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 A HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE he lived at Harmondsworth in that county, stamp (Fig. 14.). He was succeeded in 1592 and was buried there April 1782,* and with by Richard Eldridge, presumably a son, and His him this foundry came to an end. grandmother was probably Barbara, a daugh- one or other of them sent a bell to Great Marlow (Bucks) in that year. Several ex- ter of William Eldridge, bel] founder of amples by Richard exist. From 1610, or FIGS. 12 AND 13. STAMPS USED BY T. SWAIN. Chertsey (Surrey), to be mentioned again directly. About seventy years after the ancient bell- founding business above mentioned had been removed from Wokingham to Reading, the third Berks bellfoundry was established in the former place by Thomas Eldridge, who sent bells thence in 1565 to two towers in the county Bray and Winkfield. This business Fie. 14. STAMP AND INITIALS OF THOMAS ELDRIDGE. was in all probability an offshoot from one of the Reading foundries. The two bells just mentioned have long since disappeared, but the saunce bell at Quainton (Bucks) appears to be a specimen of his work ; the inscription consists merely of his initials in small black- letter preceded by an extremely indistinct 1 Belli of Herts. earlier, until 1622, he had a branch establish- ment at Horsham (Sussex), evidently a very small concern. It is probable that he took over a small business already established there and did not originate it. He seems to have died in 1624. He was succeeded at Wokingham by Bryan Eldridge, who was doubtless his son. Another son, John, was a weaver in the same town. Bells by Bryan are known from 1618, during his father's lifetime. Mr. Stahlschmidt con- jectured that this earliest bell was cast at Horsham, and that he set up a business at Chertsey (Surrey) in the following year. He died August 1640, leaving two sons, Bryan (II.) and William, the elder of whom succeeded him and died in November, 1661. The business at Chertsey was carried on by his younger brother, William, who had previously been associated with it, until his death at the end of 1716. With his death this foundry came to an end, though his two sons, William II. and Thomas II., had both assisted their father. William II. subsequently moved to West Drayton (Midd.), and recast some bells there, though he was apparently not in business as a founder. 422