The London Bell Foundry Lecture
November 25, 2022
As part of this year’s Bloomsbury Jamboree at the Art Workers’ Guild on Sunday 11th December, Charles Saumarez Smith is giving a lecture about The London Bell Foundry‘s plan to buy the former Whitechapel Bell Foundry and reopen it as a fully working bell foundry.
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St Clement’s, Eastcheap
“Oranges and lemons,” say the bells of St. Clement’s.
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Site of St Martin Orgar, Martin Lane
“You owe me five farthings,” say the bells of St. Martin’s.
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St Sepulchre-without-Newgate
“When will you pay me?” say the bells of Old Bailey.
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St Leonard’s, Shoreditch
“When I grow rich,” say the bells of Shoreditch.
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St Dunstan’s, Stepney
“When will that be?” say the bells of Stepney.
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St Mary Le Bow, Cheapside
“I do not know,” says the great bell of Bow.
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Delightful!
Nostalgic post. So glad the site will hopefully continue as a bell foundry. Kudos to all who fought for this outcome.
Looking forward to hearing more about the London Bell Foundry’s plan to purchase and reopen the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The best possible outcome of this whole saga.
Progress wrought and from the slumbering earth, a hibernation peeps new life.
So it may not surprise some that the Whitechapel Bell Foundry has an association with the Art Workers Guild, for in earlier days as Arthur Hughes (1832 – 1915) became the foundry manager in 1884 and took charge of operations in 1904, he became a member. Perhaps grandfather to Bill Hughes who gave lectures there (which I attended on one such occasion) : William Hughes – Bell founder, joined the Guild in 1966 as an Associate member. Such a welcome association it must be hoped shall be resumed.