Olympic Bell: Difference between revisions

In September 2011 the [[Whitechapel Bell Foundry]], a few miles from the [[London Stadium]] (which hosted the track and field elements of the games, as well as the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|Olympic Opening Ceremony]]), was commissioned to make the bell.<ref name=WBF/> The Foundry completed its design, profile, lettering and tuning. However, it was no longer able to cast such a large bell (its furnace capacity is {{convert|8|LT|t|abbr=off}}, as the large [[Victorian era]] bells had gone out of fashion), and so subcontracted casting to [[Royal Eijsbouts]] of the Netherlands.<ref name=DT/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollanduktrade.nl/dutch-technology-shines-gold-at-london-olympics/|work=Holland UK Trade|first=Bram|last=van der Veen|date=13 July 2012|access-date=29 July 2013|title=Dutch technology shines gold at London Olympics|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518103302/http://www.hollanduktrade.nl/dutch-technology-shines-gold-at-london-olympics/|archive-date=18 May 2013}}</ref> There was some controversy over using a non-British firm, as [[John Taylor & Co|Taylor's Bell Foundry]] in Loughborough had also tendered to cast the bell.<ref name=DT/> The hammer mechanism and hanging framework were made by other firms and twenty companies in three countries were eventually involved with its production. The bell was installed and tested in the stadium at midnight on 1 June 2012.<ref name=WBF/> It was designed to be as large as possible but needed to fit through the athletes’ tunnel; when it arrived there were only a few inches to spare.<ref>{{cite web|title=Director of Whitechapel Bell Foundry finds it hard "to let go" of Olympic ceremony bell|url=http://www.london24.com/news/director_of_whitechapel_bell_foundry_finds_it_hard_to_let_go_of_olympic_ceremony_bell_1_1466002|first=Else|last=Kvist|work=London24.com|date=31 July 2012|access-date=30 July 2013|archive-date=5 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105035551/http://www.london24.com/news/director_of_whitechapel_bell_foundry_finds_it_hard_to_let_go_of_olympic_ceremony_bell_1_1466002|url-status=live}}</ref>

 

 

The bell is inscribed with "London 2012" and a line from [[Caliban]]'s speech in ''[[The Tempest]]'': "Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises",<ref name=Magnay>{{cite web |last=Magnay |first=Jacquelin |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9043917/London-2012-Olympics-Shakespeare-theme-to-lead-Isles-of-Wonder-Olympic-opening-ceremony.html |title=London 2012 Olympics: Shakespeare theme to lead 'Isles of Wonder' Olympic opening ceremony |work=The Telegraph |date=27 January 2012 |access-date=29 July 2013 |archive-date=27 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727173930/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9043917/London-2012-Olympics-Shakespeare-theme-to-lead-Isles-of-Wonder-Olympic-opening-ceremony.html |url-status=live }}</ref> which featured in the [[2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|Olympics opening ceremony]] spoken by [[Kenneth Branagh]]. The other side bears the legend "Whitechapel" and the Foundry's coat of arms.<ref name=WBF/>