Icon Size Picture of StJames - click for home page
Banner advert of web hosting by WebHostUK

Barrow Bells - Tower News Archive for 2011

Please send an email to the address given for Ringing/Tower Contact on the Contact Us page if you wish to be informed when updates are made to the news page.

Those people that register will receive a brief email with the web page address of the pages that have been updated

This page will present news about the tower with the most recent at the top of the page

2011
December November October September

December 2011

DayDateNews
Saturday31A two-page article about the St James Bell Restoration Project titled "We're ap-peal-ing to restore the bells" was published in the New Year's Eve edition of the North West Evening Mail.
It has now made it to the online edition of the newspaper and should hopefully have some of the photos included in the online edition during the first week of January 2012.
To see the article - please see copy of double page spread... HISTORIC BELL RESTORATION PROJECT AT BARROW CHURCH
Please visit this gallery for photgraphs including some unpublished photographs kindly provided by the North West Evening Mail.
Monday19Donation of £250 gratefully received from Oil States MCS Ltd towards the Restoration of Church Bells, St James the Great
Tuesday13The Community Christmas Carol Service (supported by the North-West Evening Mail) took place at St James' Church. In place of a sermon, the service featured a play about ordinary modern-day people hearing the good news from God.
It was touching to hear St James' School sing "Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Ding Dong" in recognition of the Bell Restoration, and the school went on to ring hand chimes to 'Good King Wenceslas', and 'Away in a Manger' very impressively... there could be a Hand-Bell ringing band in the making! :D
The North-West Evening Mail generously allowed all the donations at the service to be given to the Bell Restoration Project, and a total of £261.87 was collected!
The NW Evening Mail article covering the service can be viewed by clicking here.
Wednesday7Furness branch of LACR Carol Service took place at Bowness. News of this event and the sponsored swim (with sponsor forms) is being distributed in the branch newsletter to each tower in the branch this month.
Friday2The Furness Woodturning and Woodcrafts Association open day. The members were very interested in any possibility of pieces of wood from the old frame and headstocks. It was pointed out that the longer/larger pieces of the oak frame might be sold to a reclamation yard. Some of the oak from the A-Frame bracing between the longer pieces of the frame would also be of interest to them. They also thought they could make smaller items from the spokes of the wheels and speculated that this might be hickory. They already sell a lot of items they have turned & carved, and donate the proceeds to charity. They would be very interested to do this on our behalf, and were happy to produce articles we could also sell to raise money for the bell restoration. Will need further discussions as to the speed and quantity of objects they could produce in the timescale to support cashflow needs.
Thursday1AllChurches Trust award grant of £1,500 ...Thank You! ... :D

November 2011

DayDateNews
Monday28 Sponsorship from engineers at SES Ltd at Trinity Enterprise Centre added another £62.50 of pledges (including Gift-Aid) for the sponsored swim.
Total Sponsorship now stands at £211.25
Sunday27 St Mary's Church Dalton-in-Furness - Ringing for Christmas Lights switch-on, and before Christmas tree festival opened
Another £37.50 was pledged including Gift-Aid for the sponsored swim.
Total Sponsorship now stands at £148.75
Saturday26 Lancashire Association Striking Competition at Kendal Parish Church
Furness and South Lakeland Branch improved standard of ringing from 2010 but unfortunately still came in last place
Results:
  1. 10 faults - Liverpool
  2. 29 Faults - Wigan
  3. 43 faults - Blackburn
  4. 57 Faults - Furness & South Lakeland
Our thanks for the generosity of the ringers from all the teams for sponsoring AndyP's 135 Mile swim to the tune of £111.25 once Gift Aid has been claimed.
Friday25Submitted Grant Application to Furness Youth Council at Burlington House.
Tuesday01First Site Visit by Nicholson Engineering (BellHangers) Also in attendance were the Church Architect, and representatives of the Parochial Church Council, Diocesan Advisory Committee, Furness Branch of Lancashire Association of Change Ringers, Carlisle Dioscesan Guild, and Leck Construction.
In Summary, the scope and detail of the project was reviewed and agreement reached:
  • Bells to be cleaned of corrosion and tuned, and cannons removed from bells for new headstocks.
  • New fabricated hot-dipped galvanised metal frame
  • New frame location lower in the tower in the intermediate room (between the existing ringing room and bell chamber).
    this should reduce exposure to weather and corrosion,
    bells should not be quite as loud for houses immediately surrounding the church
    bells should be easier and safer to ring with shorter ropes
    tower sway should be reduced
  • Additional 2" thick floor to be fitted (possibly suspended) as new lower ceiling in ringing room, to control sound volume for ringers. Existing ringing room ceiling to be replaced by 2" thick boards for sound control and safety barrier. Simple hatches to provide access for bells.
  • Existing wooden bell frame to be removed, subject to structural engineer report confirming not detrimental to structure of tower. Reducing future costs to maintain. Might also be possible to realise some reclamation value (e.g. oak frame - reclamation yard, elm headstocks - woodturners). Discussed installing metal walkway around louvres for maintenance of louvres and access to steeple.
  • Automatic chiming apparatus to be considered in plans early to ensure frame fabricated with fixing holes drilled in correct positions before galvanised.
  • Faculty Application needs to be as complete, correct and detailed as possible, and will be reviewed before formal submission.
  • Other minor items such as removal of electric socket from bell chamber; provision of power for chiming apparatus and ringing room heater; stripping paint from ringing room and repainting with breathable paint

October 2011

DayDateNews
Friday07Bell Restoration Project Announced to General Public:
North West Evening Mail-Church bells to ring out after 12-year silence

September 2011

DayDateNews
Friday23Bell Restoration Project Announced to Ringing Community:
Ringing World and Campanophile-NOTE: 16/1/2012 - Campanophile web server is down, and unclear when it will be resurrected. May try the link but may still be broken:
Barrow bells look set to ring again