Restoration Of Bells

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31727, 10 July 1968, Page 14

Restoration Of Bells

Six of the 10 bells of Christchurch Cathedral are being cleaned and mounted on new bearings. It is the first work on them for 87 years.

The work is being done by the Cathedral bellringers in their spare time. They spend two hours on them two or three nights a week. The 10 bells were installed in the belfry in 1881 and minor repairs were made to the four large bells in. 1947. Dr P. J. Perry, the master of the ringers, said last evening that the work of cleaning the bells and putting in new bearings had gone on for the last six weeks. It had been planned before the earthquake which caused the Cathedral Chapter to inspect and remove the cross from the spire. The restoration had cost about $250, said Dr Perry. Had outside labour been involved it could have cost about $2OOO.

Supervising the volunteers is Mr P. Whitehead, an engineer. The others include two university lecturers, a retired farmer, a photographer, a hardware salesman, and the manager of a shirt factory.

Mr Whitehead said that the old bearings were badly worn and this made the bells harder to ring. Most of the flooring under the bells is missing, and the volunteers have to balance on the bell frames and on beams. One problem in the belfry is the mess made by nesting pigeons. Dr Perry said that the next job would be to

■ make the belfry pigeon-proof. 1 He said the ringers were • hopeful that three more bells would be installed. When that time came the expert- ’ ence gained in the last six 1 weeks would make their in- ■ staliation much easier. The photograph shows I three of the ringers checki ing one of the bells.