Bells
At consecration on 12 September 1861 there was only one bell in the tower. Five more were added in 1864, bringing the ring to six and these were first rung on 29 September 1864.
In 1887, to mark Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, two more bells were added, bringing the ring to eight with a tenor weight of 12 long cwt 1 qtr 17 lb (1,389 lb or 630 kg) in G. The eight bells were first rung on 20 June 1887.
In 1922 it was discovered that the bells were unsafe to ring, and they remained silent for 10 years until money could be found to rectify the problem. The Master of the Ringers for many years from the 1930s was William B. Cartwright, a local solicitor.
Read more about this topic: St Mary's Church, Selly Oak
Famous quotes containing the word bells:
“The Church disowned, the tower overthrown, the bells upturned, what have we to do
But stand with empty hands and palms turned upwards
In an age which advances progressively backwards?”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)
“O he did whistle and she did sing,
And all the bells on earth did ring
For joy our Saviour Christ was born
On Christmas Day in the morning.”
—Unknown. As I Sat on a Sunny Bank. . .
Oxford Book of Light Verse, The. W. H. Auden, ed. (1938)
“The bells they sound on Bredon,
And still the steeples hum.
“Come all to church, good people,—”
Oh, noisy bells, be dumb;
I hear you, I will come.”
—A.E. (Alfred Edward)