Knysna, St Boniface Catholic Church

Abstract

On the left of the elegant church building with its soft yellow colours, stands a square tower. On a single beam in the bell chamber hang two bells of modest dimensions. The smaller of the two bells hangs on the left when entering the room. In between two moulding rings on the shoulder one reads: AVE CRUX. Below this text figures a stylized cross with two spears sitting diagonally in the cross section. On the reverse side of the bell figures the emblem of the founder of the bell. The seal is in the form of a bell in which is forged: ANNO DOMINI 1965 and on the lip PASSAU. Above the bell figures a rectangle in which we read: RUDOLF PERNER. a German founder, operating in Passau, close to the border with Austria. The bell on the right shows two thick moulding rings on the shoulder. In between stands a text in large capital letters: HL. FRANZ XAVER BITTE FÜR UNS. Both bells show two more moulding wires on the sound bow. Unfortunately, there are no indications on the second bell that might show us the founder or the founding date. Since the bells are hanging on a single beam, one might expect they were installed simultaneously by Perner. Founding traditions in the Perner family in the German area probably started in 1702 when Johannes Perner became citizen in Pilsen, now in the Czech Republic. One of his sons Josef went to Budweis to continue the trade and during his life he delivered bells to Western Africa. One of his descendants moved the foundry from Budweis to Passau-Hackberg in 1946. That foundry remained active in bell founding until 2013.