More Inquest into John Thrift's Death Bob Mustow February 2016
The death of Elizabeth I on 24 March 1603 had been expected for some time but it still took people by surprise because she had reigned for 44 years and had led Britain through troublesome times, now dying without a successor. The news of her death was marked by bonfires lit in London and the ringing of church bells throughout England as the news spread.
The ringing of bells became a tradition which continued in England, almost alone throughout Europe. And the bonfires which had greeted the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 is still a tradition which we mark today as Bonfire Night for the capture of the Gunpowder Plotters to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.
Bob Mustow is able to add the following about the death of John Thrift recounted at Death at St Thomas a Becket.
The ringing of bells became a tradition which continued in England, almost alone throughout Europe. And the bonfires which had greeted the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 is still a tradition which we mark today as Bonfire Night for the capture of the Gunpowder Plotters to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.
Bob Mustow is able to add the following about the death of John Thrift recounted at Death at St Thomas a Becket.
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It seems that, when John Thrift went to see the bells, the tenor was set ready for ringing and, as he entered the belfry, the bell was pulled off, swung down and it hit him. As it was a funeral probably the other bells were not set which could have misled him into thinking they were down in front of him whereas the tenor was above him, the other way up. This is still a risk today and access to bells hung for full-circle ringing has to be strictly controlled.
Anyway, as the bell weighs nearly a ton it wouldn't have done him any good! Left: Box's 1610 bell (courtesy Carol Payne) |