Cederberg, Clanwilliam, Old Jail

Abstract

The Old Jail in Clanwilliam houses two bells. One is a very rusted one from the Bell Company in Ohio. The other bell was the so-called hour bell that has been used in the town up to 1965. Since then the bell has been stored in the Old Jail that has been turned into a local museum. The bell is very well kept but doesn’t show any indication of the founder, only of the company that has been responsible for the delivery. On a small plate above the sound bow of the bell one reads MADE FOR JAMES ROBERTSON & CO CAPE TOWN. This is exactly the same text as on bells in the Methodist Church in Somerset West, in the Christ the King Anglican Church in Claremont and in the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk in Malgas. There are two moulding rings, one on top of the sound bow, the other on the nose.