Of the fifty or so towers outside of England where the bells are hung in the English way, there are three in British Columbia: Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, Westminster Abbey in Mission and Holy Rosary Cathedral.
The solemn blessing, or "baptism," of the bells took place on Sunday, October 21, 1900. At the time there was a ring of seven bells, named after the seven Sacraments. They were not hung for change ringing at first. At the time they cost $9,000 and were cast in Savoy, France. They ranged in weight from 700 lbs. (318 kg.) to 5,000 lbs. (2,273 kg.).
The bells were shipped across China and the Pacific Ocean to Vancouver. The bells were not tuned to scale and therefore not melodic. So it was decided to send them to an English Foundry near Bristol. Some of the bells were melted down and recast to make a ring of eight tuned bells—a full octave.
After a third oceanic crossing they were finally re-hung for change ringing in 1906. The heaviest weigh 16 hundredweight, or 1,700 pounds. Mr. Alfred Limpus was the one who initiated the changes and was Ring Master for many years.
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