Talk#1 (Sat 16th January 2021): 'THE GREAT BRITISH BELLFOUNDING REVIVAL Bell Founders and Bell Hangers of the late Nineteenth Century   Speaker: Chris Pickford 

This talk is an online event, via Zoom.  To receive the relevant Zoom log-on link, you should register for this event by clicking here and following the onscreen instructions: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/three-bellringing-talks-tickets-130556009539?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

There is no charge for this talk, but a voluntary donation to the LEBRF through this JustGiving page would be much appreciated.

About this talk:  Did you know that by the mid-1840s the Whitechapel foundry had a near monopoly in the British bell founding market? The Victorian church reforms coupled with the reordering and restoration of churches changed all that. This talk explores the great British bell founding revival. 

About the speaker:  A ringer for over 50 years, Chris is now based in south Staffordshire. He is a Past Master of the Ancient Society of College Youths and has rung 2000+peals. Now semi-retired, he spent his working life as an archivist. He is the author of ten books, but the history of bells and bell founding is his “special subject”. 

About the LEBRF:  The LEBRF began back in 1956 when the Rev Frank Llewellyn Edwards (Guild Secretary from 1913-1950), died and left £150 in his will to start a Guild Bell Fund forthe restoration and augmentation of church bells in the Diocese of Salisbury.  

Regular donations from ringers in the Guild helped increase the value of the Fund and in 1976 the first Open Day was organised boosting the Fund to £1600. This then became a popular annual event drawing in visitors from all over the country and an important source of income. Over the last 5 years grants of over £50,000 have been made across the Diocese to get bells ringing again and maintain them for future generations to enjoy.

This year, because of Covid-19, the Open Day and other ringing events couldn’t take place, and so we are using these 3 online talks to raise vital money for the LEBRF.  Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.

About JustGiving:  Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.