Montreal, Canada, Notre-Dame Basilica
Bell Diam Weight All by Thomas II Mears 1843.
1) 32½ 8-0-1
2) 33½ 8-1-0
3) 36 9-3-3
4) 38¼ 11-2-2
5) 41 13-0-7
6) 44 14-2-7
7) 47¼ 18-3-14
8] 50¼ 24-2-12 recast Mears & Stainbank 1892 23-0-10
9) 56¼ 32-1-21 recast George Mears & Co 1862 33-2-19
10) 65¼ 53-3-21 recast George Mears & Co 1863 52-1-0 in B.
31 Oct 1896 p.351 Bell News
Montreal has a ring of ten, off the same strickles as Bow and York Minster, with the front six only hung for ringing, and a small ring of eight simply hung up to beams, tunes being played upon them by clockwork and barrels.
All now hung on counterbalanced headstocks with counterbalanced clappers and
swung by French-made ringing machines 1960.
1) 32½ 8-0-1
2) 33½ 8-1-0
3) 36 9-3-3
4) 38¼ 11-2-2
5) 41 13-0-7
6) 44 14-2-7
7) 47¼ 18-3-14
8] 50¼ 24-2-12 recast Mears & Stainbank 1892 23-0-10
9) 56¼ 32-1-21 recast George Mears & Co 1862 33-2-19
10) 65¼ 53-3-21 recast George Mears & Co 1863 52-1-0 in B.
31 Oct 1896 p.351 Bell News
Montreal has a ring of ten, off the same strickles as Bow and York Minster, with the front six only hung for ringing, and a small ring of eight simply hung up to beams, tunes being played upon them by clockwork and barrels.
All now hung on counterbalanced headstocks with counterbalanced clappers and
swung by French-made ringing machines 1960.
Montreal, Canada, St Patrick's Basilica
Bell Weight All by Mears & Stainbank: 7 & 10 dated 1908; the rest 1910.
1) 4-2-12
2) 5-0-22
3) 6-0-2
4) 6-1-5
5) 7-1-0
6) 8-1-27
7) 9-3-4
8] 11-0-12
9) 14-1-19
10) 20-0-26 in E.
According to There Was Life Before NAG: [sorry I cannot find a link]
They were dedicated on Sunday September 11, 1910. The tenor, in the key of E, weighs 2266lbs. It would seem that there is nothing in the church archives relating to bell ringing. However, it is known that two weeks after the dedication service, on Sunday, September 25, a complete 720 of Grandsire Doubles was rung here, before High Mass, by: H. Whiteman 1, A.H. Burgess 2, J.F. Pearson 3, J. Merrick 4, D.S. Bell 5, W. Livermore 6. This carried a footnote: "Rung by a party of Englishmen."
Tony Collins reported to the RW 1963 p.532 that he had inspected the bells in May 1961 and his recollection was five bells complete with stays, sliders and wheels, but no ropes. The other five have been motorised with enormous chain drives, which are terrifying to see in operation. I therefore submit that the omission of five ropes should not make a five bell ring (albeit an odd middle five) unringable. Of course the motorisation of the other five could be dismantled in less than a day and no doubt the remaining wheels, sliders and stays are in the church's store rooms somewhere, for reinstallation.
A more recent inspection of the tower and bells was carried out in October 1996 by Susan Benzon, of Victoria. The bells still hang in their original frame, which is very rusty. This is not surprising, since they are open to the weather and only protected by wire screening to keep out birds. All the wheels have been removed, and though some of the bells still have stays, others have been broken and some completely removed. Some or all of them are now fixed by a metal bracket screwed into the wooden headstocks and bolted to the frame, so that they cannot be swung. Susan was also able to speak with the Sacristan, Charles Brocklehurst, who has been employed at the church for 20 years. He said that he had no knowledge that change ringing had ever occurred here, but only individuals ringing one bell at a time. The last bellringer died in 1925. However, he said that in about 1988 there was a convention of 'would-be" Montreal bellringers, "including a team from England," who met at McGill University. They visited the tower and rang "about five" bells with ropes. The other bells, having been motorized, could not be rung. He thought that this meeting was designed to get ringing going again in Montreal. He then went on the explain that in 1991 the bells were "computerized" and are now rung electronically, and the chain drives, seen by Tony Collins, have been removed. Apparently the tower used to rock while the bells were being rung. These days they are chimed and only for weddings and special occasions.
Remaining ringing fittings removed 1989.
1) 4-2-12
2) 5-0-22
3) 6-0-2
4) 6-1-5
5) 7-1-0
6) 8-1-27
7) 9-3-4
8] 11-0-12
9) 14-1-19
10) 20-0-26 in E.
According to There Was Life Before NAG: [sorry I cannot find a link]
They were dedicated on Sunday September 11, 1910. The tenor, in the key of E, weighs 2266lbs. It would seem that there is nothing in the church archives relating to bell ringing. However, it is known that two weeks after the dedication service, on Sunday, September 25, a complete 720 of Grandsire Doubles was rung here, before High Mass, by: H. Whiteman 1, A.H. Burgess 2, J.F. Pearson 3, J. Merrick 4, D.S. Bell 5, W. Livermore 6. This carried a footnote: "Rung by a party of Englishmen."
Tony Collins reported to the RW 1963 p.532 that he had inspected the bells in May 1961 and his recollection was five bells complete with stays, sliders and wheels, but no ropes. The other five have been motorised with enormous chain drives, which are terrifying to see in operation. I therefore submit that the omission of five ropes should not make a five bell ring (albeit an odd middle five) unringable. Of course the motorisation of the other five could be dismantled in less than a day and no doubt the remaining wheels, sliders and stays are in the church's store rooms somewhere, for reinstallation.
A more recent inspection of the tower and bells was carried out in October 1996 by Susan Benzon, of Victoria. The bells still hang in their original frame, which is very rusty. This is not surprising, since they are open to the weather and only protected by wire screening to keep out birds. All the wheels have been removed, and though some of the bells still have stays, others have been broken and some completely removed. Some or all of them are now fixed by a metal bracket screwed into the wooden headstocks and bolted to the frame, so that they cannot be swung. Susan was also able to speak with the Sacristan, Charles Brocklehurst, who has been employed at the church for 20 years. He said that he had no knowledge that change ringing had ever occurred here, but only individuals ringing one bell at a time. The last bellringer died in 1925. However, he said that in about 1988 there was a convention of 'would-be" Montreal bellringers, "including a team from England," who met at McGill University. They visited the tower and rang "about five" bells with ropes. The other bells, having been motorized, could not be rung. He thought that this meeting was designed to get ringing going again in Montreal. He then went on the explain that in 1991 the bells were "computerized" and are now rung electronically, and the chain drives, seen by Tony Collins, have been removed. Apparently the tower used to rock while the bells were being rung. These days they are chimed and only for weddings and special occasions.
Remaining ringing fittings removed 1989.
Bell details from the RW 1991 p.871, p.936 and 1992 p.180 all by Chris Pickford. Also see RW 1991 p.111 by Ron Russ and p.811 by Alan Blair.