Revere Bell

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Revere Bell (Singapore)
Location
LocationSingapore
History
Cast byRevere Copper Company
Physical dimensions
Width89cm
Height81cm

The Revere Bell is was a gift to Singapore by Mrs. Maria Revere Balestier, the daughter of Paul Revere and wife of the first American Consul to Singapore, Joseph Balestier. Cast by the Revere Copper Company in Boston, Massachusetts, it is the only Revere bell outside the United States. The bell is 81 centimetres (32 in) in height and 89 centimetres (35 in) in diameter with a clapper underneath.

Contents

History

The bell was given to St. Andrew's Church in 1843 by Maria Revere Balestier, the daughter of Paul Revere and wife of the first American Consul to Singapore, Joseph Balestier, on the condition that the bell would be used to sound a curfew for five minutes at 8:00 pm every night. [1] [2] Back then, it was unsafe during night, with warnings sounded to remind sailers to return to their ships and for residents to be vigilant. [1] The curfew bell rang until 1855 when the church was demolished, and was resumed when the second church (which became St. Andrew's Cathedral later) was constructed in its place in 1861 until it was permanently discontinued in 1874. [1]

On 6 February 1889, the Revere Bell was replaced by a new peal of bells presented by the family of Captain J. S. H. Fraser. The bell was put into storage until 1911, when it was installed in St. George's Garrison Church in Tanglin Barracks. However, after it became irreparably cracked it was moved to a Royal Engineers storeyard. The Raffles Museum, now the National Museum of Singapore, learned of the bell in September 1937, and took custody of it after the Anglican Archdeacon of Singapore, Graham White, donated it to the museum. [3]

Since then the Revere Bell has been displayed the National Museum, apart from a period between January 1997 and May 2006 when the bell was loaned to the United States Embassy in Singapore while the museum was being renovated. During that time it was showcased behind velvet ropes in the foyer of the Embassy. [4] The bell, now in the museum's Singapore History Gallery, has been called a symbol of the friendship between the peoples of Singapore and the United States. [4] [5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hooi 1976, p. 1,9.
  2. ↑ Liu 1996, p. 173.
  3. ↑ "Balestier bell finds a home". The Straits Times . 17 October 1937. p. 5.
  4. 1 2 Patricia L. Herbold (18 May 2006). Revere Bell Ceremony: Remarks by Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold (Speech). National Museum of Singapore: United States Embassy in Singapore. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014.
  5. ↑ George W. Bush (16 November 2006). Remarks by President George W. Bush (Speech). National University of Singapore: United States Embassy in Singapore. Archived from the original on 26 November 2006.

Further reading

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