Rudhall of Gloucester

Rudhall of Gloucester was a family business of bell founders in the city of Gloucester who between 1684 and 1835 produced over 5,000 bells. [cite web |url=http://www.livinggloucester.co.uk/made/bell_founding/rudhall_i/ |title=The Rudhall Family I |accessdate=2008-08-06 |publisher=Gloucester City Council ] The business was founded by Abraham Rudhall (1657–1736) and the earliest ring of bells he cast was for St Nicholas' Church, Oddington in 1684. He came to be described as the greatest bell-founder of his age. The business was continued by his eldest son, also called Abraham (1680–1735), his son Abel (1714–60), and three of Abel's sons, Thomas (?1740–83), Charles (1746–1815) and John (1760–1835). The business formally closed in 1828 but bells bearing John's name have been found with dates up to 1835.Middleton, L. M. (revised by Giles Hudson), 'Rudhall, Abraham the elder (1657-1736)', "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/24254] , accessed 6 August 2008.]

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