by Fr Jim McGarry SDB

In the tower of St James' Church, Bootle, there are ten bells. They have not been used in seven years because of the condition of the tower.

One of the bells, the largest, is the original tolling bell, known as "Big Tom". There are nine other bells were cast in 1924 at the O'Byrne Foundry, Dublin, to form a peal. Inscribed on the largest of the nine bells are the words: "This peal of bells is erected to the memory of the late Canon Kelly, for 37 years Rector of St James's, RIP". The remaining eight bells have a name inscribed on each one: Our Lady of Lourdes, St Bernadette, St James, St Joseph, St Patrick, St Anthony, The Little Flower, and Gemma Galgani.

With substantial help from Heritage Lottery and years of fundraising from the Parishioners, major works on the Church Tower began on 29th April 2019. Scaffolders erected a huge scaffold and completely enclosed the tower in green netting. This was completed by 14th of June. The following week St James's peal of nine bells were lowered to the ground and put aside. ("Big Tom" was left in situ and it is hoped that an electronic striking mechanism will allow it to be used again). Then the craftsmen got to work: stonemasons, joiners, carpenters and builders, steelworkers and lead workers, removing internal flooring, stripping out rusted steelwork and damaged masonry, fitting new floorings, new beams, new roofing and strengthening the bell frame, and installing a new ringing frame.

It was a huge job, and not completed till mid-November, by which time all the bells had been re-hung, and the new ringing frame was ready for testing. Everything was finished just in time for the Salesian Rector Major's visit to Bootle on 17th November; with the expertise of our parish bell-ringer. John McCormick, the bells tolled out once again in welcome to Don Angel Fernandez Artime.

On Sunday mornings, the parishioners are called to the 10.30 Parish Mass by ringing the peal of bells. What a joy to hear the bells once again!