Kannaland, Ladismith, Lutheran Church

Abstract

Photographs and description of the Lutheran Church and its bell in Ladismith. The Lutheran Church of Ladismith is a very neat building with a bell tower that according to information from the Jahresberigte acquired a bell in 1882. There are a few references to this bell in the document. A closer look tells us that this is again a bell from the Voss foundry in Stettin. Below a decorative band with flowers and effigees of St John the Baptist as a child with a lamb, there is an elaborate text which reads as follows: Gegossen von C.F. Voss & Sohn in Stettin (palm decoration) Lady Smith. No 502. To the left of the word Lady Smith (sic) sits a copy of a prize medal that the company won in Stettin in 1889. On the right is a effigee of Friedrich Wilhelm Kronprins von Preussen. The text is followed by another set of moulding wires and a decorative band on the knee. On the reverse side appears a figure of Jesus on the cross followed by the inscription Komt tot Jezus! 1873. The canon of the bell reminds us of that in Amalienstein. However, the 6 angle heads are slightly more elaborate. Also the decorative band on the crown is fancier than on the other bell. We have not been able to read the entire text on the bell. Fortunately, we could read the production number which is 502 which allows us to guess that the bell was cast in 1872, somewhat later than the bell in Amalienstein but before that in Heidelberg. A closer look shows that the bell was cast by Carl Voss & Son, making it automatically later than the other bell. Another feature on the bell is the reference to Ladismith (strangely enough written as Lady Smith) which indicates that the bell has been specially made for this church.