The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-29
JAMES Il. 1YLTiFIc.
nuryins the Musician whose Welcome Music
Floated Over New York's Housetops.


Yesterday afternoon Trlnlty's bell was
tolled for Trinty's borngcr. Al IL o'clock n
hoarsc followed by several coaches, moved
away from the church bearing the remains Of
James T.. Ayliro 10 tho family tomb in Green
wood Cemetery. For nearly quarter Of Il con-
fury Mr. Aylirc regularly on every Sunday and
Saints day and holiday toiled up tho eighty
eight stops leading to the loft from which the
chimes are rung. When he first began TO ring
tho Trinity chimes he went from the tiled floor
to the befry with elastic stop; when he mndo
his last visit 10 the loft he climbed slows aud
painfully up tho stairs. For about i've years
tho levers have been mainly worked by younger
hande but tho vctcranbel ringer WAS in his
eyrio on all important occasions. and was usu-
ally there on Sunday afternoons. Three weeks
ago last Sunday lIo appeared for the last time.
A rheumatic attack Of unusual severity had
seized him. Prom that timo he rapidly grow
worse. an array ~ latent ailments WIS dcVci-
oped and on Friday last he died.
In addition 70 tho usual f9neral rites there
ncQuninanccs OF the old bclIringer We're at tho
funeral many Of them evidently having hur,
ried from their places Of business 10 stand
around his coffin while the brief service was
rcnd, The Roy DR.. Dix and the Row Mr..
Mnlcahy of st. Pnul's, and the Rev Mr. Sill OF
81. Augustnrs Chapel onlciated
James Aylifo was well known in Now York.
and lived within sound Of Trnity's bells until
HE death lie was born ON Gibraltar rock, in
1912 His parents were English. and his father
held an Office at Gibraltar under tho British
Government. Whom janice was not more than
"a or 10 years Of age. tho family, came 70
ham street. in this city. Then the entire family
with the exception Of james and nm older
brother. went 10 England. A good ear for music
made James moro than ordinarily proficient
performer on stringcd INSTRUMENTS. and he
made specially OF the double bnss. At one
timo nj aIpfler lp nluxsI N te.triv nil the
places 81 Amusement that were i"..,ous IN New
York twenty-five or thirty years ago, When
he was connected with the orchestra that per-
formed on that occasion. He played in the
Museum. When Nihio's was burned he lost a
VOL which Ito prled very highly II .waa an
Italian instrument ot wonderful tone, In May.
having been made vacant by transferring Mr..
Brown no TrInn,iy CHAPEL In Twenty MY. mn
Trinity chimes. and he continued there until he
died. His repertory embraced some 100 or 500
tunes sacred and others. and he was very par
that none Of the pieces would be ONE too famil.
inr to the thousands Of hearers within sound OF
could be heard further than those Of any other
chimes: After he took up his residence on
Staten Island he wac greatly Hesss,d when he
02 ar ET S %a a@{S = M ss Lewis.
couple had two daughters both Of whom died
before arriving at womanhood. He became n
COMMUNICATE Of Trinity Church In 1860 or
thereabOuts. Fourteen years ago he bought
home ON Staten Island, in sight Of the West
Brighton Landing. whore he lived until his
death. After h. became the ringer OF the Trinity
chimes ho seldom played the viol. though at
one time he gave lessons on the violin. Some
twenty years ago he visited England with his
wife. At home he was always cheerful. and he
was never happier than I'm the home circle. He
was passionHtely fond Of flowers. which he cul-
tvatcd TO his hearts content AT his Staten Island
home.
More than twenty years ago Mr.. Aylifc kept
an English chop house in Blocker street not
far from broadway. II was known as " The
store AMI was famous IN those days. Many
New Workers will remcmber him rs the corpu:
lent. good naturcd host. He liked n Joke. and
could make ono. He could listen TO n good
story aud could tell one. But he abandoned
the chop house after he had played the oh mes
while. and gave his leisure hours to beautfy-
ing his home. and to the hot house in which he
grew the flowers. his especial pride.
IL WAS nearly five years ago that he was first
missed from his post on a sunday. and a
stranger WINS there in his stcad. The substi-
tute WIS his nephew, William J. Thirlwal who
has chimed the bells Oh Sunday morning al
most ever since But the old man did not Who'll
ly stay away from his poet until lie was com
PEELED TO do so by tho complication Of diseases
that came upon him recently. Ho had become
one Of tho fixtures Of Trinity Church, and was
proud To ring the chimes which he had rung
within the hearing Of hundreds Of thousands Of
listeners for more than twenty years.