Robertson, United Reformed Church

Abstract

The Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk Moedergemeente in Robertson, dating from 1960, has a narrow high tower containing a bell. There are two pairs of moulding wires below the shoulder, three above the knee and two on the lip. On the waist one finds a small emblem of the founder and above it the text: CAST FOR WILL. W. KEAY & SON, CAPE TOWN. This is followed by: 19 (emblem) 60. The emblem refers to members of the family Hughes that worked in the Whitechapel Foundry that was started by George Mears, whose name figures on the joke of the bell. The emblem is a circle in which figure three bells. A large bell stands in the middle of the seal and is surmounted by a crown. On the left of the bell stands AA/H (for Albert A. Hughes) in two layers, on the right WA/H (for William A. Hughes) also in two layers. Below the large bell stands DH (for Douglas Hughes) in between two smaller bells. The three founders worked together over the period 1950 until 1964. On the reverse side there should be a mention that the bell was a gift of Mev. Du Toit. However, because of the narrowness of the space it was impossible to verify this. What we know about William Keay is that he specialized in diamonds and jewellery, tower clocks and bells. He calls himself a scientific watchmaker and clockmaker. He ordered hour bells for the clocks at other foundries. The many locations in the Western Cape that were helped during the period 1950-65 had their bells made at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. In the sixties of last century, the agent switched to Petit & Edelbrock in Germany.