LIVERPOOL’S WONDERFUL GOTHIC CATHEDRAL.
Twice the Size of Westminster Abbey and Built on the Sandstone Bed of St. James’s Mount.

RAISING GREAT GEORGE The 14 and a half-ton Bourdon Bell of Liverpool Cathedral is Raised to the Belfry 250 ft. Above Floor Level. When the Dean and Chapter of Liverpool Cathedral arranged for the installation of the 14½-ton Bourdon Bell (Great George), they were faced with many difficulties. Some of the problems which had to be overcome were; (1) The moving of the bell over the Cathedral floor, which naturally was not designed to support such a concentrated load; and (2) the limited clearance between the diameter of the bell and the aperture into the bellringers’ chamber, which only gave a 2¼-in. clearance all round through the 10 ft. diameter by 8 ft. deep shaft, and which called for very accurate rigging. Consideration also had to be given to the placing of the blocks, sheaves and hand-winch so that at no point was a horizontal thrust of 2 tons exerted on the bell chamber structure, which is so constructed that vibration is not transmitted to the main frame of the building.

The operation of lifting the huge bell began at 8.45 a.m. and at 8.10 p.m. on the same day it was struck for the first time. The nearest approach to this great achievement was when Great Paul was raised to the belfry of St. Paul’s Cathedral in May 1882, the operation on that occasion taking three days to complete. Great George was cast by John Taylor and Co., of Loughborough, who also cast Great Paul, and weighs 14-tons. It is 9 ft. 7½ in. in diameter 9 ft. 6 ins. high and has a clapper weighing three-quarters of a ton. The bell, which was transported within the Cathedral on rails and steel balls to its position beneath the 10-ft. diameter opening to the belfry, had attached to it for lifting a head- stock made of steel sections which weighed 2 tons. A specially constructed hand-operated winch, manufactured by R. C. Gibbins and Co., Ltd., of Birmingham, was erected in the belfry and was worked by a team of twelve men, in squads of four, each squad winding for ten minutes and resting twenty minutes. By their efforts a constant raising speed of 22 ft. per hour was maintained over a period of 11-½ hours, the men completing 25,000 turns of the winch handle and lifting the bell 250 ft. on a 1,100-ft. length of preformed steel rope, which was passed through two double blocks and which had a break stress of 35 tons. The complete operation, including the transport from Loughborough to Liverpool, was carried out by Machinery Installation, Ltd., of Acton.

Above… The 14-ton Bourdon Bell of Liverpool Cathedral is made ready for its ascent to the Belfry 250 ft. above floor level. The £10,000 Great George is seen just west of the crossing a few days prior to the raising operation. The other bell is the 5-ton Emanuel tenor bell which was raised to the belfry at the same time.

Below… The bell complete with its three-quarter-ton, approaches the 10.ft aperture, in the roof The clearance between the edge of the aperture and the rim of the bell was only 2-¼ in.

The bells were dedicated at a thanksgiving service after they had been raised into position. Great George, which is 9 ft. 7 1/2 ins. in diameter and 9 ft. 6 ins. high, was cast by John Taylor and Co. at their Loughborough Bell Foundry. It is the gift of Lord Vestey and his brother, the late Sir Edmund Vestey.

        
The Bell at the John Taylor Foundry, and being transported to the Cathedral
(click to enlarge)

Great George is lifted and positioned.

All the bells in situ.

Bell	Pitch	Name	Weight
Tenor Bell	A flat	Emmanuel	4.06 tonnes (80 cwt)
Eleventh Bell	B flat	James	2.69 tonnes (53 cwt)
Tenth Bell	C	Oswald	2.08 tonnes (41 cwt
Ninth Bell	D flat	Peter	1.78 tonnes (35 cwt)
Eighth Bell	E flat	Martin	1.22 tonnes (24 cwt)
Seventh Bell	F	Nicholas	0.89 tonnes (17.5 cwt)
Sixth Bell	G	Michael	0.71 tonnes (14 cwt)
Fifth Bell	A flat	Guthlac	0.64 tonnes (12.5 cwt)
Fourth Bell	B flat	Gilbert	0.60 tonnes (11.75 cwt)
Third Bell	C	Chad	0.56 tonnes ( 11 cwt)
Second Bell	D flat	Paul	0.53 tonnes (10.5 cwt)
Sharp Second Bell	D	David	0.53 tonnes (10.5 cwt)
Treble Bell	E flat	Bede	0.51 tonnes (10 cwt)