Tower, Bells and Donors

Prior to rebuilding, the tower contained five bells, the oldest ones dating from 1636. There is a tradition that third bell of the old ring (the current sixth bell) was originally at St Giles, Normanton, a former daughter church of St Peter's. However, this seems unlikely, as the names on the bell inscription match those of the churchwardens at St Peter's at the time that it was cast, and not those of St Giles. 

There are only a few reports of the bells being rung in the old tower, for national and local events, weddings and funerals.

When stagecoaches arrived from London, all of the bells in the town rang: as well as passengers and post, this used to convey fish, so the ringing of the bells allowed potential purchasers to buy them while they were still relatively fresh.

In 1593, the bells rang to celebrate the end of the black death in Derby.

In 1650, George Fox, a founder of the Quaker movement, wrote to the St Peter's ringers while in jail near the Cornmarket. In his journal he recalled:

Likewise to the ringers, who used to ring the bells in the steeple house called St. Peter's, in Derby, I sent these few lines:

"Friends, Take heed of pleasures, and prize your time now while you have it; do not spend it in pleasures or earthliness. The time may come that you will say; you had time, when it is past. Therefore look at the love of God now while you have time; for it brings you to loathe all vanities and worldly pleasures. Oh consider, time is precious; fear God and rejoice in him who has made heaven and earth."

The bells sometimes rang for political events. In 1733, tobacco dealers paid for bells to ring in each of the Derby churches to celebrate the scrapping of plans to replace customs duty on tobacco with excise duty. In 1831, muffled peals were rung at All Saints and St Peter's until three in the morning to express discontent at the defeat of the Reform Bill, and riots soon followed in the town.

There would be ringing for the annual 'football' match between St Peter's and All Saints (now the Cathedral).This was a riotous affair played in the streets between goals over a mile apart until it was banned in 1846.

By the later part of the 19th century, the bells appear to have been in poor condition and were not often rung. In 1882, an article by C W Payne compared the rings of bells in Derby:

"All Saints possesses the premier peal, because it is decadal, St Alkmund's the oldest, St Luke's the sweetest, and there is only one other in the town anent which I am constrained to write in the superlative degree, i.e.: St Peter's, which are the most unmusical, and to raise them in a peal would rock down the pinnacles, and probably the tower."

There was debate as to whether the bells should be rung during the visit of Queen Victoria to Derby in 1891, in case it should cause further damage to the tower.  However, it appears that the bells were rung for that event, and that it may have been the last time that they were used before the tower was rebuilt.

The restoration of  the bells was not originally included in the rebuilding work. During an event to raise money for the rebuilding work, Sir Alfred Seale-Haslam suggested that this work should be included, and offered to contribute £100 towards the cost. Several others then also offered to support this work. As a result, two of the old five bells were recast* and three new bells added to give a ring of eight bells in the key of F#. The restored bells were dedicated in April 1902.

In 1907, shutters were fitted inside the bell chamber in order to reduce the volume of the bells outside. This also had the effect of increasing the volume inside the ringing room, so a false ceiling was later fitted to counteract this. Additional sound absorbing material was fitted to the shutters in 2008, to further reduce the external volume.

One of the bells was recast* in 1986, having cracked after being struck by a clapper which had parted company with an adjacent bell.

* Note: Referring to a bell as having been 'recast' suggests that it was melted down and the same metal used to make its replacement. While this might have happened in the days of itinerant bell founders who set up a temporary foundry near the church, in more recent times the usual practice is to simply supply a new bell. The inscription and decorations of the old bell might be replicated on the new one, but that is the only connection. The old bell will usually be scrapped and used to manufacture other new bells, although if it is not cracked it might be used again elsewhere. In the case of the St Peter's bell recast in 1986, photos show the old bell being removed at the same time that the new one was being delivered, so there is no doubt that the metal was not reused for the new bell.

Bell No 1

Weight: 4 cwt, 1 qtr, 25 lbs

Diameter: 26.38"

Note: F#

Founder: John Taylor, Loughborough (1900)

Inscription:

VENITE, EXULTEMUS DOMINO

THE GIFT OF SIR HENRY BEMROSE MP 1900

Bell No 2

Weight: 4 cwt, 2 qtrs, 13 lbs

Diameter: 27.13"

Note: E#

Founder: John Taylor, Loughborough (1900)

Inscription:

TE DEUM LAUDAMUS

THE GIFT OF E T ANN & R B CHAMBERS CHWDNS 1900

Bell No 3

Weight: 5 cwt, 1 qtr, 16 lbs

Diameter: 29.38"

Note: D#

Founder: John Taylor, Loughborough (1900)

Inscription:

DEO JUBILATE

THE GIFT OF SIR THOMAS ROE (CHWDN 1862 - 1890) 1900

 Bell No 4

Weight: 6 cwt, 1 qtr, 10 lbs

Diameter: 31.25"

Note: C#

Founder: Thomas Hancox, Walsall (1636). Recast by John Taylor, Loughborough (1900) 

Inscription:

IESVS BE OVR SPEED

IOHN DAYE TH 1636

RECAST AT COST OF H M HOLMES 1900

Bell No 5

Weight: 7 cwt, 0 qtrs, 23 lbs

Diameter: 33.38"

Note: B

Founder: Unknown (1636). Recast by John Taylor, Loughborough (1900)

Inscription:

GOD SAVE OVR KING 1636

RECAST AT COST OF SIR A SEALE-HASLAM

RECAST 1900

Bell No 6

Weight: 6 cwt, 0 qtrs, 16 lbs

Diameter: 33.63"

Note: A#

Founder: Abel Rudhall, Gloucester (1738)

Inscription:

IOS TABERER & HEN EVERY CH WARDENS

AR 1738

Bell No 7

Weight: 7 cwt, 3 qtrs, 4 lbs

Diameter: 36.25"

Note: G#

Founder: Thomas Hancox, Walsall (1636)

Inscription:

GLOIRA DEO IN EXCELSIS

WILLIAM DVFFIELD THOMAS SKINNER CW TH 1636

Comments: The mis-spelling of the word 'GLORIA' is as it appears on the bell.

Bell No 8

Weight: 12 cwt, 1 qtr, 5 lbs (prior to recasting, the weight was 11 cwt, 1 qtr, 14 lbs).

Diameter: 41.88"

Note: F#

Founder: Abel Rudhall, Gloucester (1769). Recast by Royal Eijsbouts, Asten, Netherlands (1986)

Inscription:

I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL & TO THE GRAVE DO SUMMON ALL 1769

EIJSBOUTS ME FECIT 1986

RECAST AT THE COST OF THE BELLRINGERS

LEADER GORDON A HALLS

On Friday 25th November 2022, a quarter peal in a new method, Herbert Holmes Bob Major, was rung at St Peter's. Details of the quarter can be seen at https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1594516.

Sir Alfred Seale-Haslam

Donor of Bell No 5

Alfred Seale-Haslam was born on the 27th October 1844. His father, William, was a whitesmith and bell hanger.

He trained as an engineer, being an apprentice at the Midland Railway under Matthew Kirtley, the Chief Mechanical Engineer. Following this he worked at W G Armstrong & Co, during which time he superintended the installation of hydraulic machinery at Broad Street goods station in London.

Pictures of the bells.

An account of the bells in 1899.

Details of the bells on Dove's Guide.

Details of the clock.

Details of the handbells.