William Ernest Thompsett was born in Ebbw Vale on 26th March 1921 and died on 15th November 2008 at the age of 87.

Bill learned to ring at Ebbw Vale immediately before World War II. That glorious ring of eight bells was installed in 1937 as a thanksgiving for the re-opening of the steelworks. His progress as a ringer, and his higher education, were interrupted by the war and his service in the Royal Navy. After demobilisation his teacher training was completed at Caerleon College, and bellringing activities were resumed. He became a close friend of the Moreton brothers, then in Hereford, and his first peal was conducted by Wilfrid Moreton in Herefordshire in 1948. Several more peals were rung in and around Herefordshire and what was then Monmouthshire, and in 1950 work took him to Birmingham, where he rang frequently for about two years. He then moved to Newcastle to teach in an Approved School, before returning to live in Newport, teaching in Malpas Court Primary School. In about 1964 Bill dropped out of ringing, as he then had four young children of his own. When we came to Newport he was occasionally mentioned in ringing circles, but not seen until 1974 when he energetically resumed his ringing activities at St Woolos and elsewhere. In the 70s, 80s and 90s he rang many peals throughout the UK, and visited Australia and the USA where he rang extensively.

In 1988 Bill donated an extra bell to the Cathedral. She is the "flat 6th" which is used to create a light octave with the 9th as the tenor, and the flat 6th is used in place of the normal 6th. He gave this bell in memory of his dear friend Daisy Wall, and was the first person to ring a peal on her. That peal is recorded on a board in the Ringing Chamber. On 27th December 2008 the Cathedral ringers rang a peal on this middle eight, which was dedicated to the memory of Bill, and Philip Mason who died just before Bill.

Bill served as Master of the Association in the year 1992/3, and stood in for the next Master, Jim Goodfellow, at the Association’s Centenary Dinner in 1993, as Jim was unwell.

Bill was an active peal ringer over a wide area. He rang peals in several hundred towers throughout Wales, most of southern, western and central England and in America. He rang 275 peals for the Llandaff and Monmouth Diocesan Association, conducting just one of them. These included spliced surprise major in 54 methods, 23 methods "all the work" and a very wide range of methods on all numbers. He frequently took part in the peal weeks arranged by the Devon and Somerset ringers, and had many friends in that area.

In 2000, at the age of 79, Bill rang his last peal, at Georgeham in Devon. This was peal number 733. His health became poor, and he had voluntarily given up driving. Nevertheless, he came to practices and Sunday morning ringing by bus and by lifts from other ringers, when his delight was calling touches of Stedman Triples. In December 2007 he went to live with his daughter in Newent, Gloucestershire. Since then, he came back to ring with us in brief touches on a couple of occasions, most recently on 19th October. I learned later that he was away for the following weekend with the Naval Guild, and he last rang on 26th October.

Bills energy and enthusiasm for life are illustrated in his many other hobbies and activities, besides ringing. He was a noted bee keeper and linguist, particularly German, and he had good friends in Germany whom he visited regularly. His strength of character was illustrated in his battles with authority, in the shape of the gas supplier, and the local authority. And in addition his hospitality was legendary.

We think he is summed up by the following storey. In 2006 my wife and I took Bill to Tredunnoc on a Tuesday morning to pick damsons from Richard James’ tree. I carried the step ladder, with Bill only a few paces behind, crossing the rough ground with his stick, much to our consternation. Despite his infirmities, he had a basket full off the ground in no time. Then Richard invited us to take some cooking apples, which we did, a big boxful. That evening, at ringing practice, I was presented with a jar of damson jam, still warm. The next day I was summoned to his flat, to find that he had a production line going, baking apple pies. When instructed to take one, there was a choice of a dozen on the table, all cooling.

When Bill was told that Phil Mason had died, he was determined to attend his funeral on 17th November 2008, and arrangements were made to collect him and take him home. I’m certain that he would have struggled up the tower to ring, even if only for a few rounds, as a memorial to his friend.

P.S.B.