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Anderson, Hans Christian: The Bell and Other Tales
Aytoun, W.E.: The Man in the Bell. Originally in Blackwood’s Junior
Magazine c. 1860s, reprinted in Edgar Wallace Mystery
Magazine (Oxford) vol.3 no. 24 July 1966 pp.91-96
Arkell, Reginald; Trumpets over Merriford. M Joseph 1955
(also reprinted in Country Book Club edn.
Barnes, John: Ghost Stories of a Norfolk Parson. Mowbray 1986
for “The third Bell”
Bevis,T.A. Brownie and the Bells. Stockwell 1972 (Junior)
Blythe, R Akenfield. Various editions, 1969 and 1972 Chapter 3
Blyton, Enid: Ring O’ Bells Mystery. Collins 1956 (Junior)
Booth, Godfrey: Claverley’s Phantom Bellringer. Pub. In RW 7 April 1961
and reprinted as a booklet.
Carlson, Natalie Savage: School Bell in the Valley. Harcourt Brace NY 1963 (Junior)
Chapman, Jean The Bellmakers 1990 ISBN 074990044X
Clark, Leonard Mr. Pettigrew and the Bell-Ringers. Thornhill pub.1976 (Junior)
Crossley Holland, Kevin: Sea Tongue (Junior)
Dickens, Charles The Chimes. Christmas story no.2 1844
Douglas, John Scott: The Secret of the Undersea Bell. Dodd Mead NY 1951 (Junior)
Escott, John: Bell Puzzle. Hamish Hamilton, 1984 (Junior, handbells)
Bell Rescue “ “ 1983 “ “
Burglar Bells “ “ 1983 “ “
Alarm Bells “ “ ? “
Evatt, Harriet: The Secret of the Singing Tower. Bobs-Merril NY 1953
(Junior, carillon in the Netherlands)
Faulkener, John Meade The Nebuly Coat
Gabert, Hannah: The Pilgrimage of the Bells. SCM, 1946 (Junior, Czech. folktale)
Goodhart, Pippa: Milly (Junior) ISBN 0340672749
Hersey, John: A Bell for Adano. Gollancz, 1945 and subs.pb.(not ringing, just provision of one bell for an Italian village)
Hugo, Victor: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Various translations and edns. (carillon/continental ringing)
Jane, Fred. T: the Lordship, The Passen and We. Innes 1897 chapters 6,13,25
Kendall, Carol: The Whisper of Glocken. Bodley head 1965 (Junior, carillon)
Lamb, Lynton: Death of a Dissenter. Gollancz, 1969 Detective story, bells and ringing significant.
Lewis, Georgina: The Winter Tree. Gollancz 1983 ISBN 0575032588
McLean, Ruari: The Ringers. Short story in the Saturday Book 6th year, ed. By L. Russel, Hutchinson 1946
Mudoch, Iris: The Bell
Sayers, Dorothy: The Nine Taylors
Smith, Guy N: Death Bell. Hamlyn pub. 1980 (horror story)
Todd, H.E.: Bobby Brewster’s Lamppost (Junior)
Van Gulik, R: The Chinese Bell Murders (bells play a significant part but no ringing)
Warner, Sylvia Townsend: Kingdoms of Elfin. Chatto & Windus 1977 short story
Wein, Elizabeth E: The Bellcaster’s Apprentice. Pub.in the Horns of Elfland in USA, and later reprinted in RW 3 July 1998 et seq
Williams, G. Walton: Of Mice and Bells. Charleston USA 1999 (Junior)
Book Review
‘The Bellmakers’ by Jean Chapman
Published by Piatkus, 1990, ISBN 074990044X
I came across this book by chance in my local public library and the title made me read it. Although not a new book, ringers may like to know about it.
The book falls into the category of ‘Historical Romance’, being set in the late 1870’s. It tells the story of a young girl trying to support her family by working in the male world of selling knitted garments from door to door. In this capacity she meets two bell-founding brothers who are about to re-cast a bell with a curse on it. She and her friend soon become romantically involved with the bellmakers but have many problems and dangers to overcome before living happily ever after.
Naturally it is the bell-founding aspect which will interest most ringers. Set in Leicestershire, the technical details are well researched and, as far as I could tell, accurate. The casting of the bell forms a major part of the plot, although the ‘curse’ aspect at the start of the book seems slightly unlikely. Both brothers are bell-ringers as well as founders and again I could see no errors. A few characters (such as the Squire and the bellmakers’ stepfather) are slightly stereotypical, but on the whole the story is a good read and is told at a good pace. The bellringing background lifts it above other novels of its type. Fiction about bellringing is rare: ‘The Nine Taylors’ by DL Sayers and ‘The Winter Tree’ are the only other ones I know. It would be interesting to know if the author has any bellringing connections. Does anyone recognise the name?
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