Bell Cage

[Egg Bramhill]

Here's a drawing of a bell cage in the old part of Haewich.

[Jonopen]

Here's a drawing of a bell cage in the old part of Haewich.

Nice work. That's a very specific thing to draw though. Was it done a local history website or something?

[spondoolix]

You were certainly up early to peel this bell. It would be intriguing to know just what it was used for.

[gwpriester]

Nice drawing Egg and excellent perspective.

[wizard509]

I like it Egg., Good one.

[Egg Bramhill]

Thanks folks

The bell is on the site of an old Naval Dockyard in Harwich, which is now a cargo handling wharf. The Naval Dockyard was used to build some of Nelsons ships used at the Battle of Trafalgar. If memory serves me correctly the bell was used to start/end shifts in the old dockyard. When it was built over to create todays wharf the bell was kept & placed in the cage for display. Unfortunately it's behind wire-link fencing and looks a bit unloved (see google-maps image below). I find it a very attractive monument, probably hidden away for security & anti-vandalism, and thought I'd redraw it. I attach a copy without the dotted fill pattern.

Yes Jono, you're correct, it's for the local societies quarterly magazine.

Also attached an old print of the yard.

[spondoolix]

Interesting bit of naval history. I'm glad it is that it has been kept in place. The bell itself is not unlike the bell on Nelson's flagship "HMS Victory", pictured here.

[Egg Bramhill]

Hi Spondoolix, the 'cage' wasn't added until late 50's early 60's I believe. Just a way of displaying the bell. The image of the Victory's bell is entirely different, the bell here is within a belfry, part of which is the upper wooden counterweight. I've no idea why ships of this era had such elaborate belfry's and not just a bell rope.

Bells on ships were very important, they acted as a clock, a means of simple communication and as an alarm system.

Prior to the days of auto-pilots the deck watch used to consist of the Officer of the watch, and three deckhands, rotating hourly between Helmsman, Farmer & Lookout.

The lookouts duty was to stand watch on the fcsle (bow) and on sighting a light to ring the ships bell, above the windlass, one bell for a sighting a light to starboard, two for sighting a light to port and three for sighting a light dead ahead.

It was traditional that on every first trippers first lookout duty, which was a very lonely spooky environment in mid ocean for a homesick young lad, with nothing but the absolute total blackness of the night, the slow wallowing of the swell, the gentle sound of the bow-wave breaking through the waves, the rushing sound of the wind caused by the ships headway, the other multitude of unfamiliar sounds in the night and the swirling mist.

Prior to the youngsters first duty on the fcsle the OOW would fill him with old the seamans tales such as if a bell rang of it's own accord, it foretold of a death in the crew etc ......

Meanwhile the old seadog that was currently on the fcsle watch look-out was tying a length of sail twine to the ships bell rope. On being relieved by the young first-tripper, he would retire aft towards the accomodation but just far enough not to be seen. Waiting ten to fifteen minutes to let the youngster get the heeby-jeebies, he would then gently pull on the sail twine. DONG!.... DONG! DONG!

You had to have a very strong constitution to remain there alone on that fcsle. I didn't, I was back in the messroom as fast as my feet could carry me

Ask not for whom the bell tolls.

[spondoolix]

Thanks for these words Egg. I had no idea you were an ex-seafarer. As one myself, I can verify that your description is spot on.