kirk Michael church houses a single bt>ll ,

1 25 '; ,. i nches diamett>r, inscr i bed:

C A~D G MEARS FO UNDERS LONDON Fr·c''" tht> 1\hitt>chapel Bdl Foundry, London and cast in the pt>riod 1844 till l S57. though this title was occasionally used up till 1859 even though Charles Mears died in 1S5 5. The lettering is of a type of Victorian Gothic in which the D' s ar e closel y similar to reversed G's . The old church at Ballaugh has a western stone belfry with a weather vane da ted 1717. The single bell, 1 6~ inches diameter, has no inscription. Two moulding wires on the crown , two at the top of the soundbow and one by the lip.Four canons equally spaced are deeply recessed into a timber heads tock. The outside surface shows areas of porosity. The top of the clapper is hooked and closed over a cast-in crown staple and the we ar in the soundbow where the clapper strikes is only l / 16 in. The above suggests a mid-19th C. casting date. The bell in the south eastern tower of St. Mary's R.C. church in Douglas, 29 v,,inches diameter, is inscribed: SHERIDAN DUBLIN MAKER 1852 : LAU S. DEO VIRGI NIQUE MATRI MARIA Cast by James Sheridan of the Eagle Foundry, Dubli n; with argent and six canons with grooved outer faces. Another of his bells, this time undated, is at Christ Church, Dhoon, about 18 inches diameter. The west side has a circular medallion bearing: Js SHERIDAN . EAGLE FOUNDRY and below the word DUBLI N On the east side i s a harp above which appears ERIN GO BRAGH and beneath a sprig of foliage. This church was consecrated in 1855 and the bell would seem to be of this date. Another Irish bell of this period is at Malew St Mark , about 20 ins diameter, inscribed: THOMAS HODGES FOUNDER ABBEY ST DUBLIN !854 Good clear lettering and well cast. Large rectangular section canons. The church was consecrated in 1772, so this is likely to be a replacement bell. The Santon bell is by the same founder, and through a telescope can be seen to be inscribed: THOMAS HODGES ABBEY ST DU • • IN 1856 8

There is a decorative mark at the beginning and end. About 20 inches diameter, and the church records give the cost as £12 16s 5d. An earlier bell was pur­ chased new in 1720. There used to be a ring of eight bells cast by John Hurphy of Dublin at St. Thomas' Douglas. This ring and the present chime of eight there are notPd in a later section of this account.

Laxey church was consecrated in 1856 and the sin~le uninscribed bell could be of this date. Onchan acquired a steel bell in 1858 cast by :\aylor \"ichrs &. Co of Shef­ field. 26~ inches diameter, and now disused in the churchyard. Tonally, steel bells are not as satisfactory as those in bronze. and this one at Onchan was replaced by a 29 inches diameter bronze bell cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough in 1914 and hung from the old Naylor Vickers headstock. At Arbory there is another disused steel bell, 24 '/,, inches diameter, cast in 1864 by 1\aylor Vickers & Co. The bronze bell in use, 24~ inches diameter, was cast by Gillett & Johnston of Croydon in 1926.

All Saints Church, Lonan, has a poor toned steel bell, 28~ inches diameter, cast by Vickers, Sons & Co in 1872. The bell hangs from an eye bolted to the flanged crown and is struck by a hammer operated by a vertical shaft from the ground which is twisted by a lever at this level. At Bishop's Court there is a small bell, about 10 inches diameter, hung at the level of the battlements on the north side of the tower. There are no moulding wires just below the shoulder, no visible inscription on the north side and the crown terminates in a handbell type argent. Bishop Powys rebuilt the chapel in 1858 and the bell would date from this period. Malew Abbey church has a disused small bell, 11! inches diameter, bearin~ an incised inscription: BERTIE 186J. Clearly a former ship's bell. A larger bell, 27~ inches diameter, was cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London, in 1947. St. Patrick's RC church in Peel erected about 1865 has a small bell about 9 inches diameter in an open bellcote. No inscription is visible and the de­ sign features are of this period. St. Olave's church Ramsey was built around 1870 and has a single bell in a closed turret on the south side of the west front. There is no provision for access inside and outside only through the narrow louvred openings. 9

Thr Glasgow foundry of John C. Wilson of Portugal St. in the Gorbals sup­ plied single bells to the Colby Mission chapel in Arbory parish about 1883, and to Cregneish church around 1895.

Foxdale church tower contains a single uninscribed bell, 16 ~. inches in

di~meter, which has six rectangular section canons set 90° out compared with the ca st-in crown staple. No moulding wires, but a ledge on the crown, another jt1st below the shoulder and two ridges just above the soundbow. The underside of the timber headstock is stamped 187G which appears to be intended for 1876 and is probably the date of casting of the bell. The Memorial Clock Tower in Foxdale was erected in 1901 to commemorate Queen Victoria's reign. The clock strikes on a bell of about 2 cwt which is not visible from the ground and is above the clock and dials. The tone of the bell supports a date of about 1901. St. German's Cathedral, Peel, has the only existing ring of bells on the Island, and the last section of this account is devoted to them. South Ramsey St. Paul has a tower containing two bells, 25 and 43~ inches diameter, cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough in 1886. The weights are 3cwt 2qrs 22lb and 14cwt 1qr 6lb. Till 1902 the tenor was the largest bell on the Island, and even now the present holder of that title, the hour bell at King William's College, is only 22lb heavier. Bride church tower contains a single bell, 21 inches diameter, cast at Loughborough in 1908, and an octave of tubular bells supplied by Harrington, Latham & Co of Coventry around 1887. The tubes range in length from 4ft to 7 ft 1~ ins; they were cast in a type of bronze, but lack the sound carrying pow er of bronze bells of normal design. The church of St. George and St. Barnabas, Douglas, has another set of these tubular bells supplied by the same firm. In this case there are ten of them in the key of C. Additionally there is a single bell weighing 6cwt 2qrs 4lb cast by Taylors of Loughborough in 1958 and supplied with an electrical tolling device in 1972. The timber frame for this bell dates from about 1850 .and housed an earlier bell which became cracked. The same firm cast an almos.t duplicate bell for All Saints church Douglas weighing 6cwt 1qr 1lb in 1966. The bell from the former church of All Saints is preserved at St. George's and is inscribed: LLEWELLINS & JAMES BRISTOL 10

15~ inches diameter, and would date from around 1900. The prominent tower of King William's College, Castletown, contains a clock chime of three bells cast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough in 1902. The weights are 3cwt lqr 6lb, 5cwt 1 qr 27lb, and 14cwt 2qrs Olb. The hour bell is 42'Y.. inches diameter and has a nominal .pitch of 731 Hz, 0.22 semitones flat of F sharp. The ding-dong quarters have notes of F sharp and C sharp. The hour bell is the heaviest on the Island, though the bell at St. Ninian's church Douglas is slightly deeper in note, 725 H:. The Loughborough Bell Foundry supplied a bell, 25 Y.. inches. diameter, to Port St. Mary church in 1903; another slightly smaller one to Maughold church about 1905; one of 4cwt 3qrs 21lb to Port Erin church in 1935; one of 3cwt 1qr 22lb to Marown New Church in 1938, replacing an earlier one of 1852. The Rushen church bell was cast at Loughborough in 1956 and weighs Jcwt 1qr 14lb. The Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London, supplied a bell of 6icwt to the Royal Chapel of St. John in 1849 when the present fabric was erected. This bell was recast at the same foundry in 1922, and is now the present hour bell of 6cwt 3qrs 25lb. In 1939 four bells to give quarter chimes and a clock were donated by William Henry Callister in memory of his parents, brother and sister. The four bells are each inscribed: J.B. JOYCE & CO. LTD. WHITCHURCH, SALOP. 1939. This firm supplied the clock, but the bells were cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and have weights of 1cwt 3qrs 11lb, 2cwt .3qrs llb, 3cwt 22lb and 5cwt 10lb, the notes being B, A, G and D. The large bell at St. Ninian's church, Douglas, 43i inches diameter and weighing 13cwt 3qrs 3lb, was cast at the Whitechapel Foundry in 1912. The note is slightly deeper than the hour bell at King William's College •• The Whitechapel Foundry also supplied the Derbyhaven bell in 1943, one for Malew Abbey church in 1947 and the Andreas bell of 2cwt 2qrs 24lb in 1948. The impressive tower of Ramsey RC church contains a 30 inches diameter bell cast by Carr of Smethwick in 1909. An earlier church built around 1863 had a smaller bell in an open bellcote. The old church at Lonan has a modern ship's bell hung in an open bellcote over the west wall of the chancel. About 10 ins diameter and inscribed on the waist: MEDIATOR 11

DOUGLAS St. Thomas the Apostle

The north eastern tower contains a chime of eight bells, tenor 12cwt 3qrs 7lbs in the key of F sharp. BELL INSCRIPTION WEIGHT cwt. qrs. lbs.

Treble (Border)...... ) 0 0 (waist Front) THE T\1'0 SMALLER BELLS/ TO COMPLETE THE OCTAVE/ WERE PRESENTED IN 1926/ BY HIS WIFE AND FAMILY/ IN MEMORY OF/ EDWIN CREER,/ CHURCHWARDEN OF THIS CHURCH 1919 TO 1926/ • • • /N.J. POOLE • VICAR/ STANLEY CREER } CHURCHWARDENS E. P. BROADHEAD (Waist Rear) (T) Second (Border as on treble) 3 7 (Waist) 19 (T) 26 Third (Border) (T) 3 2 5 (liaist) ~:- 1912 ~:- Fourth (Exactly as on Third) 4 6 Fifth (Exactly as on Third) 5 2 24 Sixth (Exactly as on Third) 7 0 2 Seventh (Exactly as on Third) 9 0 22 Tenor (Border) 12 3 7 (Waist Front) A PEAL OF BELLS WAS PRESENT- ED TO THIS/ CHURCH IN 1852 BY REV: R.CATTLEY, CURATE/ OF THIS PARISH./ DESTROYED BY FIRE 11 FEBRUARY 1912./ RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR & CO. LOUGHBOROUGH./ ERNEST B. SAVAGE. VICAR./ COWLE H. CHURCHWARDENS./ A. M. JACKSON } * * * I GOD BLESS THIS CHURCH AND PARISH All from the Loughborough Bell Foundry of John Taylor & Co and cast with flat crowns which are bolted to composite timber and mild steel headstocks supported in a mild steel frame in one level. The crowns bear numbers relating to the strickle sizes, 267 on the treble, and 218, 161, 238, 276, 153, 201 and 199 on the tenor. Normal ringing clappers have eyes on the flights which are connected to a plucking type manual. The clock by Smiths of Derby dated 1912 chimes the Cambridge quarters on the bells. The clock chimes were originally put up in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria but were destroyed in the fire of 1912. 12

Through the kindness of Mrs C. Ethel Flanagan of Douglas some details of the earlier bells are available. The Manx Sun newspaper of 8 May 1852 reported that a gentleman who had lately taken up his residence on the Island had off­ ered to present Douglas and neighbourhood with a fine peal of eight bells and had fixed on St. Thomas' church, Douglas, as the most appropriate place for their erection. This gentleman was the Rev. R. Cattley, curate of Kirk Onchan, who assist("d in the parish of St. Thomas. The donor became Canon R. Cattley of liorcester Cathedral and when he was there he started a scheme to replace the old ring of ("ight bells with a new ring of twelve in 1863. This was ach­ ieved in 1S69 when John Taylor & Co cast a new twelve. He died in 1903 and at the hour of his funeral in ~orcester one of St. Thomas' bells was tolled. Th e Douglas bells were to be cast by John !>!urphy of Dublin, who had won a pri=e for his bells at the Great Exhibition held in the Crystal Palace, London, in 185 1. The eight bells were expected to cost nearly £400, and a further sum of £100 would be required for their erection, framework, etc. At that moment there was no ring of bells in Douglas or anywhere else on the Island. The Loughborough Foundry records show that John Taylor & Co quoted in April 1852 for a ring of eight bells, tenor 7! cwt and a total weight of 40cwt, for £396 delivered Liverpool. Apparently this was not attractive enough to secure the order. The Manx Sun for 5 June 18$2 noted that the foundations of the tower of St Thomas' church were being strengthened to be suitable for a ring of bells and stated a condition of the gift that the sum required to hang them, now estim­ ated to be £130, had to be raised by 1 July 1852. Alas, the issue for 3 July noted that less than £100 had been subscribed, but that the donor had extended his offer. The issue of 21 August noted that the treble and tenor had been cast at the Dublin foundry of John Murphy and did not require any tuning, being perfect notes. By 23 October the octave had arrived by the schooner Superior on the previous Wednesday, and were now being erected in the tower. On 27 November it was announced that the bells would be opened on 4 December by professional ringers from St. Peter's Liverpool. Nine ringers arrived on 3 December on the King Orry and they brought a set of handbells. They rang the tower bells on the Saturday, before and after morning and afternoon services on the Sunday, and on the Monday they went for a peal, but unfortunately after one and a half hours' ringing a rope broke. On the Tuesday 7 December 1852 they were more successful, and in 2 hours 47 minutes they rang a peal of 5040 changes of 13

Grandsire Triples conducted by Edward Heron. The band was: Treble Edward Heron, Conductor Fifth Edward Davies Second William Evans Jr Sixth Richard Cross Third William Howard Seventh Hugh Walmsley Fourth J olm Grindrod Tenor John Burkenshaw Others who did not take part were William Evans Sr and Frederick Powell. The five larger bells were considered to be perfect in tone and harmony, but.the three trebles required "certain alterations and these are in hand"! On the Tuesday evening after the peal the Rev R. Cattley gave the ringers a supper. This was the first tower bell peal to be rung on the Island. The trouble with the lighter bells seems to have persisted, as in 1888 when C.H. Hattersley's band of ringers came over to ring at Peel they only rang on six bells here. In 1912 the serious fire destroyed all the Murphy bells.

References: BeLLs over LiverpooL E.L. Humphris s, 1979, p. 8. BeLL News and Ringers' Record 1888 , pp 205 & 23 9.

P E E L St. German's Cathedral

A north western tower of brick and sandstone houses a ring of eight bells, tenor 8cwt 1qr 6lbs in A flat, now unfit for full circle ringing.

BELL INSCRIPTION APPROX. WEIGHT. (cwt) Treble CAST BY JOHN WARNER AND SONS, LONDON. 1883 (Arcaded border all round) (Waist) (cross) GIVEN BY THE CHILDREN OF PEEL. * RECAST 1916 Second JOHN WARNER AND SONS, FOVNDERS, LONDON. 2~ (Border all ·round as on treble) (Waist) GIVEN BY JOHN BLAIR OF BALLAQVANE 1883, RECAST 1916 Third CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1BB3. (Waist) GIVEN BY JOHN CLARKE OF BALLAWYLLIN. Fourth CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON .l883. (Waist) GIVEN BY WALTER CAIN, OF PEEL. 2.

St German's Cathedral, Peel Timber Bell Frame 15

BELL INSCRIPTION APPROX. WEIGHT (cwt) Fifth CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1883 St (Waist) GIVEN BY JOHN CRELLIN I THE SANDHOUSE. Sixth CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1883. 6 (Waist) GIVEN BY JOHN PAULIN OF BELLEVUE I AND HIS SON JOHN PAULIN. M.R.C.P. Seventh CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1883. 7 (Waist) GIVEN BY HENRY HIGGINS M.D. I OF HEATHFIELD. Tenor CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1883 8t (Waist) GIVEN BY JOHN TEARE, OF GLENFABA. Originally supplied by John Warner & Sons of London in 1883, the same firm recast the two trebles in 1916 and apparently retuned the remainder at the same time. The frame and the incomplete fittings all date from 1883 though the tower was rebuilt in 1911. The two trebles have flat crowns, the third and fourth have canons which are angular in elevation and the remainder have four Doncaster type canons on each. All have independent crown staples. The tower walls by the bells are 3ft thick but the bell chamber is only 11ft square which is too small to hang the ring in one level in a wooden frame, and the second and sixth bells are hung above. The bells in the lower tier hang in a sawpit frame with gallows ends by the walls, all swinging east-west. Vertical tie-rods are fitted through the side frames. The bells in the upper tier swing north-south in the eastern half of the tower and are supported from the lower tier. There appears to have been dis­ tortion of the frame when the bells were last swung in full circles, and wedges have been inserted at the bottom sill level of the top tier to the walls to try and prevent this. Not to be recommended. It is clearly a long time since the bells were last swung in full circles; all the ironwork is seriously corroded and weakened and this has caused seized pullies, sliders and main bearings.The wheel rims were nailed on and with the failure of the nails parts have dropped off. The gudgeon pins are heavily cor­ roded and are set in plain bearings with timber boards over. The wheels on the two upper·bells have been largely sawn off to allow a floor to be fitted on top of the upper frame to facilitate maintenance of the clock dial rods. The clock chimes the Cambridge quarters on the bells and there is also a circa 1883 pinned barrel for chiming the bells but this has been out of action 16 for many years. In 1978 the bells were being chimed from a plucking type man­ ual using Ellacombe hammers. Some of the external clock and chimiag hammers are so mounted to prevent some of the bells from swinging. Three full peals have been rung on the bells. Charles H. Hattersley took a band oi members of the Ancient Society of College Youths and the Yorkshire Association over to the Island in 1888. The BeLL News of that year, pp :05,

~10 and ~ 3 9, carry the story of the visit. On Sunday 1 July the band rang f or the morning and evening services and brought home a quarter peal of Stedman triples before the latter. On the Monday morning after ringing Stedman Triples for half an hour they were interrupted by a parishioner with a note from the Vicar to ask them to s top due to serious illness near the church. Later that day they went to Dou~las and rang various touches on six bells at St. Thomas' church.

On the Tuesday they were back at Peel and went again for St~dman Triples. They got to within 20 changes of the end when a rope slipped wheel and the peal was lost. Next day they went for 5184 changes of Kent Treble Bob Major and this was brought home , the details being: Ancient Society of College Youths & Yorkshire Association On Wednesday 4 July 1888 in three hours At the New Church, Peel, Isle of Man A Peal of Treble Bob Major 5184 Changes In the Kent variation Tenor 8cwt lqr 6lbs. William Davies Treble Alfred Thomas 5 Joseph. Mulligan 2 Charles H. Hattersley 6 John R. Pritchard 3 Henry Coley 7 John Mulligan 4 Arthur Brearley Tenor Composed and conducted by Charles Henry Hattersley It was claimed to be the first peal of any meth.od ever rung in the Isle of Man, but in the B€LL News for 28 July 1888, p 239, a correction is given to reduce the claim to being the first peal in the method in view of the peal at Douglas on 7 December 1852. On the afternoon of the same day Charles H. Hattersley called 5040 changes of Stedman triples in 2 hrs 53 mins with six of the above band together with W.R. Small and w. Whitaker. There was a three hour interval between the peals but the local residents may not have been too pleased with so much ringing on 17 one day following ringing on the preceding days. The last peal recorded here was of 5040 changes of Grandsire Triples, the details being: Peel, Isle of Han Ancient Society of College Youths On Whit Monday May 26 1890 in two hours fifty one minutes At the church of St German A Peal of Grandsire Triples 5040 changes Holt's Ten-part Tenor 8cwt lqr 6lbs in Ab

Richard Hill Treble +Jame s Martin 5 William James 2 David E. Rimmer 6 Henry Coley 3 l' William Dowie 7 Francis E. Dawe 4 James H. Shepherd Tenor Conducted by Francis Edward Dawe ·::·first peal + First peal in the method. Messrs Hill and Rimmer from South- port. Mr Shepherd from Ilminster, Somerset. Mr Dawe from London; and the remainder from Liverpool. This is the third peal on the bells and the first

in the above method ever accomplished in e~~a n Vannin Veg Ve en.

While it was the third peal on the bells it was not the first in the method on the Isle of Man by some 37 years. 19

I N D E X

Andn·as 1, 6, 10 Douglas St George & St Barnabas 9 Arbory 8, 9 Douglas St Mary RC 7 Ashton, Luke Douglas St Matthew 2, 3

Ash.ton, Ralph Dou~las St Ninian 10 Baldwin 3 Douglas St Thomas 8, 11-13, 16 llallau"h 5, 6, 7 Douglas Grammar School 3 Ballure 7 Douglas Manx Museum 2, 3, 4, 5 Bertie, ship 8 Dublin 7, 12 Bishop's Court 8 Feltham & \\right 2 Blair, John 13 Flanagan, Mrs C.E. 12 Bradd an 2, 3 Foxdale 9 Bride 9 Gelling, James G. 3, 4 Bristol 9 Gelling, Thomas 3 Cain, Walter 13 Gillett & Johnston 8 Callister, W.H. 10 Glasgow 9 Carr, Charles 10 Harrington, Latham & Co 9 Castle Rushen Hattersley, C.H. 13, 16 Castletown St Mary 3, 4 Higgins, Henry 15 Castletown King William's Hodges, Thomas 7 College 10 Humphriss, E.L. 13 Cattley, Rev R. 12, 13 11' Joyce, J.B. & Co 10 Clarke, John 13 Jurby 5 Colby 9 Kirkoswald, Cumbria 1 Cornelly Mine 4 Laxey 8 Cowgill & Comer 5 Lezayre 2 Cowgill, Comer & Jones 6 Liverpool 2, 5, 6, 12, 17 Creer, Edwin 11 Llewellins & James 9 Cregneish 9 London, Crystal Palace 12 Crellin, John 15 Lonan 8, 10 Cronk y Voddy 7 Loughborough, Leics 8, 9, 10 Dawe, Francis E. 17 11' 12 Derby, James Earl of Lydiate, Lanes 6 Derbyhaven 10 Malew 2, 3, 7, 8, 10 Dhoon 7 Mar own 2, 4, 10 Douglas All Saints 9 Maughold 10 20

Hears, C & G 7 Rush en 10 Mediator, ship 10 St John 10 Michael 7 Sanders, Richard Mona , ship 6 Santon 7, 8 Moore , Robert 4 Sheffield 8 Murphy, John 8, 12 Sheridan, James 7 Naylor Vickers & Co 8 Smethwick 10 On chan 8, 12 Smith, John & Sons 11 Osmotherly, Lanes 6 Sulby 6 Patrick 2, 3 Taylor, John & Co 8, 9, 10 12 Paulin, John 15 11' Teare, John Peel, St German's Cathedral 15 9, 13-17 Tromode Linen Factory 5 Peel, German St Peter 4 , Vickers, Sons & Co 8 Peel, Castle St Patrick 2 Warner, John & Sons 13, 15 Peel, St Patrick RC 8 Whitchurch, Salop 10 Peel, Former School 4 Whitechapel Bell Foundry, 2, 10 Peever, Aaron 7, 8, Whitehaven, Cumbria 4 PPrry, E 4 Wigan, Lanes Port Erin 10 Wilson , .John c. Port St Harr 10 9 Worcester 12 Rams e)' 8, 9, 10

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