![\"Gillett](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/19-06-2013-0807322-e1371626158745.jpg\")
<\/a>Gillett & Johnston Employees with the Freedom Bell at the Croydon Factory<\/p><\/div>\n
The 10 ton Freedom Bell was cast by world renowned Clock & Bell Makers Gillett & Johnston (Croydon) Ltd in their 5 acre Croydon site.\u00a0 The bell was a labour of love and not only were all Gillett\u2019s employees fiercely proud of the Bell but the whole town of Croydon was equally proud with everyone referring to the bell as our Bell.\u00a0 The bell stands 9 feet tall and was cast in copper and Cornish tin.<\/p>\n
The bell was gifted by America as a symbol of liberty.\u00a0 The words on the rim of the bell bear a Para phrase of Lincoln\u2019s Gettysburg address \u2018That This World under God Shall Have a New Birth of Freedom.\u2019<\/p>\n
The bell was designed by Walter D Teague of New York.\u00a0 Mr Artie Brown one of Britain\u2019s most famous sculptors, accompanied by his wife, a sculptress came to Gillett\u2019s and worked day and night for a week making the figures on the bell represent the continents which took part in the Second World War.\u00a0 The 5 continents being Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia and America each had a male figure to represent there continent all with outstretched hands and joining arms. \u00a0The hands hold torches symbolizing freedom and above the figures is a circle of laurel leaves denoting peace.\u00a0 \u00a0For the head that was to represent Europe the sculptor modelled the face of King George the 6th<\/sup> from a shilling.<\/p>\n There was a short timeline in which to get the bell completed so the staff worked night and day.\u00a0 The casting alone took 3 days and three nights.\u00a0 Director Michael Howard tuned the bell himself and slept on a camp bed in case he was needed during this time.\u00a0 On July 27th<\/sup> 1950 American Ambassador, Lewis Douglas visited Gillett\u2019s in an impressive ceremony to watch the molten metal for the bell flow into the mould.\u00a0 A few moments before casting the American Ambassador dropped into the mould a small lapel badge, the emblem of the American \u201cFight for Freedom\u201d an organisation he helped to establish in 1940 to \u201cpersuade my people that it was our war too.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n