<p>Portable bells first appeared in Asia and in time they came to be used to attract attention in many situations; for hundreds of years the sound of handbells was part of the daily routine for many people, not least domestic servants. After 1700, when bellfounders improved the shape and musical tone of handbells and began to offer fittings such as leather strap handles, their potential as musical instruments began to be exploited. Once their entertainment, educational and therapeutic values were recognised, complete sets of handbells were eagerly purchased. Nineteenth-century enthusiasts formed handbell-ringing societies, often possessing over two hundred bells, and gave lengthy concerts to large audiences. Many groups of handbell ringers continue the tradition in Britain and North America today. This book describes the basic types of handbell, their history, and how they are made and used.</p>

Handbells (Shire Album Series, No. 241)

Arts & Photography

Jennings, Trevor S.

Music

Shire Pubns

<p>The age-old craft of bellfounding involves specialised techniques and equipment that have been passed down through generations and are still used today. For centuries, the large bells in churches, clocks and public buildings throughout Britain have been cast, hung, and tuned by bellfounders and this book surveys the history of bell production and the development of moulding and casting techniques. To achieve the correct pitch each bell would be hand corrected with a hammer and chisel, an extremely noisy process which continued until the nineteenth century when the mechanised lathe was introduced. This book describes the intricate tuning process and the role of the bellfounder and specially prepared photographs illustrate the production process of some of the most famous foundries in Britain, such as those at Whitechapel and Loughborough.</p>

Bell Founding (Shire Library)

Shire

A history of Staffordshire bells

T. S. Jennings, c/o Heathmere Junior School, Roehampton

A short history of Surrey bells and ringing customs

The Author]

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