Gillett & Johnston
Arthur Anderson Johnston
When Arthur too full control of the business, the company name was changed to Gillett & Johnston. The earliest examples of bells cast under this title was in 1887 but it didn't appear in Sussex until 1894. St Leonards on Sea is the earliest examples of Gillett & Johnston's work.
Arthur Anderson Johnston & Cyril Frederick Johnston
In 1902, his son Cyril accompanied him at the foundry and in 1907 became a parner. The letters of his initials featured on many of the ornaments that we will see later.
In 1905, the first example of a tuning machine with the bell being held stationary was introduced.
The first ornaments appear to have begun in 1909 at Plaistow which features a floral pattern. We will call this Fig. ACJ, 1.
Fig. GIC, 1 also has some wide use when both father & Son were in buisness.
In 1913, a new ornament in Sussex was introduced on the tenor at Coleman's Hatch. Fig. ACJ, 2 features a ring of fleur de lis.
When Arthur too full control of the business, the company name was changed to Gillett & Johnston. The earliest examples of bells cast under this title was in 1887 but it didn't appear in Sussex until 1894. St Leonards on Sea is the earliest examples of Gillett & Johnston's work.
Arthur Anderson Johnston & Cyril Frederick Johnston
In 1902, his son Cyril accompanied him at the foundry and in 1907 became a parner. The letters of his initials featured on many of the ornaments that we will see later.
In 1905, the first example of a tuning machine with the bell being held stationary was introduced.
The first ornaments appear to have begun in 1909 at Plaistow which features a floral pattern. We will call this Fig. ACJ, 1.
Fig. GIC, 1 also has some wide use when both father & Son were in buisness.
In 1913, a new ornament in Sussex was introduced on the tenor at Coleman's Hatch. Fig. ACJ, 2 features a ring of fleur de lis.
Fig. ACJ,1 - Ringing Road Show (Nicholson Engineering Exhibition)
Fig. ACJ,2 - Copthorne - 6th
Fig. ACJ,2 - Copthorne - 6th
Cyril Frederick Johnston
In 1925 he turned it into a limited foundry and became The Croydon Bell Foundry Ltd later to be known as Gillett & Johnston Ltd.
When Cyril was 22 years old, he began to study tuning of bells and took a great interest in Canon Simpson's theory of bell tuning. He began to practice this on his work using a tuning machine that came from the Warner's foundry.
Our earliest example of his tuning work is at Copthorne, St John the Evangelist. This is also where new ornaments were introduced.
Fig. CFJ, 1 is found on hundreds and thousands of his bells and are usually immediately under the inscription band lower moulding wire. It is a series of decorative arches.
An ornament that is commonly found above the inscription band upper moulding wire is Fig. CFJ, 2. It is similar to the ACJ, 1 but without the fleur de lis and just the inverted arches with three dots.
On the opposite end of the bell is the ornament Fig. CFJ, 3 which is normally on the soundbow.
In 1921, Cyril began to introduced stamps on his bells that bared his intials C, F & G.
The first one, Fig. CFJ, 4, has his initials within a circle. It appears that it was designed so that the letter C is on the bottom, the middle being F and the top J which looks a bit like a reversed L.
This was then changed to Fig. CFJ, 5 in 1933. The circle was removed and all it was was just his initials with the J looking a lot more like a capital J. The interesting feature above this on is that the letters overlap constantly whereas CFJ, 4 has an order of the letters.
A coat of arms was introduced later and can be seen on the Thakeham bells, Fig. CFJ, 6.
On some bells he has a floral band above the inscription band and Fig. CFJ, 7 can be clearly presented on the tenor at Balcombe.
Cyril also included engravings on his bells with the tenor at Fairwarp having the largest in Sussex. It resembles the Eckstein family coat of arms.
A few of his Sussex bells show a period of engraving and where he stopped making inscriptions.
In 1925 he turned it into a limited foundry and became The Croydon Bell Foundry Ltd later to be known as Gillett & Johnston Ltd.
When Cyril was 22 years old, he began to study tuning of bells and took a great interest in Canon Simpson's theory of bell tuning. He began to practice this on his work using a tuning machine that came from the Warner's foundry.
Our earliest example of his tuning work is at Copthorne, St John the Evangelist. This is also where new ornaments were introduced.
Fig. CFJ, 1 is found on hundreds and thousands of his bells and are usually immediately under the inscription band lower moulding wire. It is a series of decorative arches.
An ornament that is commonly found above the inscription band upper moulding wire is Fig. CFJ, 2. It is similar to the ACJ, 1 but without the fleur de lis and just the inverted arches with three dots.
On the opposite end of the bell is the ornament Fig. CFJ, 3 which is normally on the soundbow.
In 1921, Cyril began to introduced stamps on his bells that bared his intials C, F & G.
The first one, Fig. CFJ, 4, has his initials within a circle. It appears that it was designed so that the letter C is on the bottom, the middle being F and the top J which looks a bit like a reversed L.
This was then changed to Fig. CFJ, 5 in 1933. The circle was removed and all it was was just his initials with the J looking a lot more like a capital J. The interesting feature above this on is that the letters overlap constantly whereas CFJ, 4 has an order of the letters.
A coat of arms was introduced later and can be seen on the Thakeham bells, Fig. CFJ, 6.
On some bells he has a floral band above the inscription band and Fig. CFJ, 7 can be clearly presented on the tenor at Balcombe.
Cyril also included engravings on his bells with the tenor at Fairwarp having the largest in Sussex. It resembles the Eckstein family coat of arms.
A few of his Sussex bells show a period of engraving and where he stopped making inscriptions.
Later in his career, Johnston became interested in Carillons. Carillons are one of the largest musical instruments where you plays a hung dead chime of bells in a similar way to a piano. Instead of using a black and white key to press down the note, you strike a hammer instead, normally with your fist. There are a few carillons doted around Sussex and the greatest problem with them is tuning. They need to be very very in tune so they sound great.
Johnston's largest carillon is at the Riverside Drive church in New York which contains 72 bells and a 18.25 ton bourdon.
The nearest carillon to Sussex is in Newhaven and has 10 bells.
On the bells at St Nicholas Brighton, an interesting way of displaying the foundry name and date is used. Gillett appears to have used a stamp with Gillett & Johnston / Croydon 1922 in a cursive font.
Johnston's largest carillon is at the Riverside Drive church in New York which contains 72 bells and a 18.25 ton bourdon.
The nearest carillon to Sussex is in Newhaven and has 10 bells.
On the bells at St Nicholas Brighton, an interesting way of displaying the foundry name and date is used. Gillett appears to have used a stamp with Gillett & Johnston / Croydon 1922 in a cursive font.
In 1912, Cyril join the Ancient Society of College Youths as he was a keen ringer. His name appears on 32 peals and was Surrey's rep in the CCCBR.
In 1950, Cyril was inches away from retirement but his work life had to be cut short for he collapsed in Liverpool while meeting his wife Mary O'Leary after a holiday to Austria.
In 1950, Cyril was inches away from retirement but his work life had to be cut short for he collapsed in Liverpool while meeting his wife Mary O'Leary after a holiday to Austria.
Fig. CFJ, 1 - Copthorne 3
Fig. CFJ, 2 - Worth Abbey - 8th
Fig. CFJ, 3 - Copthorne - 6
Fig. CFJ, 4 - Worth Abbey - 7th
Fig. CFJ, 5 - Balcombe - Treble
Fig. CFJ, 6 - Thakeham - Treble
Fig. CFJ, 7 - Balcombe - 8th
Fig. CFJ, 2 - Worth Abbey - 8th
Fig. CFJ, 3 - Copthorne - 6
Fig. CFJ, 4 - Worth Abbey - 7th
Fig. CFJ, 5 - Balcombe - Treble
Fig. CFJ, 6 - Thakeham - Treble
Fig. CFJ, 7 - Balcombe - 8th
Henry Michael Howard
The bell department was later managed by Henry Michael Howard under the manager director A. M. Craig.
A few of his bells are in Sussex with a particular interesting on at Staplefield. Staplefield have a hung dead chime of 5 in an A frame. A frames usually only carry up to 2 bells at a time like Staplefield prior to the G&J bells.
Howard designed a new stamp on his bells which is now almost impossible to find as it only appears on the bells at Bognor which are no longer there.
It features a large H, in the tops half of the H is a small capital M and lower half of the H is a smaller capital H, Fig. HMH, 1.
The clock department of the foundry was bought by Synchronome and worked under the title of Gillett Johnton Clocks ltd. They are still going today and now work in Bletchingly.
The bell department was later bought off later to be under the title of Gillett & Johnston Ltd.
The bell department was later managed by Henry Michael Howard under the manager director A. M. Craig.
A few of his bells are in Sussex with a particular interesting on at Staplefield. Staplefield have a hung dead chime of 5 in an A frame. A frames usually only carry up to 2 bells at a time like Staplefield prior to the G&J bells.
Howard designed a new stamp on his bells which is now almost impossible to find as it only appears on the bells at Bognor which are no longer there.
It features a large H, in the tops half of the H is a small capital M and lower half of the H is a smaller capital H, Fig. HMH, 1.
The clock department of the foundry was bought by Synchronome and worked under the title of Gillett Johnton Clocks ltd. They are still going today and now work in Bletchingly.
The bell department was later bought off later to be under the title of Gillett & Johnston Ltd.
Inscriptions
ARTHUR ANDERSON JOHNSTON
- GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1893
- RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1906
- CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1913 / Fig. GIC,1
- CAST BY GILLLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1913 / Fig. GIC,1 / Fig. ACJ,2
- Fig. CFJ,2 / CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1919 / Fig. CFJ,1 / Fig. ACJ,2 / Fig. CFJ,3
- CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921. Fig. CFJ,4 / Fig. CFJ,1
- Gillett & johnton / Croydon 1922
- GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1924. Fig. CFJ,4 / Fig. CFJ,1
- GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1924. Fig. CFJ,4 / Fig. CFJ,4
- GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON Fig. CFJ,4 / Fig. CFJ,1
- GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1936. / Fig. CFJ,5
- Fig. CFJ,7 / GILLETT & JOHNSTON, / CROYDON, 1936. / Fig. CFJ,5
- RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1936. / Fig. CFJ,5
- GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1936 Fig. CFJ,5
- Fig. CFJ,7 / RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1936 / Fig. CFJ,5
- 19 Fig. CFJ,6 48 / GILLETT & JOHNSTON / FOUNDERS, CROYDON.
- Fig. CFJ,6 / RECAST 1948 / GILLETT & JOHNSTON / CROYDON
Places with bells cast by Gillett & Johnston in order of date. |
.Lowfield Heath, St Michael & All Angels (Clock) - AAJ 1893 .Brighton, Stanford Road School - AAJ 1894 .West Dean, Primary School - AAJ 1894 [December] .Preston, St Peter (1,2,3) - AAJ & CFJ 1906 .Coleman's Hatch, Holy Trinity (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) - AAJ & CFJ 1913 .Copthorne, St John the Evangelist (1,2,3,4,5,6) - CFJ 1919 .Tidebrook, Former Place School (1,2,3,4,5) - CFJ 1920 .Westham, St Mary the Virgin (1,2,3,4,5,6) - CFJ 1921 [Mar 15 - April 12] .Worth Abbey (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) - CFJ 1921 [July 5 - July 19] .Brighton, St Mary of Myra (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10) - CFJ 1922 .Balcombe, Unknown Place - CFJ 1924 [Aug 28] .Stone Cross, St Luke - CFJ 1924 [Sep 8] .Ashdown Park, Covent of Notre Dame (1,2,3,4,5) - CFJ 1924 [Oct 1 - Oct 31] .Slaugham, St Mary (1,4,5,6,7,8) - CFJ 1924 .Thakeham, St Mary (2,3,4,5,6) - CFJ 1925 .Lower Beeding, Holy Trinity (1,2,5,8) - CFJ 1926 .Arundel, Convent of Poor Clares - CFJ 1928 .Arundel, Unknow Place - CFJ 1929 .Fairwarp, Christ Church (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) - CFJ 1936 [Dec 19 1935 - Jan 11] .West Dean, St Andrew (1,2,3) - CFJ 1936 [Jan 14 - Jan 18] .Balcombe, St Mary (1,2,3,4,5,6,8) - CFJ 1936 [Oct 29 - Nov 27] .Staplefield Common, St Mark (1,2,3,4,5) - CFJ 1948 .Thakeham, St Mary (1) - CFJ 1948 |
*Places in Blue have a major third tenor*
🟡 G&J bells cast by A. A. Johnston
🟢 G&J bells cast by A. A. Johnston & C. F. Johnston
🔵 G&J bells cast by C. F. Johnston
🟢 G&J bells cast by A. A. Johnston & C. F. Johnston
🔵 G&J bells cast by C. F. Johnston
Sources:
.Sussex Bells & Belfries by George Elphick. p.170 - 175
.https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/2129626
.Sussex Bells & Belfries by George Elphick. p.170 - 175
.https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/2129626
