Gillett & Co

In the reign of William IV, William Gillett set up as a clock maker. By 1844 he had started production in Croydon where his company was to become one of the largest bell foundries in the world. Gillett was eventually joined by Charles Bland and then Arthur Johnston. The company was known variously as Gillett & Bland, Gillett & Co, Gillett Bland & Co and Gillett & Johnston which still trades in Portsmouth although bell founding ended in 1955. By the 1920s the company employed more people than any other bell foundry in the world. Extensive records are kept of Gillett bells in Croydon Library. My bell was made in 1887 and was numbered 1024. I contacted the Archivist and he has agreed to find out the building where the bell was first hung.