Just recently, a social media posting about the closure of the famous the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, provoked some memories of the long association that the Glass Sellers Company has had with St James Garlickhythe, the Company’s Chapel.
In November 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic lockdown we were treated to a history as follows.
The Glass Industry, the Glass Sellers & their long-lasting links
with St James’s Garlickhythe
or put another way
Building, Bomb, Breakage. B Sharp. Bells Barge. Banner and a ‘relative discovery’
presented by Past Master John Hitch
St James Garlickhythe is the church of the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London and has been so for many years.
Like so many of our City churches, the history of St James is one of survival through war, fire, drought, disease and misfortune.
It’s thought a church has stood on Garlick Hill since Anglo-Saxon times. It is first mentioned as the ‘ecclesia Sancti Jacobi’ in a will dated between 1096 and 1115. The first known Rector was Peter del Gannok in 1259.
It was rebuilt in the fourteenth century by Richard de Rothing and his son John, both Vintners. The medieval church was considerably smaller than the current building, and there is a record of an adjoining cloister on the site.
This may well have existed for a religious guild for men and women, which was founded in 1375. By the following century, St James had become a collegiate church with a number of chantry chapels served by priests who were provided with quarters, which came to be known as ‘St James Commons’.
Six Lord Mayors were buried in the medieval church, a sign of its importance. Plaques on the north wall now commemorate them.
After the Great Fire of 1666, Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt the Church at a cost of £5,357 .10s/ 10½d. The foundation stone was laid in 1676 and the re-opening took place on 10 December 1682, although the tower was not completed until 1717.
In 1538, Henry VIII ordered churches to keep a register of births, deaths and marriages. Those at St James Garlickhythe are the oldest in England, the first entry being the Baptism of one Edward Butler on 18th November 1535. William Boyce the composer was baptised here on 11th September 1711.
The ancient registers and other City records can be seen in the Guildhall Library.
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry, established in 1570, holds a prominent place in history as the birthplace of some of the most famous bells in the world. Located in the heart of London, the foundry became known for its high-quality craftsmanship, producing bells that would ring across the world. Among its most iconic creations were Big Ben, the great bell of the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster, and the Liberty Bell, a symbol of American independence.
For centuries, the foundry’s skilled artisans worked tirelessly, melting metal and shaping it into bells that would endure for generations. The sound of these bells carried far beyond London, leaving a legacy that echoed in the hearts of people across different continents. The Whitechapel Bell Foundry’s contribution to both British and American history cannot be overstated, as its bells became symbols of freedom, time, and unity.
Sadly, after more than 400 years of operation, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry closed its doors in 2017, marking the end of an era. The closure of this historic institution left many mourning the loss of a craftsman tradition that had stood the test of time. While the foundry may no longer be operational, its legacy lives on in the many bells it created, each one a testament to the skill and dedication of those who worked there.
Golden Jubilee Bells for St James Garlickhythe
The Royal Jubilee Bells are a set of eight bells that were cast for the church of St James Garlickhythe in the City of London, which were seen on television around the world leading the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on 3 June 2012 for the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
The project was conceived and run by Dickon Love, who had earlier installed new bells in the other City of London churches of St Dunstan-in-the-West (in 2012) and St Magnus the Martyr (in 2008). The bells were cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 2012. Bells 2, 7 and 8 were cast on 17 February with the remainder on 9 March. The casting of the bells, especially the largest bell, was extensively covered by the media.
The funds to pay for the new bells and their hanging at the church was raised by Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley, Parish Clerk. Bells were sponsored by the Vintners’ Company, the Dyers’ Company, the Glass-Sellers’ Company, Charles Bettinson, Joanna Warrand, Tony Stockwell and Tony Kassimiotis, Andrew and Wendy Parmley. Each of the sponsors chose an inscription including a dedication on each bell. Each also displays the Royal Arms (by permission of Buckingham Palace) and the name of a senior member of the Royal Family.
On 11 Jan 2012, the bells were granted the title “Royal Jubilee Bells” by Buckingham Palace, on advice from the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform.
The largest bell weighs 9 long hundredweight, 1 quarter and 25 pounds (481 kg) and sounds the note G sharp. (Bellringers normally calibrate bells in terms of hundredweight.) The remaining bells form the major scale in G sharp. Details are as follows:
Sir Andrew Parmley – Past Master Glass Seller and Lord Mayor of London
Guide to The Organ at St James Garlickhythe
