Southern Suburbs, Rondebosch, Bishop Diocesan College

Abstract

The Bishop’s Diocesan College has built a Memorial Chapel in 1926 in memory of the 110 Old Boys who were killed during the Great War. The large chapel has been built by Walgate & Lancelot A Elsworth. In a turret at the east end of the chapel hang three bells, one below the other. Each day boys of the College ring the bells three times: to summon the College to school in the morning, to indicate the Eucharistic services and to announce the Evensong. The decorations on the three bells are similar. Below the shoulder there are two pairs of double moulding wires with in between MEARS & STAINBANK, LONDON. Further three moulding wires above the knee and two on the lip. On the waists of the bells are decorations that give the bells more individuality. The reference to the foundry is put as M. & S. on the smaller bells. It is somewhat remarkable that the heaviest bell hangs on top. This is unusual since normally the weight distribution is rather critical. On the other hand, the position of CARITAS above FIDES and SPES might have been intentional as it illustrates a statement from St Paul in 1 Corinth, 13 where he states faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love. The smallest bell hangs below. On its waist is written FIDES F.R. 1936. where FR stands for the donor Frank Reid. The middle bell similarly has the name HOPE E.C.P. 1936 where ECP stands for Mrs Brian Peake. Finally, the heaviest and largest bell has CARITAS M.E.B. A.S.B. R.H.B. 1936 as inscriptions. Here the acronyms are standing for Mary Ella Birt, Alice Sophie Birt and Roderick Harold Birt respectively. There seems to be a tradition that each year the bells are painted by the boys that have the responsibility for the ringing. In another building there is still one more bell that hangs in a turret high up on top of the building. As yet we have not more information on this bell that probably is older than the three bells above.