A New Voice for St Mary's

20th April 2012

Nearly 50 gathered at Taylor's and Co. to watch the casting of bells 5 and 7  of the ring of 10 destined for the St.Mary's Tower.

The BBC were also there filming the casting of a Jubilee bell.

All seven bells have now been cast and they join the 3 ex-Greenock bells for tuning and setting up as a ring of 10.

29th March 2012

A momentous day for "The New Voice for St.Mary's" project  as over twenty people attended the casting of 5 bells at Taylor's Bell Foundry. A visit to the museum was followed by the pouring of the molten bell metal into the moulds . Rev'd Jeremy Dussek (Patron) blessed the event with a prayer , specially written to commemorate the occassion:

Bless O Lord these bells as they are cast,

12th March 2012

The strickles have been designed and manufactured.  Now the moulds start to take shape.

The 7th, first cut - it will be baked overnight, sanded and then reworked

The 3rd Core will be built here

25th January - The tower is now empty

20th January - Bells transported to Loughborough

20th January - The G&J back 3 for the new ring return to Taylors after being exhibited in the Church.  This is a video of the tenor being moved into the works.

19th/20th January - Days 4 and 5 of the Removal

Day 4 was taken up with getting the tenor down!

and on the Friday half the frame came down - the rest is to go next Monday....

18th January - Taylors and the volunteers start to lower the bells from the tower

17th January - Day 2 of the Removal Phase

Great progress - at the end of day 2 the trapdoor has been cut in the ceiling of the ringing chamber, and another cut in the ceiling of the clockroom.  Removal of the old bells can now start - and will do tomorrow morning.  Meanwhile Ian Bryan, Paul Kibblewhite and Andrew Alldrick have continued work disassembling and removing the ringing fittings, and today its been the turn of the most stubborn ones!

16th January 2012 - John Taylor and Co. start work

The moment has arrived - the steel bells and wood frame are being prepared for removal over the next couple of weeks in preparation for the installation of the new ring of 10.