Times Chronicle Staff
The Anglican Church of St. Edward the Confessor in Oliver rang its bells 96 times today in honour of Queen Elizabeth II who died on Thursday.
Reverend Patrick Reid helped with the count as ringer Penelope Johnson used an old set-up featuring wood handles attached to wires through the ceiling where eight copper bells hung ready to chime.
Reid said all Anglican churches in Canada including those in the Kootenay diocese rang their bells at noon to pay tribute to the Monarch, whose passing left a “hole” in their communities.
Reid said the Anglican Church of Canada used to be called the Church of England in Canada, so they have a long association with the UK Monarch.
“In our prayers every week we pray for the Queen. It will be a little unusual this Sunday because we’ll be praying for the King.”
Reid said a lot of their members have English heritage.
“The Queen has been very much a part of our lives growing up, in our worship, so it’s losing a close friend.”
Johnson said the church was built in 1950 and the bells were installed in 1952. She noted they had to increase the height of the tower to make it more stable for the bells. “The lower the tower the more unstable, so increasing the height of the tower actually makes it more stable for the support of the bells.”
She said the bells were founded in London. One bell commemorates the orchardists of the area, many of whom were Anglicans.
Johnson said the bells are normally cast in bronze with 80 per cent copper and 20 per cent tin.
Other than Sundays, the bells are rung for some funerals.
