1906 Chime History

Bells at the Reid Center, circa 2022

In the1906 Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church dedication program, there was a very detailed description of the chime that was installed in the bell tower. Today, the bells no longer ring due to safety concerns after many years of deferred maintenance.

However, the bells still remain, so there is hope they may return some day.

In the meantime, we invite you to take a look and listen to the bells in this video from the early 2000’s.

An episode of “Historic Richmond Today” featuring Donna Geddes, Sue King and Joe Schroeder discussing the bells at the Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Indiana.

You are also invited to read to the description of Chime when it was installed in 1906. Note that several bells have been added and/or changed in the intervening years.

1906 Dedication of the Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church

Chime made and installed by the Meneely Bell Company, Troy, New York

Description of the Chime

The Chime consists of ten bells, of the following weights and tones:

• One - 2,035 pounds, F

• Two - 1,568 pounds, G

• Three - 1,010 pounds, A

• Four - 826 pounds, B-flat

• Five - 582 pounds, C

• Six - 420 pounds, D

• Seven - 375 pounds, E-flat

• Eight - 324 pounds, E natural

• Nine - 318 pounds, F

• Ten - 288 pounds, G

Musicians will note that the chime consists of the straight scale of “F,” and with the addition of the ”E-flat” or “Flat-seventh” bell, tunes in two different keys may be played.

The bells are made of pure bell-metal, which consists of 78% copper and 22% of tin. Much is said of the quantity of silver in various bells as being responsible for their peculiar sweetness of tone. This is a myth, for experiments have shown that when silver is added to the regular composition of bells, the effect is decidedly injurious to the tone of the finished bell.

The chime is operated by a single player, who stands before the ring-case, consisting of a set of ten levers, one for each bell and connected with the tongue of the same by wooden trackers, chains, etc. By pressing downward on these levers the bell clappers are brought in contact with the bells, causing them to sound. Experienced operators can adjust the force of the blow so that the bells can be played loud or soft or with proper expression - a thing which no mechanical chime-ringing apparatus is able to do.