Whitechapel bell foundry, London

[ronkh]

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...cGlZoxP4tKglA3s-w&sig2=f8qID5FL3HkCQuCikc3q3g

I have just watched a programme on BBC4 (England) about the above subject. Bells made of 70per-cent copper, 30 tin. (Bronze)? The moulding includes goats hair and horse doo's, sand, and a very deep ditch , with muscle and sweat toiling etc to form the bell. Temperature up to 1200 and over degrees C before pouring into the mould. Leave a few days to cool, take out and wack with (wooden) hammers to free them. This is the foundry that cast Big Ben's bells in London.
This has been going on here for over 500 hundred years or so and to see and appreciate how it was done in 'ye olde days', before health an safety kicked in, is fascinating. (They still make them this way by the by at Whitechapel)!
What I would love to know is, who thought that goats hair and horse droppings helps in the making of bells? By the way, the horse crap and goats hair was/is thrown onto the bell moulding exterior casing while still moist!!
I'm sure that some of these bells went to the US of A and further afield.

Modified to say that one bell went to the USA as the Liberty Bell!

Kind regards,

Ron.

 

[Jasonb]

Watch it on iplayer, foundry is about 20mins in. Not sure if you can get it in other parts of the world but worth a try.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...ter_All_These_Years_A_Short_History_of_Bells/

J

 

[ronkh]

Thanks Jason,
I "lost" the original link but still posted this link as I thought this would be interesting for some of our oversea members. Great how they hand-turn these bells though!

Ron.

 

[Tin Falcon]

what an adventure I found myself reading just about every page of whitechapels web site interesting history indeed.
for those of you close to London or those visiting the foundry offers Saterday tours.
http://www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co.uk/index.htm


Bell casting video here for those on this side of the pond.

http://www.verdin.com/bells/church-bells.php?ex=onxyeo-eep549-xkk9ey&gclid=CLOWhvWupq8CFWkQNAodskUJYQ
Tin

 

[Ken I]

"Big Ben" is actually the name of the largest bell in the "Clock Tower" which is popularly called "Big Ben"

Ken

 

[SteveO]

My father was the bell hanger (installer) and forman of the Whitechapel foundry during the 50 and first half of the 60 until we emigrated to Australia (now in Canada).

As a kid I remember well watching the casting and some old guy spreading cow muck with his hands!

Im the yeard at that time (50s) the Bells for St Clements Dains (spelling) were lined up in the yard and one of the employees would run up and down the line playing Oranges and Lemons on them with a hammer.

fond memories.

SteveO

 

[kvom]

I have visited the bell foundry in Villedieu-les-Poeles, a village in Normandy, France. They are one of 3-4 foundries that still cast large bells for cathedrals. They also use horsehair and excrement for the mold material. When not making bells, they make and sell copper cookware. It's an interesting side trip when visiting the invasion beaches and Mt. St. Michel.

 

[Ned Ludd]

Ah yes Big Ben, famous for having a crack. Liberty Bell also, if memory serves(?), cracked. Is there a pattern there somewhere?
Ned
PS for those who like the sound of proper church bells, BBC Radio 4 broadcast the sound of church bells from a different church every Sunday morning.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01d84h2/Bells_on_Sunday_08_04_2012/

 

[RManley]

Whitechapel bell foundry still casts bells of all sizes for sale. I purchased one not so long ago for my parents 25th wedding anniversary skeleton clock I was building. Sounds great! and can also be said that it is Big Bens little sister...