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 St James, Barrow-in-Furness
St James, Barrow-in-Furness: bell ringing
notes:-  
These rules are copied courtesy of the Tower Captain.
Rules for the Ringers, 1877
"The Belfry is a part of God's House, and the conduct of those who assemble there for the purpose of Ringing should be guided by this consideration."
"Nothing should be said or done in the Belfry that we should be ashamed to do in the Church itself."
"The Ringers should always have in mind that the Bells are dedicated to a sacred object, namely - for the glory of God, and to call together His people for solemn worship."
"RULES"
"The Society to consist of members and supernumerary members, all of whom shall subscribe to the following rules:-"
"That no none (except members) shall be in the Belfry at the time of ringing, without the consent of a member."
"The time of meeting shall be from 9.45 to 10.30 a.m., and from 5.45 to 6.30 p.m. on each Sunday during the year."
"The Bell Practice shall be on Thursday evening at 7.30 p.m., and at other times as may be agreed upon."
"That the Ringers shall attend service in the Church on Sunday after ringing."
"Any member not present in the Belfry and ready to commence ringing at the proper time shall be fined 1d.If 5 minutes late = 2d
10 minutes late = 3d
15 minutes late = 4d
30 minutes late = 6d
If not present at all = 1s 0d"
"That the fines be not enforced if two clear days' notice, either personally or in writing, be given to the Captain."
"Any member fined shall be allowed to appeal to the Society for a remission of the fine, on the ground that the notice was given as early as convenient, and that he had taken every precaution to prevent the Society suffering annoyance by his absence"
"Any Supernumerary Member summoned to attend any of the meetings, of which he shall have 24 hours clear notice, to be amenable to the foregoing rules and fines, should he not give notice the previous day of his inability to attend."
"Any member whose fines shall be three weeks in arrear, shall cease to belong to the Society."
"The Ringers shall be entirely under the direction of the Captain, who shall be appointed by the Vicar and Churchwardens."
"The Captain (or in his absence the Conductor) to have full power in all matters, and in everything not provided for in the foregoing rules; he shall act in such a manner as he may consider for the benefit of the Society."
"No profane or improper language shall be used, or smoking allowed in the Belfry."
"That the use of the Bells shall be confined strictly to Church purposes, as was always intended, and shall not be rung for such purposes as Elections, Political Demonstrations etc."
"Should the use of the Bells be required to celebrate a Marriage, due notice must be given to the Vicar, who shall at once communicate with the Captain. The Charge for ringing at such marriage not to be less than 2 2s 0d"
"Strict silence must be maintained during the time the Bells are ringing."
"In the event of death occurring amongst any of the Ringers, a muffled Peal shall be rung as a mark of respect toward such Member."
"That the name of any one desirous of joining the Society be submitted to a meeting of the Members for approval, and that no one so shall join before he agrees to abide by the rules."
"We the undersigned, agreed to the above Rules at a meeting held in the Belfry on Thursday Evening, May 1st 1879 and pledged ourselves to a strict observance of them:-"
"James Wilson, Conductor
John Mercer
Robt M Graham
Saml Brotherton
John Hague
Chas N. Pass
Robt Bowker
Joseph Hill (Capt.)"

notes:-  
The following notes are extracted from the history of the peal written after its refurbishment in 2014.
St James Church was opened on Tuesday, 18 May 1869 and had one bell in this steeple cast by Mears and Stainbank, weight about 15 cwt note F sharp. Until 1877 it was used for calling the parishioners to worship.
The bells were cast by John Warner and Sons.
Treble; F; 4cwt 1qtr 24lbs; [VICARII MUNUS IN PIAM DEFUNCTORUM MEMORIAM MISERERE DOMINE]; Priest's Bell
2; E; 4cwt 3qtr 5lbs; [AD DEI MAJOREM GLORIAM MATRONARUM AC PUELLARUM MUNUS]; Ladies Bell
3; D; 5cwt 0qtr 17lbs; [PSALMUM DICITE CHORI DOMINO DATE GLORIAM LAUDI EJUS]; Choir Bell
4; C; 5cwt 2qtr 11lbs; [~TERNA FAC CUM SANCTIS TUIS IN GLORIA NUMARARI]
5; B flat; 6cwt 2qtr 7lbs; [ADVENIAT REGNUM TUUM FIAT VOLUNTAS TUA]
6; A; 7cwt 0qtr 0lbs; [GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO IN TERRA PAX]
7; G; 9cwt 2qtr 0lbs; [ADESTE FIDELES ADORATE DOMINUM IN ATRIO SANCTO EJUS]
Tenor; F; 12cwt 0qtr 24lbs; [HONORI DEI ET ECCLESI~ USUI H~ SUNT CAMPAN~ ANNO SALUTIS MDCCCLXXVII / RICARDO PALGRAVE MANCLARKE A.M. VICARII / JOSEPHO HILL / ROBERTO BOWKER / SACRORUM CUSTODIBUS]
The bells were re-hung in 1902; and again overhauled and re-hung on new ball bearings by Mears and Stainbank, 1924.
After many years out of use, a new bell frame and fittings was supplied by Nicholson Engineering, and the bells were refurbished and retuned by Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London; the work completed January 2014.

Dove data:-  
scale:-
F, G, A, B flat, C, D, E, F
Complete octave; intervals TTSTTTS; F major.
Cast by John Warner and Sons, 1877.

Dove 2013
www.dove.cccbr.org.uk


Handley, Diana: 1983: Notes on Furness Branch Bells::: inscriptions and history

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