HISTORY OF HOLY TRINITY'S BELLS
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HANES Y CLYCHAU YN EGLWYS Y DRINDOD
SANCTAIDD
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new
parish website is being developed (2016) and updates will now be
made on the new site.
19th
Century: addition of the tower
and installation of bells.
The
original structure of Holy Trinity
was completed in 1872 and
consecrated in 1874, but it was not until 1892 that the tower was added.
A generous donation in 1892 by Herbert and Caroline Keeling enabled the
installation, in early 1893 of the long anticipated peal of 8 bells by
John Taylor Bellfounders of Loughborough. Mr Keeling was a brewer from
Stoke on Trent and, after spending holidays in Llandudno, he and his
wife retired to the town.
Sadly Mrs Keeling died in November 1892 without hearing the bells. Mr
Keeling may not have heard them either, as he died in 1893, though the Llandudno Advertiser (28 Jan 1893)
reported that the eight bells had
arrived from Loughborough and that Mr Keeling was one of the first
people to view them. The Advertiser
(4 March 1893) reported that the
bells were rung muffled for Mr Keeling’s funeral service. |
Whites the Bellhangers
arrived in August 2002 to begin the work of dismantling and lowering
the bells for restoration.
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Each bell bears Taylors’ name and the date of casting as 25th July
1892, which is thought to be that of Mr and Mrs Keeling’s Silver
Wedding anniversary. In addition the tenor bell is inscribed as
follows:-
A M D G
IN REMEMBRANCE OF MANY MERCIES
THESE EIGHT BELLS WERE ERECTED IN
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH LLANDUDNO
AT THE EXPENSE OF HERBERT KEELING
AND CAROLINE HIS WIFE OF TUDNO VILLA
JULY 25 1892
On the opposite side of the bell is inscribed
JOHN MORGAN B.A. RECTOR
RICHARD CONWAY CHURCHWARDEN
HENRY ANDERSON CHURCHWARDEN
EDWIN TURNER ARCHITECT
Taylors’ records show that correspondence was carried out through the
Architect, the total project being costed at £570.10s.0d. which
was inclusive of a two and half per cent commission for the Architect
and subject to a further two and half per cent discount for cash
payment in full within one month of completion. The work on site was
completed on 6 February 1893 and full payment received by Taylors on 10
February 1893.
A Dedication service presided over by the Bishop of St Asaph, was held
in the church on the Thursday before Easter at 11am. The service also
commemorated the completion of the 92ft tower and, according to the
Llandudno Advertiser (April 1893), a ‘lively’ peal of Grandsire Triples
was rung in 3 hours by the following ringers from Chester Cathedral:-
Treble James Moulton ©
2 Robert Jones
3 Alfred
Griffiths
4 John Tomlinson
5 Thomas Newhall
6 Alfred Cross
7 Edward
Rowlands
8 Frederick
Jarvis & Geo. Griffiths
“Afterwards ringers, professional and local, about 30 in number were
entertained to dinner at the Marine Hotel”.
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20th
century: maintenance.
Apart from routine maintenance, the only recorded work carried out on
the bells since their installation, was in 1924 when Taylors renewed
the gudgeon and bearing assemblies and refurbished the clappers and
rollers. In 1954 Taylors carried out an inspection and the advised
descaling, repainting of the metalwork and treating the woodwork plus
the provision of new ropes.
In 1996 Stan Whittaker was appointed as tower captain, replacing
William (Bill) Hawkins who was experiencing ill-health. Stan had only
been a ringer for barely a year and was also the Parish treasurer. He
had been told by Bill that substantial work would be required on the
bells. There was only a small band of ringers present at the time and
so the immediate emphasis was to try and increase the numbers. With the
Central Council of Church Bellringers’ Association promoting a drive to
increase the number of ringers for the Millennium, and local
initiatives, several more were added to the band.
It was during this time that a visit to a Friday evening practice by
Brian and Diana White (Whites of Appleton www.whitesbellhangers.co.uk)
ignited interest in really
establishing the state of the bells and what needed doing. Brian
subsequently reported that a complete refurbishment and retuning be
considered, estimated cost in excess of £30,000.
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21st
century: restoration.
By 2001 the number of bellringers had grown sufficiently for a
refurbishment project to be considered. A Belfry Restoration Appeal
committee was set up comprising ringers, clergy, wardens and
parishioners, with ringer Enid Horsfield as chairperson. By July 2002
and after many fundraising events, donations, coffee mornings, 60’s
evenings, a sponsored walk, two fun days which included parachuting
teddy bears from the top of the tower, sufficient had been raised to
start the work.
The last ring before the bells
were lowered, 11 August 2002. Left to right:
Ann Thomas, Lynn Ferriday, Joan Edwards, Sue
Calvert, Enid Horsfield, John Horsfield, Sid Burrows (a visitor aged 92
- we were always pleased to see him, sadly he died 1/8/2006 aged 96),
Stan Whittaker (Tower Captain), Peter Goodwin, James Whittaker.
The Committee was extremely grateful for a considerable donation from
the Ratcliff Trust, one of whose trustees Miss Carolyn Ratcliff had by
this time become a bellringer.
Stan Whittaker (Tower Captain) by
the Tenor before Graham Clifton of Whites hoists it onto the lorry for
removal to Appleton, August 2002.
And so it was that Whites of Appleton (who had recently completed work
on bells at St Paul’s Cathedral in London www.stpauls.co.uk), were
instructed and work
started on 12 August 2002. The bells were removed from the tower and
remained on view in the church for a few days, before being taken first
to the Whitechapel Foundry for tuning, and then to White’s works at
Appleton where they received new fittings and headstocks.
The bells return, November 2002.
The bells
were returned to Llandudno in November and bellringing started again
towards the end of the month.
Carolyn Ratcliff (a
local ringer) operates the electric hoist taking the treble up through
the ringing chamber back to the bell chamber, supervised by Graham
Clifton of Whites of Appleton in November 2002.
A Rededication service was held on the afternoon of Sunday 15 December
2002 conducted by the Rector Canon Philip Cousins and the Bishop of
Bangor, the Right Reverend Saunders Davies. Among those present were
Lady Mostyn (whose ancestors had donated the land on which the church
stands), the Mayor of Llandudno Cllr Michael Pearce, Carolyn and David
Ratcliff (The Ratcliff Trust), Brian and Diana White and Graham and
Dorothy Clifton (Whites of Appleton), members of the Appeal committee,
local ringers, members of the North Wales Association of Church
Bellringers, parishioners and
visitors. The bells were rung and refreshments served in the church
hall. The local bellringers provided some light entertainment with
their
version of The Twelve Days of Christmas which had been specially
adapted by Michael Edwards, husband of bellringer Joan.
Re-dedication
service, 15 December 2002.
On Saturday 1 February 2003 a peal of Plain Bob Triples was rung in
3hrs 7mins by members of the North Wales Association of Church
Bellringers to celebrate the
re-hanging of the bells, and the centenary of the Association founded
on 14 February 1903 and whose inaugural meeting took place in
Llandudno. The band included the Association Ringing Master David
Stanworth and local tower captain Stan Whittaker.
Treble Ron Miers
2 Rona Shaw
3 Michael
Pospieszalski
4 David Davies
©
5 Donald
Marshall
6 David
Stanworth
7 Tony Diserens
8 Stan Whittaker
Some incentive for this project came from the
fact that in 2003 the
Central Council’s Annual General Meeting hosted by the North Wales
Association in its centenary year, was going to be held in Llandudno,
and we certainly wanted to have the bells in good order for that. The
May Bank Holiday Weekend seemed to be a great success and many good
comments were made about the bells. The Red Arrows even obliged by
their flying skills, daily entertaining vast crowds who watched not
only from the promenade but also from any vantage point they could find.
Llandudno certainly lived up to its claim as The Queen of the Welsh
Resorts.
The President's
invitation band who rang before the AGM of the Central Council in may
2003. Left to right: Ron Warford, Durham & Newcastle Diocesan
Association; Margaret Oram, Sussex County Association;. Ian Oram,
Society of Royal Cumberland Youths; Derek Sibson (C), Society of Royal
Cumberland Youths; Jane Sibson, Peterborough Diocesan Guild; George
Bonham, Ely Diocesan Association; John Armstrong, Essex Association;
Ian Smith, Sussex County Association.
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Further details of the
bells, ringing times, news and forthcoming events are given on the Bells page.
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