The story of the bells actually dates back to 1870, when the clean, handsome Gothic outline of the new church building rose on the hill. Unable to complete the planned tower at that time, the parishioners of the day, convinced by such visionaries as Samuel Hesson, an area pioneer and early leader in the life of the parish, allowed for at least the base of a 14 foot square tower to be built at the south-west corner of the new church. The tower proponents had to bide their time, for it would be almost 40 years before the tower would be completed.

     However in 1906 local philanthropist William Battershall died, leaving $500 towards the purchase of a chime of bells. By September of 1909 the tower was finally completed to a height of 100 feet (only 40 feet of it existed prior to this) and a chime of eleven bells, complete with a tower clock, was installed. On Sunday September 26th, 1909 Bishop David Williams dedicated them, astutely observing in his sermon: "The tower will remain a silent beauty...forever a silent unchanging joy. But the bells are different: they will compel your attention; they will not allow you to pass them; they will ring with you in sorrow and in joy."

     The St. James' Church bell chime was cast in 1909 by Meneely & Company Bell Foundry in West Troy, New York. The Meneely foundry appropriately was considered to be "the Tiffany" of the bell trade, casting 179 chimes in the 19th and 20th centuries. A chime of bells is a North American phenomenon, by definition it consists of between 8 and 22 cast bronze bells hung dead and played from a standup keyboard or "pump-handle chimestand". The chime at St. James' is essentially original to this day. The chimestand is built of quarter-sawn oak and is connected to the inside clappers by a transmission of nickle-plated adjusting bars, wooden rods, leather straps and steel chain. The handles require only a light push to ring a note, and each handle moves through a 3 inch stroke before the clapper strikes the bell's sound-bow. It is possible to play at a sustained rate of 4 to 5 strokes per second, resulting in a good workout for the chimer! Because of the direct linkage the chimer can play with considerable expression and has infinite control over the dynamics of the music. Eleven bells allow a wide variety of music to be performed. The chime is tuned to the key of "E"; thus the notes available are: E, F#, G#, A, A#, B, C#, D, D# E and F#. All of the bells were tuned at the foundry on a vertical lathe to the standards of the day by grinding the outer surfaces of each bell.

     Upstairs the big E. Howard & Co. tower clock ticks on, ringing the hours and quarter hours of each day. It is powered by about 1,200 lbs. of weights which descend in shafts to the bottom of the tower. The weights are hand-wound once a week with a large crank handle. At night a timed device stops the pendulum for exactly 12 hours, allowing the clock to run only during the day. This effectively cuts the weight winding in half, and certainly helps maintain a friendly relationship with the neighbours.

     Today, the chime continues to play an active role in the life of the parish. Its primary purpose is still to welcome worshippers with hymns and changes on Sunday mornings; these are generally played from 9:50 until 10:25. The bells are also chimed for weddings, funerals and special church and civic functions. A special Canada Day concert is played at noon on July 1st, suitable music turns up on Robbie Burns' Day in January, Valentine's Day in February and Remembrance Day in November, and of course Christmas bells are a must in December. Summer Concerts are played on Tuesday & Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m June through September, and on Tuesday & Thursday noon-hours the rest of the year.

     As the new millenium dawns, the Bells of St. James continue their musical journey, intertwined with the life of the parish. They reach out to church-goers and casual passers-by alike, pealing and clamouring joyously, continuing their role as ambassadors to the bustling modern world that surrounds the quiet dignity of St. James' Anglican Church.