Ship's Bells?

Modeling Subjects Ships
1

I came across info that indicates that ships had more than one bell… the main bell usually mounted at the foc’sl breast rail and a smaller one aft on the quarter deck, called a “watch bell”. Since the watch glass (or clock/watch) would be on the quarterdeck binnacle, the officer of the watch would ring the smaller bell to signal to the foredeck when the main bell was to be rung.

I have seen narrative accounts of this practice for late 19th century century merchant ships but no drawings of the smaller bells mounted on any ships.

Does anyone (Prof. Tilley?) have any info on “watch bells”, how they were mounted and the extent of their usage?

TIA,

Schoonerbumm

2

This is, of course, the sort of thing about which it’s not smart to generalize. But in general the small bell rung by the quartermaster would be within easy reach of the ship’s wheel. If I remember correctly, in H.M.S. Victory it’s on top of the binnacle.