Rings a bell

The expression is of course figurative in the sense that when something rings a bell it awakens a memory. Most etymological sources maintain this expression dates from the 1930s but there is a strong suspicion that it might be much older. For many centuries, daily life was ruled by bells, reminding people to go to work, go to church or go to markets etc so it is odd that to ring a bell as in to awaken a memory should only date from the 1930s.