RAMSGATE, St George the Martyr |
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DETAILS OF THE BELLS
Bell
Weight
Diameter
Pitch
Cast
Founder
Service bell
10½ cwt approx.
38¼"
A
1827
Thomas Mears II
| The bell retains its canons. The clapper has been converted to a lever clapper; the bell hangs in plain bearings and on a ringing headstock. However, the wheel, etc., have all been removed. It hangs in a lowside type oak frame with rather slight braces. |
INSCRIPTION |
| T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1827 [13 Whitechapel loops] |
TUBULAR BELLS |
Bell |
Length |
Thickness |
Diameter |
Pitch |
Cast |
Founder |
1 |
497/8" |
3/8" |
3" |
E |
1888 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
2 |
541/8" |
3/8" |
3" |
D |
1888 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
3 |
551/2" |
3/8" |
3" |
C |
1888 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
4 |
593/4" |
½" |
3¼" |
B |
1888 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
5 |
64" |
½" |
3¼" |
A |
1888 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
6 |
68" |
½" |
3¼" |
G |
1888 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
Flat 6th |
715/8" |
½" |
3¼" |
F sharp |
1929 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
7 |
721/4" |
½" |
3¼" |
F |
1888 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
8 |
741/2" |
½" |
3¼" |
E |
1888 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
9 |
793/8" |
½" |
3¼" |
D |
1888 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
10 |
883/8" |
½" |
4" |
C |
1888 |
Harrington, Latham & Co. |
| The bells hang in two rows in a timber frame, and are struck at their top ends by hammers with lignum-vitae plugs. These are operated from a free-standing “Ellacombe” type manual. As usual with such installations, the ropes are in reverse musical order, i.e. the treble is at the left. |
FORMER BELL FROM ST MARY'S |
Bell
Weight
Diameter
Cast
Founder
Single 3½ cwt approx.
25"
1797
Thomas Mears I
| From 1942 until 1985 the church also housed the bell from the bombed St Mary’s Church, which formerly stood nearby. It was acquired by the Association and given to Great Chart for recasting as one of their trebles. |
HISTORY |
| 1789 | St Mary’s Chapel built and provided with one bell. | |
| 1797 | "Broken" bell exchanged for a new one at a cost of £12.7s.3d | |
| 1824 | 30th Aug | Foundation stone of St George’s Church laid by Archbishop Manners-Sutton. |
| 1827 | A bell was "hired" from the Whitechapel Foundry at 5% of its value p.a. Either it is still on loan, or else was purchased later! The tower was stated to be "vaulted underneath and capable of taking eight bells". | |
| 1827 | 23rd Oct | Church consecrated in the Presence of Princess (later Queen) Victoria. Architects were Henry Hemesley & H. E. Kendall. Trinity House contributed handsomely to the cost of the lofty lantern on the tower, which is still a sea mark. |
| 1832 | A magnificent clock, still in use, was provided by B. J. Vulliamy, Clockmaker to The King. Its pendulum bob, marked VULLIAMY 1cwt 1qr 11lb LONDON swings directly over the chiming manual for the tubular bells. | |
| 1888 | A set of ten tubular bells was given by Mr G. J. Palmer and dedicated 1st November. | |
| 1929 | The tubular bells were overhauled and a flat 6th added. | |
| 1942 | 9th Nov | St Mary's, Chapel Place, Ramsgate was bombed. The single bell at some point was transferred to St George's and stored on the NW porch access to the gallery. |
| 1947 | Dec | The 1827 bell was stripped of its wheel and given a lever clapper, and the tubular bells overhauled by Gillett & Johnston. |
| 1955 | St Mary’s Church ruins demolished. | |
| 1985 | The ex-St Mary’s bell was acquired by the KCACR and given to Great Chart. | |
| 1993 | The single bell was rehung with a deadstock and electric hammer by Whitechapel. |
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The service bell. |
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The bell hanging in its frame, sharing the tower with a set of tubular bells. |
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| The chiming apparatus for the tubular bells. | The rack of tubular bells. |
