Two stories told by bells
I used to say to people that I wasn’t interested in bells, only ringing them. Since I’ve become a contributor to Thought for the Week I think that might be changing. I keep noticing bells. Here’s just two recent encounters in Cambridge. I live in Peterborough so Cambridge is convenient for a day out.
No 1 encounter: This wasn’t very pleasant. Quite recently the Fitzwilliam Museum put on an exhibition examining its historic involvement in slavery. One of the items on display was a bell. The caption made fascinating and disturbing reading. It had been donated to St Catharine’s College Cambridge as recently as 1960. It was hung at the entrance to the college. It turned out to be a bell used on a slave plantation and was rung to control the working lives of the slaves. It was a testament to the brutal degradation of human beings. The bell was taken down by the College, no longer on proud display. There the bell was in the exhibition, a sobering reminder of our country’s slaving past. Depressingly, modern day slavery befouls our society.
No 2 encounter: This encounter was just fine. I enjoy the heritage weekends in September. A couple of years back Wolfson College Cambridge opened its gardens and there was a delightful tree trail. Setting out, the first thing I saw was a huge bell. It was set on a stone block, immoveable, fixed. The caption told me it was the old 11th bell (I think my memory serves me right here) from the church in the centre of Cambridge, Great St Mary’s. It had been placed here as a tribute to William (Bill) Ridgman, a Fellow of the College and a bell ringer. Bill Ridgman had helped me once at a moment of difficulty. He was a generous, kind and wise man. The memory was uplifting. Human beings can be graced with goodness.
What different uses bells serve! Bells tell interesting stories and I’m starting to listen.
Revd Canon BILL CROFT (Retired)