Hugh Watts (1582/3 – 1643) was a

bellfounder Bellfounding is the casting and tuning of large bronze bells in a foundry for use such as in churches, clock towers and public buildings, either to signify the time or an event, or as a musical carillon or chime. Large bells are made by casting ...

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

in England, known for casting bells for churches in

Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...

Life

Watts was the second son of Francis Watts,

of Leicester (died 1600). His grandfather may have been the Hew Wat who in 1563 cast a bell for

South Luffenham South Luffenham is a village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. The population of the civil parish at the 2001 census was 432, increasing to 455 at the 2011 census. The village lies largely on the north side of the A612 ...

, Rutland. In 1600, the year of his father's death, Watts cast for Evington in Leicestershire a bell bearing his own name and the shield with the device of three bells used by Francis Watts. The same device was borne by Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire bells made by a William Watts, and in 1450 by Richard Brayser of Norwich, to whom the original bell-founder Watts may have been apprenticed. In 1611 Watts was admitted to the chapman's or merchant's guild; in 1620–1 he was elected chamberlain of the borough, and in 1633–4

Mayor of Leicester The mayor of Leicester is responsible for the executive function of Leicester City Council in England. The incumbent is Peter Soulsby of the Labour Party. Background In December 2010 the Labour controlled Leicester City Council approved plan ...

; he was paid the mayor's customary allowance of £3 6s 8d. A stately reception of

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

and his queen on their progress in August 1634 took place in the year of Watts's mayoralty. Thomas North (1830–1884), a bell historian, wrote in ''The Church Bells of Leicestershire'' (1876) that nearly 200 bells by Watts remained in the county. There were several complete rings admired for the beauty of their tone. The peal of ten bells for St. Margaret's, Leicester, was said by North to be the finest in England.''The Church Bells of Leicestershire'', by Thomas North
The Whiting Society of Ringers. Retrieved 20 April 2020. Watts's favourite inscription: "J. H. S.: Nazareus: rex: Iudeorum: Fili: Dei: miserere: mei:" caused his bells to be called Watts's Nazarenes. He worked the bellfoundry of Leicester until his death, at the age of sixty, in February or March 1642–3, and was buried in St. Mary's Church, Leicester. Shortly after the death of Watts the business was wound up and partly taken over by Nottingham founders. Watts's son, also named Hugh (1611–1656), to whom the

bell metal Bell metal or bell bronze is an alloy used for making bells and related instruments, such as cymbals. It is a form of bronze with a higher tin content, usually in approximately a 4:1 ratio of copper to tin (typically, 78% copper, 22% tin by mas ...

and bellfounding appliances were bequeathed, married a daughter of Sir Thomas Burton of Stockerston.

References

Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Watts, Hugh 1582 births 1632 deaths Bell foundries of the United Kingdom Mayors of places in Leicestershire People from Leicester