Although our Tower and Spire are finished, we can hardly say they are complete without the Clock and Bells which the Tower is constructed to receive. As we are free from the debt which was unavoidably incurred for the building, we can make a start, at least, towards procuring funds for this object, but let us say at once that there is no need to run into debt now.

As soom as the money is collected we will have a Clock and Bells, but not before. It will be seen, by reference to the annexed report that the Building Committee do not recommend that we should undertake so heavy an expenditure as would be required for a regular peal of bells, some £600 or £80O, but they suggest that we should as soon as possible get a Clock and a set of Harrington’s Tubular Bells upon which the hours could be struck, and the quarters chimed, the cost of which altogether would not far exceed £300. Towards this the Vicar and Churchwardens have £25 in hand, part of a special contribution to the offertory last Christmas Day. With this for a nest-egg the Vicar and Churchwardens propose to open a fund at once which may be growing the while, and when it is thought desirable a committee can be formed to take more active steps towards the accomplishment of this object. We can already announce one subscription which was volunteered by our oldest inhabitant, Mr. W. Skelton, who claims to have been the first subscriber to the Tower and Spire. The Committee of the Fancy Fair have still in their possession a quantity of goods, valued at £100, which they hope to find a way to realize and hand over to the Clock and Bells Fund. Our good friend Mr. E. Newman also gave us a helping promise at one of the meetings of the Jubilee Committee, that he would give the last £5 for the Clock, an example which the Vicar is willing to follow by offering the next last £25.

Source: The Hampton Hill Parish Magazine - 1891 August

When are we going to have the Clock and Bells? is a question which the Vicar is glad to say is very often put to him by the good people of Hampton Hill. The answer is a very simple one. “As soon as you find the money to pay for them.” Perhaps the time has come when it would be advisable to take some more decided steps to bring this matter to an issue.

In deference to a feeling that the collection of the money for the Tower and Spire had involved a somewhat heavy drain on the resources of our village, nothing beyond the sale of goods left over from the Fancy Fair, has yet been attempted in the way of getting the money together. All the while however, like the rolling snowball, our little fund has increased in bulk, and we have £116 in hand and £34 more promised. It is difficult to calculate exactly how much the cost will be, but we believe it will not fall short of £350-400 to supply a really good clock, which will chime the quarters, and a good set of Harrington Tubular Bells. That is to say we want about £200 or £250 more than we have in hand. It is proposed to call together once more the Tower and Spire building committee with a view to a scheme being adopted, and estimates obtained, for the completion of their work. In the meantinie we would ask our friends to prepare for the call which must necessarily be made upon them.

Source: The Hampton Hill Parish Magazine - 1893 January

It is now more than five years since our Jubilee Memorial, our Victoria Tower and Spire was finished. The fabric was finished, but the Tower and Spire could not be said to be complete without a Clock and without Bells. There has been a sufficient reason for the delay. The cost of the Tower and Spire so greatly exceeded the original estimate that it was not till October 1891 that it was entirely paid for. Then it was thought that it would not be well to press too hard upon our many liberal contributors, by asking at once for subscriptions for the Clock and Bells. After a pause, a new departure is to be made, which we trust will result in a speedy completion of not only the Tower and Spire, but of S. James’ Parish Church. The old Building Committee, which has existed for six years, met again, and once more is sending forth an appeal to the Inhabitants of Hampton Hill, and to all who are interested in the Church and Village.

It is estimated that a Clock with four dials and apparatus for striking the hours and chiming the quarters will cost £150. A good set of eight Harrington’s Tubular Bells will cost £250, and allowing a margin of £50, we must not expect to complete the work for less than £450. At present we have in hand £115 4s. 7d. made up principally of Offertories, £60 55. 7d.; Sale of Work, £40; and Concert, £6 l0s. 0d. In addition to this we have promises, many of them unsolicited, to the amount of £89 7s. 0d., giving us a total of £204 1s. 7d. to start with. We trust that this appeal will not go forth in vain, but that subscriptions will flow in fast. We would venture to put in a personal plea from the Vicar, to whom it would be a very solid gratification, if indeed it could be completely finished, yet that the whole of the money were collected, and the order given for the completion of the work before he bids farewell to his work and home and friends at Hampton Hill.

Source: The Hampton Hill Parish Magazine - 1893 April

The Committee appointed to make all the final arrangements respecting the Clock and Bells have completed their work, and an agreement has been entered upon with Messrs. Smith & Son to supply and fix a clock with four dials in the tower, and also four ordinary bells for chiming, the whole to be completed in November, and the cost to be £375. A further estimate for the cost of four more bells, with complete apparatus for ringing the whole eight, has been obtained and amounts to a further sum of £400. It is thought, however, that these should not be proceeded with at present, unless there were hope of very large assistance forthcoming. In addition to the £375 (the amount of the contract), there are a few small expenses, which will make the total cost slightly exceeed the sum in hand, or promised.

Source: The Hampton Hill Parish Magazine - 1893 September

I am still unable to announce the exact date for the Dedication of the Bells, but I expect it will be about the middle of the month., We shall all rejoice to hear our own Christmas Bells. The following texts have been put upon them
(1.) “Enter into His Gates with thanksgiving, and into His Courts with praise.”
(2.) “Glory to God in the highest.”
(3.) “On earth Peace.”
(4.) “Good will to men.”
May there be a continual response to the invitation, and may those who come give glory to God for His goodness, and realize for themselves, and promote in the world His message of peace and goodwill!

Source: The Hampton Hill Parish Magazine - 1893 December

At last the Clock and Bells, which have been talked of for years, are in their place and giving forth their melodious chimes to the delight of everybody within hearing distance. The Dedication Service was taken part in by the Rural Dean, the Rev. R. Digby Ram, M.A.

The Clock was, most fitly, set in motion by the former Vicar, the Hon. and Rev. Henry Bligh, who also preached a very appropriate sermon from the texts inscribed on the Bells. I feel sure that it was a source of pleasure to Mr. Bligh to give the finishing touch to a work in connection with which he had done so much and been so deeply interested during his incumbency, and it certainly was a source of pleasure to his many friends here that he was able to perform the ceremony.

Source: The Hampton Hill Parish Magazine - 1894 January

This story follows on from the page Tower and Spire - 1891 and is now complete.