History of Holy Trinity Church

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150th Anniversary of 
Holy Trinity Church, Watermoor, Cirencester

Part 6: 
Sights, Sounds and Timing: The Bells

We are grateful for this History of the Church, compiled by Tony Clack

We have now covered the Planning, Construction, Consecration and the Layout, in addition to the windows and numerous other features of Holy Trinity, Watermoor. In this report, we look at the Bells, the Clock and the Organ, including a list of the organists since 1851. These reports continue right up to the Anniversary, which takes place from the 4th to 11th November 2001.

The Church was completed in 1851 and yet the only bell to appear at the Church was a single gong, which they rang to call the congregation to prayer until 1886.

Each bell has a 70ft Rope. There were 8 bells on wood and metal frames placed in the belfry in 1887 to 1901. The back 6 bells were re-hung in 1989 (using money left by Mrs. Dorothy Minnis). The sacring bell was placed in 1932 (donated by the Misses Lawrence).

The foundation bell, the tenor, weighing 20 cwt. (that’s over one metric tonne!) was given in 1887 by the Misses Brown of Further Barton. Two years later, they gave two more bells. Two were also given by Miss Esther Young and one other by Mr. Thomas Smith. By 1901, the octave was completed by the addition of two more bells given in memory of Mr. Thomas Lewis by his widow and family. Messrs. Taylor of Loughborough cast all the bells, which are so reputed to be one of the best peals for their weight that they were chosen to represent Gloucestershire in a “Faith in the West” programme broadcast by the BBC on the 3rd July 1953.

Bell inscriptions

For those of our readers who are interested in inscriptions on bells, I refer here to the Latin inscriptions, which are freely translated as:

Tenor: - "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, Alleluia."

Seventh: - "Praise the Lord of Heaven, praise Him in the height. I and my two sisters (the tenor and sixth bells) were given by two sisters, Elizabeth and Jemima Brown."

Sixth:- "Praise Him sun and moon, praise Him all ye stars and light."

Fifth: - "Esther Young had me made in memory of her beloved brother: Glory be to God on high."

Fourth: - "(the same as fifth) and in earth peace good will towards men."

Third: - "Thomas Smith had me made: O sing unto the Lord a new song, let the congregation of Saints praise Him."

Second: - "The wife and children of Thomas Lewis gave me and my sister (the treble bell) in memory of him 1901."

Treble: - "In memory of Thomas Lewis. O magnify the Lord with me. 1901."

The Clock and Spire

Mr. Thomas Lewis presented the clock and chimes in 1899, and they were dedicated on the Trinity Sunday of that year. They were made by Messrs. Smith of Derby at a cost of £140. 

Three huge weights of some 2 to 3 hundredweight (100 to 150Kg) were used to drive the strike of the hour on the tenor bell.

The pendulum of the clock and the chimes, each ran for about 2½ days, so every two days the verger/caretaker had to climb the steps with a large two-foot handle to wind it up. When the very faithful Chapel Warden Percy Holborough died, his son Derek paid for the winding of the clock to be electrified with much smaller weights. The large weights had been directed via pulleys into a corner cupboard right down into the ringing chamber. The clock was re-furbished in 1977 and the face was re-gilded by our own Mr. Eric Griffin, ably assisted by Mr. Don Harris.

The spire, which stands out clearly as a landmark for miles around, was added in 1852 at the sole expense of the Hon. William Lennox Bathurst. Its height is some 150ft, and it has lightning conductor rods placed within it for protection from electric storms. In fact, the spire had to be repaired when lightning struck it earlier this century, and some trace of the repairs can still be seen in the top 20ft of the brickwork. 

While the scaffolding was in position, a vandal gained access to the spire top and having taken off the hour hand from the clock was seen waving it about at the top of the Church. Unfortunately, he made off with his treasure and a new hour hand was manufactured by Mr. Bowdidge and re-gilded by Mr. Eric Griffin. The minute hand has been set slightly off from its datum and though the clock correctly strikes on the hour the minute hand in fact actually shows two minutes to the hour.

The Church Organ 

When the church was dedicated in November 1851, the provision of an organ was not immediately contemplated, and until 1863 the singing in the Church was led, sometimes without accompaniment, and sometimes with the aid of instrumentalists, by the boys of the Yellow and Blue Schools. Of interest, the Yellow School were the boys and the Blue were the girls, both of the Powell’s school in Gloucester Street who, with the help of adult members of the Parish Church choir, took turns in coming to Watermoor.

In 1863, a harmonium was provided, and in 1867, Bishop & Starr built the first organ, at a cost of £250 raised largely through the influence of Mrs. Sewell. The “Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard” of March 9th 1867 gives an interesting account of the opening of this instrument in the presence of Canon Powell (Vicar) and The Rev. I. F. Gosling (Priest-in-Charge). The organist was Mr. T. Matthews, whose son Mr. Raymond Matthews supplied much of the information regarding the instrument’s early history.

Larger Organ needed

By 1892, even this organ was considered inadequate and Messrs. Bishop & Son drew up a specification for a larger organ more in keeping with the size of the Church, under the guidance of Mr. Gibbons the then organist. This was completed by the next year (1893) at a cost of £500, and incorporated many of the original pipes.

The money was raised largely through public subscriptions and the new three-manual instrument was commissioned on Trinity Sunday in 1893. It was at this time that the Choir Organ had various stops added on the swell, and provided with new basses, and the pedal organ enlarged and pneumaticised. The Double Diapason on the Great Organ was also added, standing on a separate pneumatic chest. The specification remained as then rebuilt until 1963, as regards both pipework and actions, with two minor exceptions, one of which was the re-voicing and re-scaling of the Great Salicional to form the present Open Diapason II. This was in 1928, when the organ was also cleaned and provided with a pneumatic arrangement to operate the swell shutters. About 20 years later, the organ was again cleaned. Thus, the actions and the pipework were in constant use for 70 years with no attention beyond cleaning and overhaul. An electric blower was installed in 1933 and this is still in use today.

Overhaul

Mr. B. Edgington, the organist, drew attention to the deteriorating condition of the organ in a report to the Parochial Church Council in October 1961. Estimates for carrying out necessary and desirable work were obtained, and though a magnificent scheme for total rebuilding was turned down on the grounds of expense, a smaller scheme was accepted and Messrs. Percy Daniel and Co. Ltd. of Clevedon were selected to carry it out.

Briefly, this entailed the renewal of all worn parts, conversion of the pedal action to electro-pneumatic, installation of a new pedal board and balanced Swell Pedal, conversion of shutters from horizontal to vertical, and the provision of an adjustable stool. The manual keys were re-covered, and the Great to Pedal reversible pedal moved to the left of the console to make room for the Swell Pedal. Some tonal re-arrangement was also carried out. The Swell Keraulophon was discarded in favour of the Larigot, and the Oboe was transposed to l6ft pitch with the addition of a bottom octave. The Great Organ 4ft Flute gave way to the Twelfth, and the Trumpet to the 3 rank Mixture, while the Choir Organ Clarinet was replaced by the Piccolo. The new pipework undoubtedly increased the scope and range of the instrument, and the church then possessed an organ of which it can justly be proud.

Work commenced on January 15th 1963, and the restored organ was first used on Palm Sunday, April 7th, 1963.

The Choir and Congregation of the Parish Church joined with that of Watermoor for the Service of Re-dedication on Trinity Sunday 1963 in the presence of the former Vicar, The Ven. R. H. Sutch, Archdeacon of Cheltenham. It was exactly seventy years since the organ was first dedicated in 1893. The untiring efforts of Chapel Wardens Mr. Jack Pady and Mr. Percy Holborough and the Rev. John A. Skues (Priest-In-Charge) must here be mentioned. Without them, the contract valued at £1,700 might not have been placed. The successful restoration also owed much to the invaluable assistance and advice so kindly given by, amongst others, Mr. Herbert Byard, Mr. Mark Foster, and Mr. Huskisson Stubington.

Specification

For the technically minded, here are the specifications of the present organ:

Swell Organ CC to G

Choir Organ CC to G

Great Organ CC to G

Pedal Organ CCC to F

 
Here is a list of all the organists who have played on a regular basis at the Church:

1867 – 1883	T.W. Matthews
1883 – 1887	W. Ralph Morris
1887	C. Harris (March to December)
1887 – 1896	A.H. Gibbons
1896 – 1910	A.B. Barnes
1910 – 1943	H.W. Chuter
1943 – 1945	Beatrice Stacey
1945 – 1951	H. Tovey
1952 – 1954	P.C. Gillman
1954 – 1956	H.W. Lugg
1956 – 1963	B.J. Edgington
1963 – 1966	Flt Lt Russell (RAF)
1966 – 1994	Brenda Moss
1994 -	Adrian Wiltshire (present organist)

Summary

This completes most of our study of the assets of the Church, though not by any means a complete list of all the wonderful items that you can see if you visit the Church.  In the next part, I will discuss the Gates, the Mission Room, the Stations of the Cross and the Garden of Remembrance.

Additionally, and I’m sure of great interest to our readers, I will attempt to list all of the Priests-in-Charge and later Senior Curates who have served at Holy Trinity Watermoor Church. Also included will be a list of all persons with responsibilities to the Church and its organisation. A later edition will include details of some of the interesting events that have occurred during the life of the Church.

 Many thanks to Tony Clack for this contribution

See
Part 1 : The Beginnings of the Idea
Part 2 : The Construction
Part 3 : The Consecration
Part 4 : The Church Layout and Additions
Part 5 : The Church Windows
Part 6 : Sights, Sounds & Timing - the Bells
Part 7 : Further Assets & the Curate Register

For information about Cirencester Parish please contact the Parish Office on 01285 659317