ERITH, St John the Baptist

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

INSCRIPTIONS

MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1882

JAMES MARSH CH.WARDEN 1763 LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT

Curiously, the 4th (which was recast in 1925) does not bear any date,
merely the former inscription (from the 1703 bell) and the foundry stamp.

HISTORY

MRS CORDELIA BATEMAN

When the original ring of 6 bells were cast in 1703, Mrs Cornelia Bateman gave £100, a benefaction which is recorded on the inscription on the recast 4th. A descendent of Mrs Bateman's family* got in touch with the Editor of this site to advise that she had procured a copy of this will and the associated benefaction. She died Mrs Cornelia Boeve Vanacker Bateman, was the widow of Francis Vanacker, Esq. before marrying William Bateman. She was the daughter of James Boeve and and Isabel Devisscher (daughter of William and Cornelia Devisscher). Her will, probated in October 1703, contains several pages of bequests including:

£100 to be laid out for ceiling wainscoting of the roof and freestone paving in "her" chancel in Erith Church.

£100 for and towards the new casting and setting up of the bells in Erith Church - "provided the church wardens cause the same to be cast and set up within a year of my death and not otherwise"!

It would appear that they were pretty quick off the mark if the bells were cast a month or so later.

Mrs Bateman also asked to be buried in the Parish Church of Erith, "as near to the tomb of her late husband Frances Vanacker, Esq. as convenient" and that "a black marble stone with gilt rails be laid over her - in the same form as the tomb of her late husband." There is certainly a large black marble tomb for Francis Vanacker above which is a memorial on the wall which identifies Cornelia as his widow (see below). However there is no trace of a second black marble tomb which she might occupy.

*With many thanks to Mrs Sydney MacKenna from Vancouver, B.C., Canada. She was descended from Cornelia's uncle Samuel Devisscher. Cornelia had no children from either marriage but she did have four goddaughters named Cornelia!