Chimesmasters give 'retired' Winsor bell to CU Archives

From left, University Archivist Elaine Engst, head chimesmaster Allegra Schafer '99, chimes adviser Bob Feldman and chimesmaster Grace Jean '00 admire the Winsor bell during ceremonies April 2. Robert Barker/University Photography

In a brief ceremony held in Kroch Library on April 2, representatives of the Cornell Chimesmasters formally presented one of the bells from the McGraw Tower chimes to the University Archives. The bell, originally given to Cornell by Ina N. Winsor in memory of her husband, Professor Andrew Leon Winsor, Ph.D. '29, and her daughter, Katherine Winsor Pringle '45, will be installed on a permanent stand in Uris Library.

As part of the current tower refurbishing project, all the bells were removed last June and sent for retuning to Meeks, Watson & Co., a foundry in Ohio. The original nine bells in the Cornell chimes were cast in 1868 by the Meneely Foundry in West Troy (now Watervliet), N.Y., as were nine more bells added before the foundry closed in 1952. The Winsor bell, tuned to a high A, was one of two cast by the Paccard Foundry in France. Because each foundry's bell design has its own harmonic signature, it had a noticeably different sound from the others cast by the Meneely Foundry. The Ohio foundry, which is now retuning all the bells, was able to successfully cast a new high A bell that matches the harmonic profiles of the others, so the chimes-masters decided to retire the Winsor bell.

In presenting the bell to the archives, head chimesmaster Allegra Schafer '99 said, "This bell was always unique to me because it was a bit tricky to play." When the Winsor bell was added, there was not enough room on the playing stand to install another hand lever and foot pedal, so it was connected to the foot pedal originally assigned to the G bell. This required some fancy footwork on the part of the chimesmasters.

In accepting the bell on behalf of the archives, University Librarian Sarah Thomas said, "We are all looking forward to having the chimes ring out again, but in the meantime -- and for years to come -- this bell will be a wonderful reminder of their lovely melodies."