History of the Bells
Shortly
after the building of the church in 1842, the Governors of the Free
Grammar School of King Edward VI in Stourbridge offered to lend the
parish a bell which was formally used in the school.
This offer was accepted by the Vicar and Churchwardens, and the bell hung
in Holy Trinity Church tower until 1859, when a dispute arose with the
Governors concerning the bell and the parish was obliged to return it to the
Grammar School.
In the same year the question of installing a ring of eight bells was considered,
nothing came of this but a single bell weighing about 11 cwt. was purchased
from Charles and
George Mears of the Whitechapel Bellfoundry, London.
This bell bore the following inscription:-
C.
& G. Mears, Founders, London.
Spes tutissima in coelis. John William Grier, Incumbent,
Charles William Firmstone, William England, Churchwardens, 1859.
("Spes tutissima in coelis"
would seem to mean "The
surest hope is in heaven")
The bell
gave service until early in 1966 when it was removed from the tower
in readiness for the installation of a new ring of eight bells given to the
church
under the terms of the will of the late Miss Agnes Egan of Wollaston.
For more information about Agnes Egan
The ring was cast by John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough, and the inscription
on each of the bells is as follows:-
'John
Taylor & Co. Founders, Loughborough 1965'
Treble
- weight 2 cwt. 1 qr. 4 lb.
'To the memory of Agnes Egan who gave this peal'
2nd
- weight 2 cwt. 1 qr. 8 lb.
'To the memory of Orpah Egan'
3rd
- weight 2 cwt. 3 qr. 1lb.
'To the memory of Christopher Turner'
4th
- weight 3cwt. 17 lb.
'Remember Winston Churchill of the 20th Century'
5th
- weight 3cwt. 1qr. 26 lb.
'Remember John F. Kennedy of the 20th Century'
6th
- weight 3 cwt. 3 qr. 8 lb.
'Remember Pope John XXIII of the 20th Century'
7th
- weight 5 cwt. 20 lb.
'Lewis Mervyn Charles-Edwards Bishop of Worcester 1965'
Tenor
- weight 7 cwt. 3lb. in 'B'
'I to the church the living call and to the grave do summon all'
* *
* * *
Evensong
Bells are not always rung on Sunday
evenings (6.00 - 6.30 pm)
To
confirm please ring Colin Hill on 01384-423270
The website of the
Worcestershire & Districts Change Ringers Association
The
website of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers
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