Ship's bell facts for kids
A ship's bell is a special bell found on a ship. It's used for telling time and for many other important traditions at sea. These bells are usually made from strong metals like brass or bronze. Most ship's bells have the ship's name carved or cast onto them.
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How Ship's Bells Tell Time
Ships used to tell time differently from how we do on land. Instead of ringing for each hour, ship's bells rang to mark half-hours during a "watch." A watch is a period of time when a group of sailors is on duty.
Understanding Ship's Watches
On old sailing ships, time was measured using a 30-minute hourglass. Every time the sand ran out and the hourglass was turned over, the bell would ring. The bells rang in a special pattern, usually in pairs, to make them easier to count. Any extra bell at the end of the sequence would be rung alone.
There are eight bells in total for a four-hour watch. This means:
- One bell: After 30 minutes of the watch.
- Two bells: After 1 hour of the watch.
- Three bells: After 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Four bells: After 2 hours.
- Five bells: After 2 hours and 30 minutes.
- Six bells: After 3 hours.
- Seven bells: After 3 hours and 30 minutes.
- Eight bells: After 4 hours (the end of the watch).
Sailors on a ship were usually divided into groups called watches. Each watch took turns doing important jobs like steering the ship, navigating, adjusting the sails, and keeping a lookout for dangers.
The hours between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM were special. This watch, called the "dog watch," was split into two shorter watches. This was done so that sailors could have different watches each day. It also made sure everyone on the ship had a chance to eat their evening meal.
Other Ways Ship's Bells Are Used
Ship's bells have many uses beyond just telling time:
- Safety in Fog: One of the most important modern uses is for safety in foggy weather. Ships ring their bells to warn other vessels when visibility is low.
- Welcoming Important Visitors: On US Navy ships, bells are rung when officers or important guests come aboard or leave the ship. The number of rings depends on how important the visitor is.
- New Year's Eve: At midnight on New Year's Eve, ships traditionally ring 16 bells. Eight rings are for the old year, and eight more are for the new year beginning.
- Honoring Sailors: When a sailor passes away, eight bells are often rung. This means "end of the watch" and is a way to honor their service. The phrase "eight bells" can also be used in an obituary as a polite way to say someone has finished their life's journey.
What's on the Bell?
It's a long-standing tradition for a ship's name to be carved or cast onto its bell. Often, the year the ship was built is also included. The oldest ship's bell ever found dates back to 1498! It was discovered on a Portuguese ship that sank off the coast of Oman.
Sometimes, especially on newer ships, the bell might also show the name of the shipyard where the ship was built. If a ship's name changes, the original bell with the first name usually stays with the ship. A ship's bell is a very special item. If a ship is broken up (taken apart), the bell is often kept as a valuable souvenir. In the case of a shipwreck, the bell can be the only way to positively identify the sunken ship.
How Many Bells on a Ship?
Most United States Navy ships built after World War II actually have two or three bells.
- The largest bell, with the ship's name, is usually at the front of the ship (the forecastle). This big bell is rung as a fog signal when the ship is anchored in bad visibility.
- Smaller bells are found in the pilot house (where the ship is steered) and at the quarterdeck (a part of the upper deck). These smaller bells are used for making announcements across the ship and for marking the time.
The Cook and the Boatswain
There's an old seafaring story about a special arrangement between the ship's cooks and the boatswain's mates. Boatswain's mates work all day and night in shifts. The story says they would build the fire in the stove for the cooks early in the morning. This way, the cooks could sleep a little longer and find the fire ready when they woke up to make breakfast. In return, between meals, the cooks would polish the ship's bell. This was usually the boatswain's mates' job, so it was a helpful trade!
Baptizing Children on Board
It's a naval tradition to baptize children using the ship's bell as a baptismal font (a bowl for holy water). After the ceremony, the names of the children are sometimes engraved onto the bell. The Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt Museum keeps records of christenings from bells they have, which can be searched.
Images for kids
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A ship's bell used as a baptismal font at a chapel in the Royal Military College of Canada.
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A baby being baptized with holy water from a ship's bell.
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A baby being baptized by a chaplain on a Royal Navy armed trawler in 1943.
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A ship's bell on the nuclear submarine Alexander Nevsky.
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See also
In Spanish: Campana de a bordo para niños
- Eight Bells (painting)
- The Lutine Bell
- Watchstanding
- When Eight Bells Toll
