John Warner and Sons was a

metalworks Metalworking is the process of shaping and reshaping metals to create useful objects, parts, assemblies, and large scale structures. As a term it covers a wide and diverse range of processes, skills, and tools for producing objects on every scale ...

and bellfoundry based in various locations in the UK, established in 1739 and dissolved in 1949.

Previous businesses

A company was founded by Jacob Warner, a

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

, in 1739 and originally produced

water pumps A pump is a device that moves fluids ( liquids or gases), or sometimes slurries, by mechanical action, typically converted from electrical energy into hydraulic energy. Pumps can be classified into three major groups according to the method they ...

, fire engines, and beer engines. His sons, John & Tomson Warner, then formed a separate metal working business at a house known as Three Bells and a Star in Wood Street, Cheapside; by 1763 they were casting bells and later moved to Fore Street, Cripplegate. In 1782 the Warner brothers dissolved their partnership, John moved to Fleet Street and Tomson remained in Cripplegate.

Notable bells

Warners had a large output of bells, and Warner bells can be found throughout the world. Some of their notable bells including the clock chime at the Houses of Parliament, were cast at their foundry in Jewin Crescent, Cripplegate. The larger

Big Ben Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England, and the name is frequently extended to refer also to the clock and the clock tower. The officia ...

was cast at Norton, near

Stockton-on-Tees Stockton-on-Tees, often simply referred to as Stockton, is a market town in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, England. It is on the northern banks of the River Tees, part of the Teesside built-up area. The town had an estimated ...

and later had to be re-cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, however the four smaller quarter bells are still the Warner originals. In 1913, Warners cast a

ring Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...

of 12 bells for

Chelmsford Cathedral Chelmsford Cathedral in the city of Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom, is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, St Peter and St Cedd. It became a cathedral when the Anglican Diocese of Chelmsford was created in 1914 and is the seat of the Bishop o ...

, the heaviest weighing 34cwt and sounding note C. A notable peal of bells from this foundry is located in Sacred Heart Basilica, Timaru and the first set of bells in Wellington, New Zealand, at St Peter's Anglican Church, were made by John Warner & Sons.

References

Bell foundries of the United Kingdom {{UK-company-stub