MAKING HANDBELLS
Handbells are cast in sand moulds using metal patterns which closely resemble
the finished bell and the casting takes place in the main foundry area. Here
quality control is strict - not all castings end up as finished handbells. A
set of bells is assembled by carefully matching castings for tonal balance,
and in the tuning process each bell is turned on a lathe and burnished to give
a highly polished finish. Each set is regarded as a single musical instrument
and tuned as such - a quality of individual production not available elsewhere.
Our traditional tuning skills, handed down through generations of craftsmen, are
now augmented by sophisticated electronic equipment capable of registering
pitch to within one hundredth of a semitone. The individual character of every set
is accurately recorded and kept on file so that future augmentations up to the
full five octaves or more may be pefectly blended with an original set.The Foundry's handbell patterns have been continually improved and extended and, in addition to the five chromatic octave range with a bass bell of 29C, bells are available in the lower range down to 32G and a full octave of higher bells range 007D to 001C.
Handles and caps are made from finest English leather, cut and exquisitely tooled by hand, and with the note of each clearly stamped upon the handle. Leather undoubtedly gives maximum comfort to the hands of ringers, particularly when the bells are played "in hand" for tune ringing and for change ringing where the bells are held for long periods. The bell shank has been extended further into the handle to give greater support while maintaining the standard open loop preferred by "four in hand" ringers.
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Refinements have been made to the fittings of handbells since they were first
manufactured, but the working principle of an English handbell remains the same
with the clapper being held clear of the bell by felted springs. The fittings of
Whitechapel handbells are individually crafted to give the correct balance of
timbre across the full range, using a variety of materials to strike the bells,
from nylon pegs at the highest end to split-ball clappers for the lowest notes.
This is just one of many design features which give Whitechapel handbells their
unique musical quality. The clapper assemblies are of polished bronze and
brass construction, strong and positive in function whilst complementing the
burnished finish of the bells themselves.