Breede River Valley, Worcester, Dutch Reformed Church

Abstract

Photographs and information on the bells of the Dutch Reformed Church (Moederkerk) in Worcester. The Moederkerk has an open tower with two bells cast by Taylor from Loughbourogh in 1926 for the centennial of the existence of the church. The bells in the tower hang in the lower part of a baroque turret that has been added to a square tower. The bells are not the original ones that had been installed in 1831 at the start of the congregation. One of the two original bells was transferred to a mission station in Nongoma, Malawi while the other hangs at the neighbouring Pieter Rabie Hall and is dealt with further on. The current bells seem to be much heavier than their predecessors and as a result, the heavier one of the two has been dismantled. Its clapper has been removed and lies on the floor beneath the bell. By using the external hammer we were able to record its partials. The smaller bell is still quite large, has a clapper and an outside hammer. The inscriptions on the bells are as follows: Below the shoulder one finds a delicate band of flower motives typical for Taylor bells. On the rear sides one finds the usual circular Taylor emblem with a lamb in between the digits of the casting date. We found a similar decoration on most of the bells in the Cape Town carillon that have been cast in the early twenties of last century. On the front side of the waist both bells carry the decoration EEUWFEEST 1821—1921. On the larger bell one reads below this GESCHENK VAN DANKBARE GEMEENTE while on the other bell GESCHENK VAN PHILIP.RUDOLPH.RABIE EN ZOON. The Rabie family has been and still is a very influential family in the city.