Mossel Bay
http://hdl.handle.net/10019.2/14982
2024-03-29T13:08:19ZMossel Bay, Wydersrivier, Dutch Reformed Church
http://hdl.handle.net/10019.2/19922
Mossel Bay, Wydersrivier, Dutch Reformed Church
Wydersrivier, Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk. The Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk in Wydersrivier used to belong to the Berlin Missionary Society as an outstation of the Riversdale mission. Activities of the society started there in 1874. A modest new church was inaugurated on 9 February 1913. On the side of the church stands a horseshoe type construction in which a small bell is hanging. After closer inspection one notices that the bell is a ship’s bell. It has no decorations whatsoever except for the name of the ship. On the visual side of the bell one can read, MS Waryu Maru. On the reverse side of the bell stands the year 1963. Up to now we have not been able to get more information on the ship except that it seems to refer to a Japanese ship yard.
Mossel Bay, Catholic Church
http://hdl.handle.net/10019.2/19921
Mossel Bay, Catholic Church
Mossel Bay, Catholic Church. There is a very impressive set of three bells in the wide tower of the Saint Blaize Catholic Church in Mossel Bay. When one enters the bell room, the three bells are hanging next to each other with the largest in the middle. However, only one side of the bells has been visible to us and even then only with the necessary efforts. The decorations on the bells are identical so that the only differences are the physical and acoustical measurements of the bells. On the shoulder of the bells one finds a first decorative freeze with flowers and angels playing the violin. Below this a band, surrounded by moulding wires, that runs around the bells and with the following text: + A.D. 1964 + Petit & Fritsen Aarle-Rixtel, Holland + We expect that on the reverse side of the bells stands, “Supplied By South African Organ Builders Pty Limited, Silverton”. Then follows a second decorative band with hanging flowers. On the visible side of the bells appears the crest or seal of the foundry. It contains 3 bells (1 and 2) on which one can find the words, Soli Deo Gloria (Solely to the Glory of God). Above the sound bow one finds a further set of five moulding wires. The Royal Bell Foundry Petit & Fritsen is the third oldest family business in the whole of the Netherlands. It started operations in 1660 and remained one of the main bell founders in the world. In 2012 it was amalgamated with the Koninklijke Eijsbouts in Asten, the Netherlands. We have found information on this specific bells in the Regionaal Historisch Centrum, Eindhoven that houses the archives of the foundry. We learned from these archives that South African Organ Builders (SAOB) often ordered a bulk of bells from Petit & Fritsen without giving information of their ultimate destination. This happened rather frequently in the sixties of last century. Even when we know the date of delivery, it is an almost impossible task to try to find out where these bells ultimately ended up. From the archives we learned however that the founder had been approached on 10 May 1949 with a request for the price for 3 bells. However, we found no proof of the actual order.
Mossel Bay, Lutheran Church
http://hdl.handle.net/10019.2/19920
Mossel Bay, Lutheran Church
Mossel Bay, Lutheran Church. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mossel Bay originated as a mission of the Berliner Missionsgesellschaft that was established in 1879. Quickly after its installation the location built a church and a tower in which a bell was hanging. Later the mission was transferred to the Evangelical-Lutheran church that replaced the older church by the current new one whose founding stone was laid on 9 April 1967. The church Immanuel has a light tower that is constructed with open bricks. On the top layer of the tower hangs a bell. On the shoulder in between two moulding wires figures a band of flowers that are surrounded by branches. Underneath is a small freeze with drops pointing downwards. On one waist of the bell stands the following text: Lobet den Herrn alle Heiden,
Preiset ihn alle Völker. On the reverse side stands a reference to the foundry, Gegossen von C. Voss & Sohn in Stettin 1880 No. 801. Above the sound bow are four moulding wires, the top two close together. On the lip one finds a decorative freeze made up of leaf like figures, pointing upwards. The bell has been hanging outside in the open air in a region near the ocean. It is therefore not surprising that the bell has severely suffered from corrosion. In 2017 it was decided to remove the crown of the bell that probably was constituted of six angel heads. However, the crown was so rusted that it became dangerous to use the bell. The bell now hangs without a crown, hopefully for years to come.
Mossel Bay, Dutch Reformed Church
http://hdl.handle.net/10019.2/19919
Mossel Bay, Dutch Reformed Church
Mossel Bay, Dutch Reformed Church. The largest church in Mossel Bay is the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk. The current church is the third that has been constructed on the site. The foundation stone of the first brick church was laid on 14 February 1880. The tower soon proved to be unstable and in 1890 the congregation got its second building. But this brick structure later proved to be unstable as well and a totally new church was started at the right-hand side of the older buildings on 5 March 1949 under Hendrik Vermooten as architect. The bells that were hanging in the first building were then transported to their new location in the tower. In the neat tower are three bells in a decorative setup that is easily accessible. The largest bell hangs on top of the other two. According to information on the canons, the bells are made in London. Only the largest bell contains an extensive dedication. 1. The largest bell has two pairs of moulding wires below the shoulder. In between stands on one side of the bell, Cast by Gillet, Bland & Co Clockmakers Croydon London. On the same height but on the reverse side of the bell stands, 1879. Below the information on the foundry figures an extensive text distributed over four lines: Batavorum Apud Sinum Mosselensis Ecclesiae Reformatae Dono Dedit J. G. Leed, Presbiterio, I. C. Horak Ad MCCCLXIX. Above the sound bow are three moulding wires and two more on the lip of the bell. The text on the bell is slightly deteriorated making its reading somewhat unsure. 2. The second bell has two pairs of moulding wires just below the shoulder with in between, J.W. Benson, Ludgate Hill E.C. 1892. Also here, one finds three more moulding wires above the sound bow of the bell and two more on the lip. 3. The smallest bell also has two pairs of moulding wires just below the shoulder with in between, J.W. Benson, Ludgate Hill E.C. 1892. Here however one finds two more moulding wires above the sound bow of the bell and a single one on the lip. The two smaller bells are in excellent condition. The bell chamber of the church in Mossel Bay is rather unique: It is quite spacious and one can get views on the bells from a variety of different angles.