Ringing World 5143 (20 November 2009)

Front Cover: William James Hinton (1859 - 1909) by Mick Hobbs
‘To the memory of William James Hinton who died September 16th 1909. Founder of (and for 15 years a member of) The St Stephen’s Ringing Guild’
So reads the inscription on a brass plaque in St Stephen’s Ringing Chamber, Bristol. For some fifty years and more an image of William James Hinton has stared down at me from above the plaque and, after finding some old photographs amongst the late Patrick Bird’s papers, this encouraged me to attempt to find out a little more about this man, the founder of the St Stephen’s Ringing Guild.

Bradford Plinth Ringers by Sarah Quintin, Holy Trinity, Bradford-on-Avon
Sunday, 20th September saw Bradford-on-Avon host its very own (albeit much smaller) version of Antony Gormley’s fourth plinth as part of the town’s annual Arts Festival. Upon learning of the plinth in advance, members of the Bradford band decided that the opportunity to demonstrate the “Art of Bell Ringing” was too good to miss and pre-booked a block of five three-minute slots.

The Yorkshire Association’s Snowdon Dinner, Bradford
The newly-refurbished Ballroom of the Midland Hotel in Bradford was the most splendid setting for the Snowdon Dinner for many years. Around 130 members and friends attended on 17th October, perhaps drawn by the chance of expending surplus energy to the strains of ‘The Well-Dressed Band’ during the ceilidh, which followed the formal part of the evening.

Ringing for “The Little Flower”
St Giles, Oxford, ringers were asked to ring on Wednesday, 7th October, by staff of the Roman Catholic Oratory Church of St Aloysius on the opposite side of Woodstock Road. The St Giles bells were rung for about an hour while queues of pilgrims were assembling, followed at about 6 pm by the Angelus (3, 3, 3, and 9 strokes) when we received a signal, and two minutes’ further ringing.

Letters
Spliced compositions - Roderick R. Horton
There’s nothing new! - Brian Austin
Call-change quarters -  Alan A. J. Buswell
Parlez-vous Esperanto? - Roy Threadgold
South American ringers - Mrs Sara Burton

W is for worst by Simon Linford

King’s Lynn and Gaywood Outing to Northamptonshire, Whit Monday, 1962 by John Barnes
On Whit Monday, June 11th, 1962, a party of ringers and friends from King’s Lynn and Gaywood, Norfolk, enjoyed a ringing outing to Northamptonshire. A photograph of the party has recently surfaced and we have been able to complete identification of all those shown.

Cape Town hosts SAGCBR AGM
The Cape of Storms decided to be stormy for the 22nd AGM of the South African Guild of Church Bell Ringers. Neither the weather, nor the unusually low attendance from other regions, dampened the enthusiasm of the seventeen members who were able to attend.

Obituary
Canon Frederick Ross

Of chandeliers and credentials by David Adams
In the fine 18th century parish church of Congleton there hangs a splendid brass chandelier. It, along with the Doric and Tuscan columns, adorns the interior. It is most certainly strongly anchored to the ceiling, and is not set to send any processing choir into frenzied panic. Yet not everything in ringing is so firmly anchored: the seemingly endless succession of victories by the Mid-Cheshire Branch in the annual Eight-bell Striking Competition of the Chester Diocesan Guild has come to an end. The chandelier still hangs there in all its glory, but a team from the East Cheshire Branch has now emerged victorious. The smell of victory must indeed be all the sweeter after they so narrowly missed attaining ultimate glory last year.

Thought for the week
Badges and symbols are important to us as they help us to identify the groups we belong to in life. At a recent wedding blessing I attended, I noticed in the sanctuary there were some banners – not unusual these days, but one was about bell ringing.

Book Review
The Bells and Bellringers of York Minster by David Potter MBE
ISBN 978-1-904446-20-0
David Potter has produced a beautifully stylish, elegant and informative volume that will not only grace any coffee table but also sit comfortably on any bookshelf alongside scholarly works of campanological history. It brings up to date the fascinating story of one of the most well-loved and finest locations in the world of ringing.