History and Uses of Ship Bells

History and Uses of Ship Bells

• Ship bells have been part of naval and merchant marine traditions for centuries.
• They serve both functional and ceremonial purposes.
• The earliest recorded mention of a ship's bell was on the British ship Grace Dieu around 1485.
• An inventory of the English ship Regent listed two "wache bells" about ten years later.

Functional Roles

• Bells are used for signaling, keeping time, and sounding alarms on ships.
• Before chronometers, time at sea was measured using a half-hour glass.
• A ship's boy would turn the glass and strike the bell to signal the passage of a half-hour.
• This practice of sounding the bell on the hour and half-hour continues in the modern Navy.
• Sounding the ship's bell serves as a warning signal to other vessels during poor visibility or fog.
• British naval regulations in 1858 made the warning function mandatory.
• Maritime law requires all ships to have an efficient bell.

American Adoption and Notable Bells

• Early American ships adopted the British navy's practices and traditions, including using bells.
• In 1798, Paul Revere cast a 242-pound bell for the frigate Constitution.

Ceremonial Roles

• A ship's bell announces the presence of important individuals like the captain or a flag officer.
• Watch standers announce arrivals/departures and ring the bell.
• The tradition carries over to major naval command transitions.

Baptismal Customs

• The custom of baptizing a child under the ship's bell originated in the British navy.
• Water was sometimes put in the bell to use as a christening bowl.
• After the baptism, the child's name could be inscribed inside the bell.

Maintenance and Custody

• Traditionally, the ship's cook maintained the bell, while the ship's bugler maintained the whistle.
• The bell is currently maintained by a division member responsible for the upkeep of that part of the ship.
• A deck seaman, quartermaster striker, or signalman striker may be assigned to keep the bell shining.

Preservation and Heritage

• U.S. Navy bells are artifacts removed from decommissioned vessels and preserved by the Naval History and Heritage Command.
• Bells may be loaned to namesake ships, naval commands with historical connections, museums, and institutions.
• Ship's bells remain U.S. Government and Department of the Navy property.
• Bells are a reminder of naval history, heritage, and accomplishments.

USS Ohio (1838-1883)

• An image shows two sailors on the ship's forecastle around the 1870s.
• Rating badges are visible on their sleeves.
• A bell, winch, chain, and gratings are also seen.

USS Portmouth (1843-1915)

• An image from around 1900 shows the ship while it served as a training ship.

USS Denver (C-14)

• The ship's bell from around 1912-1915 is inscribed with the seal of Denver, Colorado.

USS Hornbull (AMC-13)

• Image depicts a signalman raising a signal hoist on September 3, 1941.
• The ship's bell is visible to the left, along with ladder fittings on shrouds.

USS Lang (DD-399)

• The ship's bell is mounted in Veteran's Park in Glen Rock, New Jersey.
• It was unveiled on Memorial Day, May 30, 1955.
• The bell is on loan from the Navy Department.

Ship bells have been part of naval and merchant marine traditions for centuries, serving functional and ceremonial purposes. They are used for signaling, keeping time, and sounding alarms on ships. Maritime law requires all ships to have an efficient bell as a warning signal.