The Ship's Bell

[Rob Lightbody]

It was a tinny sounding clang from what I remember

You CLEARLY didn't hit it hard enough!

[Rob Lightbody]

Hello I was working on QE2 between the years of 1980 to 1988 around 84 we lost power in Mid-antlantic in thick fog for about 3 days i remember the bells neing rung one on the forward Bow and one on the after end very scary 3 days i beleive we had no Radar but that may have been crew making it up

sean  

Sean - can you elaborate further?  I don't remember hearing about this... was propulsion lost, or just some electrical power?  Losing propulsion in the middle of the Atlantic wouldn't be much fun at all!

[Rob Lightbody]

Thomas Quinones also told us that it had been used twice for baptisms on board -- both babies having of course been named Elizabeth!

And of course everything on Thomas' wonderful tour was gospel !

[Stowaway2k]

Not sure the 16 bell sequence has any significance Rosie tbh, other than tradition dictates that 8 bells shall be rung just prior to midnight on New Year's Eve with a further 8 immediately afterward.

A ship's "watch" is four hours. The "first watch" would be 8pm to midnight.  
The bell was rung every half hour of the 4 hour watch. A 24 hour day was divided into six 4 hour watches, except the dog watch (16:00 - 20:00 hours) which could be divided into two 2 hour watches to allow for the evening meal.

00:30 1 bell
01:00 2 bells
01:30 2 bells, pause, 1 bell
02:00 2 bells, pause, 2 bells
02:30 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 1 bell
03:00 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 2 bells
03:30 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 1 bell
04:00 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 2 bells

Middle Watch:  Midnight to 4 AM (0000 - 0400)
Morning Watch:  4 AM to 8 AM (0400 - 0800)
Forenoon Watch:  8 AM to Noon (0800 - 1200)
Afternoon Watch:  Noon to 4 PM (1200 - 1600)
First Dog Watch:  4 PM to 6 PM (1600 - 1800)
Second Dog Watch:  6 PM to 8 PM (1800 - 2000)
First Watch: 8 PM to Midnight (2000 - 0000)

So, midnight would be 8 bells.

That is why the New Years tradition would be 16 bells, the only time a ship's bell would be struck more than 8 times.

[Twynkle]

Hurray!

Thank you Stowaway 2k
That'll be easy enough to remember lol!

[cunardqueen]

There is also this QE2 bell. I noticed it on a bridge visit in 1987

< broken image link removed >

[Cruise_Princess]

It was taken out on deck to ring in the new year.  The old year is rung out on it by the oldest crew member   the new year is rung in by the youngest,....

[Twynkle]

Thanks for the info, Cruise Princess and Myles.

Please - does every ship have a bell on the Bridge?
I remember well the one on the fo'c'sle, used every time QE2 was at anchor.
Maybe it was the same bell - moved?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/watch_keeper/3244175461/in/set-72157613201930375/

 

[cunardqueen]

The bell in the photo i posted is a very small bell, l should point out, Not that size is an issue its how big the clapper is...
By the way it IS called a bell clapper isnt it??? l looked up on the internet and came away with a another meaning

MODS  If l have the wrong meaning,please delete this post, and lets say no more.....

[Rod]

Regarding the Aquitania bell in the Wardroom. It was ONLY rung on new years. Tradition dictated that if it was rung at any other time, then the ringer would buy a round of drinks for all present. As soon as Officers bought kids into the Wardy, the Officers would be distracted...to get the wife to sign up or something like that while the kids were taken and "shown" the bell...."pull this and see what happens...Harder!!!!!
New arrivals, retirements, engagements, deaths were announced that way!

[Rod]

The bell in the photo i posted is a very small bell, l should point out, Not that size is an issue its how big the clapper is...
By the way it IS called a bell clapper isnt it??? l looked up on the internet and came away with a another meaning

MODS  If l have the wrong meaning,please delete this post, and lets say no more.....

I believe the Deck Officers rung it to call for the Steward to bring them tea!

[Rod]

And By Law, every ship was required to have a bell. They could have every foghorn, whistle, siren in the world...but they still needed a bell. Even Alpha and Beta, the mega launches had to have a bell for their final inspection for the BOT.

[Twynkle]

Thanks Rosie, must have been moved after my time.

Ah ha - So, Rod - where did it migrate from?
And, as is customary on sea days, and on board the current Cunarders,
did this bell get rung every day at 12 noon, also by the SECO?

[Rod]

It was kept in a store room and brought out for New Years!
When I was there it was only dragged out for special occasions.