Bryan I Eldridge
Horsham 1618 - 1622
Chertsey 1622 - 1640
Bryan Eldridge the elder began founding at Horsham where his father Richard Eldridge set up a branch. The only example of his work we have from Horsham is the tenor at Ifield in 1618. This is also the earliest bell cast by him.
We could suggest that Bryan may have been working alongside his father until 1621 because bells cast by him until then were inscribed using blackletter small, commonly used by Richard. See below.
The rent of 10/- was paid by Bryan instead of his father in 1618 while he was staying there. In 1619, Bryan presumably begin itinerating. Then in 1622, he arrived at Chertsey which became the main production facility for the family.
Chertsey 1622 - 1640
Bryan Eldridge the elder began founding at Horsham where his father Richard Eldridge set up a branch. The only example of his work we have from Horsham is the tenor at Ifield in 1618. This is also the earliest bell cast by him.
We could suggest that Bryan may have been working alongside his father until 1621 because bells cast by him until then were inscribed using blackletter small, commonly used by Richard. See below.
The rent of 10/- was paid by Bryan instead of his father in 1618 while he was staying there. In 1619, Bryan presumably begin itinerating. Then in 1622, he arrived at Chertsey which became the main production facility for the family.
In 1624, Bryan cast 2 bells for Cowfold with identical inscriptions. The tenor shows where he had difficulty making the core. Inside the bell, many round marks just over an inch in diameter can be seen where he had to patch it up. He also added a treble in 1634. The two trebles have now been recast by Mears & Stainbank, but fortunately the tenor still remains.
The Balcombe bell shows an issue Bryan had with the parchment letters for the S on BRIANVS is damaged.
At Preston Park, all but the tenor have their inscription repeated using the same letters as their previous founder, but the Eldridge bell has only Gillett alphabet. The likely reason behind this is that as Bryan used such low-relief letters, they didn't show up properly on the mould.
See Preston Park, St Peter
Taking a look at his inscriptions in chronological order, we can see a correlation!
From 1618 up until 1621, he inscribed all his bells in the same fashion to his fathers:
Bryan ♡ Eldredge ♡ Made ♡ Mee ♡ (Date) ♡.
All are inscribed using blackletter. Our only example of this is Ifield as it appears he itinerated after this in 1619 to Surrey, casting bells for Limpsfield, Petersham and West Horsley.
1622 was the year Bryan set up his own foundry in Chertsey. I haven't been able to find any bells of his cast in this year so it is likely he was spending most of his time getting his workshop ready.
We see bells starting to be cast again from 1623. From this year until 1630, he began using the Latin form of his previous inscription:
BRIANVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ (Date) ♡
With the exception of East Moulsey and Mickleham which have BRYANVS.
From 1631 onwards, he changes his inscriptions completely to having a Latin phrase, followed by the date and his initials. This was also carried on by his Son Bryan Junior:
GLORIA ♡ DEO ♡ IN ♡ EXCELSIS ♡ (Date) ♡ B ♡ E
Gloria Deo in Excelsis meaning Glory to God in the highest and B E obviously meaning Bryan Eldridge. The date was never inscribed in Roman Numerals but arabic.
Bryan used his father's heart shaped stop Fig. RIE,1, between each word in all of his inscription. It was no longer used by his son when he died in 1640, and so it was subsequently dropped.
Bryan’s will is dated August 14th, 1640 and shows us that he wasn’t a well man towards the end of his life, but he still had a good memory. He gave his workshop and tool to his son Bryan, and £40 to his daughter Katherine when she turns 21 or on her wedding day, whichever comes first. His wife was given money so that she could pay the rent at the “Bell Howse” which was £3 per year. William was given his house at Guildford Street, Chetsey.
The rest of Bryan’s goods and stock was given to his wife. Although, if she married again, they would be passed on to their daughter and lose the income.
The Balcombe bell shows an issue Bryan had with the parchment letters for the S on BRIANVS is damaged.
At Preston Park, all but the tenor have their inscription repeated using the same letters as their previous founder, but the Eldridge bell has only Gillett alphabet. The likely reason behind this is that as Bryan used such low-relief letters, they didn't show up properly on the mould.
See Preston Park, St Peter
Taking a look at his inscriptions in chronological order, we can see a correlation!
From 1618 up until 1621, he inscribed all his bells in the same fashion to his fathers:
Bryan ♡ Eldredge ♡ Made ♡ Mee ♡ (Date) ♡.
All are inscribed using blackletter. Our only example of this is Ifield as it appears he itinerated after this in 1619 to Surrey, casting bells for Limpsfield, Petersham and West Horsley.
1622 was the year Bryan set up his own foundry in Chertsey. I haven't been able to find any bells of his cast in this year so it is likely he was spending most of his time getting his workshop ready.
We see bells starting to be cast again from 1623. From this year until 1630, he began using the Latin form of his previous inscription:
BRIANVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ (Date) ♡
With the exception of East Moulsey and Mickleham which have BRYANVS.
From 1631 onwards, he changes his inscriptions completely to having a Latin phrase, followed by the date and his initials. This was also carried on by his Son Bryan Junior:
GLORIA ♡ DEO ♡ IN ♡ EXCELSIS ♡ (Date) ♡ B ♡ E
Gloria Deo in Excelsis meaning Glory to God in the highest and B E obviously meaning Bryan Eldridge. The date was never inscribed in Roman Numerals but arabic.
Bryan used his father's heart shaped stop Fig. RIE,1, between each word in all of his inscription. It was no longer used by his son when he died in 1640, and so it was subsequently dropped.
Bryan’s will is dated August 14th, 1640 and shows us that he wasn’t a well man towards the end of his life, but he still had a good memory. He gave his workshop and tool to his son Bryan, and £40 to his daughter Katherine when she turns 21 or on her wedding day, whichever comes first. His wife was given money so that she could pay the rent at the “Bell Howse” which was £3 per year. William was given his house at Guildford Street, Chetsey.
The rest of Bryan’s goods and stock was given to his wife. Although, if she married again, they would be passed on to their daughter and lose the income.
Bryan Eldridge's will
In the name of God Amen. I Brian Elderidge of Chirtsey in the Countie of Surrey Bell founder being sick of body but of pfecte memorie thankes be given to God doe ordaine and make this my last Will and Testamt in manner and forme following that is to say first and above all I bequeath my Soule to God my Maker who gave it me hoping and nothinge doubtinge but through the merritts of Jesus Christ to live with Him in eternal blisse and my bodie to the Earth to be buried in Christian buriall in seemly manner att the discreecon of my Executrix Item I give and bequeath to Brian my eldest sonne my Bell howse scituate in Chirtsey with All my workinge tooles And my will is that he give to my daughter Katherine his sister out of this howse and tooles the some of fortie pounds when shee shall attaine to the age of one and twentie years or her day of marriage which shall first happen and his mother to have the rest of three poundes p an __ out of the aforesaid house called the Bell Howse duringe her nrall life Item his mother to have the rent of the said howse duringe her naturall life All the rest of my goodes stock of ware in my shopp and the mony that is due unto me on my booke or elsewhere I give unto Katherine my wife whoe I make my sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testamt but if it should happen that my Executrix should marry againe that then shee shall give to my daughter out of my goodes the sume of fortie pounds lawful English money and her yearely rent to cease out of the foresaid howses given to my sonnes as aforesaid And I doe intreate Richard Chapman the younger of Chirtsey aforesaid Mercer and Edward Welbeloved of Chirtsey aforesaid Draper both my lovinge freindes to be Ovseers to this my last Will and Testam desiringe them to be aydinge and helpinge to my loving wife And for theire paines herein taken I give unto them tenn shillings a peece In witnes of this my last Will I have hereunto sett my hand and seale this fowerteenth day of August Anno Domini one thousand six hundred and fortie Brian Eldredge – Signed and sealed in the p’sents of Oliver Jennyns – Will: Stanford scriptor
Cowfold and Balcombe
Fig. RIE,1
Inscriptions
IFIELD: Bryan ♡ Eldredge ♡ Made ♡ Mee ♡ 1618 ♡
LIMPSFIELD: Bryan ♡ Eldredge ♡ Made ♡ Mee ♡ 1619 ♡
PETERSHAM: Bryan ♡ Eldredge ♡ Made ♡ Mee ♡ 1620 ♡
WEST HORSLEY: Bryan ♡ Eldredge ♡ Made ♡ Mee ♡ 1621 ♡
EAST MOULSEY: BRYANVS ♡ ELDREDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1623 ♡
MICKLEHAM: BRYANVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1624
HAWKLEY: BRAINVS ♡ ELDREDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1624 ♡
ALFORD: BRAINVS ♡ ELDREDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1625
BALCOMBE: BRAINVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1628
COWFOLD: BRAINVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ IG ♡ IL ♡ 1629
ITCHINGFIELD: BRAINVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ WF ♡ IG ♡ 1629
ARDINGLY: BRIANVS ♡ ELDREDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ GC ♡ IN ♡ 1629
GREATHAM: BRIANVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1630 ♡
ALFORD: GLORIA ♡ DEO ♡ IN ♡ EXCELSIS ♡ 1631 ♡ B ♡ E
PRESTON PARK: GLORIA ♡ DEO ♡ IN ♡ EXCELESIS ♡ 1631 ♡ B ♡ E
HORSTED KEYNES: GLORIA ♡ DEO ♡ IN ♡ EXCELSIS ♡ 1633 ♡ B ♡ E
TWINEHAM: GLORIA ♡ DEO ♡ IN ♡ EXCELSIS ♡ 1635 B ♡ E
LIMPSFIELD: Bryan ♡ Eldredge ♡ Made ♡ Mee ♡ 1619 ♡
PETERSHAM: Bryan ♡ Eldredge ♡ Made ♡ Mee ♡ 1620 ♡
WEST HORSLEY: Bryan ♡ Eldredge ♡ Made ♡ Mee ♡ 1621 ♡
EAST MOULSEY: BRYANVS ♡ ELDREDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1623 ♡
MICKLEHAM: BRYANVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1624
HAWKLEY: BRAINVS ♡ ELDREDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1624 ♡
ALFORD: BRAINVS ♡ ELDREDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1625
BALCOMBE: BRAINVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1628
COWFOLD: BRAINVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ IG ♡ IL ♡ 1629
ITCHINGFIELD: BRAINVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ WF ♡ IG ♡ 1629
ARDINGLY: BRIANVS ♡ ELDREDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ GC ♡ IN ♡ 1629
GREATHAM: BRIANVS ♡ ELDRIDGE ♡ ME ♡ FECIT ♡ 1630 ♡
ALFORD: GLORIA ♡ DEO ♡ IN ♡ EXCELSIS ♡ 1631 ♡ B ♡ E
PRESTON PARK: GLORIA ♡ DEO ♡ IN ♡ EXCELESIS ♡ 1631 ♡ B ♡ E
HORSTED KEYNES: GLORIA ♡ DEO ♡ IN ♡ EXCELSIS ♡ 1633 ♡ B ♡ E
TWINEHAM: GLORIA ♡ DEO ♡ IN ♡ EXCELSIS ♡ 1635 B ♡ E
Places with bells cast by Bryan I Eldridge in order of date. |
.Ifield, St Margaret (2) - 1618 .Balcombe, St Mary (7) - 1628 .Itchingfield, St Nicolas (5) - 1629 .Cowfold, St Peter (6 & Old 5) - 1629 .Preston Park, St Peter (Old 3) - 1631 .Horsted Keynes, St Giles (3) - 1633 .Cowfold, St Peter (Old 4) - 1634 .Twineham, St Peter (Old 3) - 1635 |
