[1]Significance of the frame

The frame is worth special mention. Alan Hughes of Whitechapel Bell Foundry has confirmed that the new frame installed in 1955 was the world first of the new flat sided design. He wrote:

I confirm that I was led to believe by both my father and uncle that the frame for East Crompton was the first standard eight-bell frame to our then new frame side design for bells up to 14cwts. The design was designated as the ‘A1 frameside’. The A2 was for bells up to 25cwt and the A3 for bells up to 2 tons. This design is still used to this day by Whites of Appleton, the only change being the omission of the cored holes in the stretcher between the feet and the widening of the bearing tables to accommodate standard SKF Plummer Blocks.

It is because it was the first standard 8-bell frame incorporating the then new design of frameside casting that it was professionally photographed for our foundry booklet. Additionally, a print of the photograph was sent out with every quotation that we provided for eight-bell cast iron bell frames right up to the end of the 20th Century, and thereafter if requested.

[A photograph exists in the Tower Bells Handbook]

Published: 27/02/2026; updated: 27/02/2026