Location of bell on a cutter

[JamesBhm]

I'm working on a build of HM Cutter Mermaid and had not given any thought to a bell until I was researching windlasses and found a couple of images with the bell on the windlass (which seems inconvenient). I don't recall the type/period of boat/ship the images came from. Any other customary locations for a bell on a Royal Navy cutter from this period (early 1800s)?

[mtaylor]

I  suspect the answer is "depends".  Bells seem to be placed for accessibility and I believe space was also taken into consideration.   I've seen them with bells forward and also also aft.  Sometimes stand alone belfries and other times they were a part of some other bit of deck furniture such as rail that ran side to side and the belfry incorporated into it.  I've seen a few where the bell is hanging off the side of a mast (on a small arm)..   

 

But, you are the captain and you can put it any place you see fit.

[JamesBhm]

Thanks for the quick reply, Mark. I don't often see the words "put it any place you see fit" in response to a ship modeling question! Good to know I have that flexibility without coloring outside the lines. I'm kitbashing a windlass and may try to work the bell in there, but off the mast isn't a bad idea either. 

[allanyed]

I did a quick search of contemporary cutter models and cannot find any with a bell.  I am sure they were there, but they are not on any of the models or contemporary plans that I found so the world may indeed be your oyster on this one.  I do see the bells on schooners including on the post at the windlass on the  Effie M. Morrisey which was launched in 1894 so may be a good example for your RN cutter.

 

Allan

 

Edited December 31, 2022 by allanyed

[JamesBhm]

Thanks, Allan. I had thought that first photo I posted came from the contemporary model gallery and had meant to go back and look for it. I did a quick Google image search and traced it back to the Royal Museums Greenwich in the UK. It's a contemporary model of a Royal Navy cutter called the Harriet (1843), although the site indicates they can't link it definitively to a real RN cutter at that time. Still, sounds like I'm on reasonably defensible historical ground if I place the bell on the windlass. Here's the link:

 

https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-66775 

 

James

[Roger Pellett]

Ships’ bells served two distinctly different purposes.  First, they kept time.  In conjunction with the sand glass they announced the progress of the four hour watch at half hour intervals.  The bell performing this function logically would be located where it was assessable to the watch standers.  Bells are sometimes seen atop the binnacle.

 

Bells were also used to announce the existence of an anchored vessel in conditions of reduced visibility; fog.  This could require a larger bell to project sound further.  This might account for the large bells hung forward from the Samson post or the break of the forecastle.

 

Roger

[Dr PR]

Bells were also used on moving vessels in fog or at night in areas where other ship traffic was expected. A position forward would be desirable for this, where a lookout would be posted.

[JpR62]

At the Internalional Maritime Museum of Hamburg, I took some photos of the English cutter 'Pollox', 1795, which had a bell placed at the bow of the ship just in front of the windlass.