Ringing World 5151 (15 January 2010)
Front Cover: Clavis – A masonic lodge for bellringers
by Jim Phillips
Bellringers and freemasons have mingled together over many centuries and indeed many ringers have become freemasons. An example of this mixing occurred during the Civil War when in 1643 a well known ringer and Royalist of his day, William, the Second Lord Brereton, fled with his family to the garrisoned Biddulph Hall, Staffordshire following his defeat at the battle of Nantwich. Also holed up in Biddulph Hall was a budding young lawyer and fellow Royalist Elias Ashmole (born Lichfield 1617) who later became the most well known freemason of all.
Basic Maintenance …
by Graham Nabb
… was the subject of a half day course at the Harry Windsor Ringing Centre at Kineton, Warwickshire on Saturday, 21st November. Thirty students attended the session and, divided into three groups, they spent time discussing and being shown how to carry out basic maintenance at two very different installations.
Bells in the Organ – Popular Carillons for the Organ
by Chris Kippin
It’s perhaps unusual to review a CD of organ music in The Ringing World, but this is an unusual CD. Composers through the ages have often been inspired by the sound of bells and there are many examples familiar to ringers such as the introduction to Purcell’s Rejoice in the Lord alway (the Bell Anthem). Composers for the organ have also written music inspired by bells of many traditions, and this CD is a collection of such music.
The recital contains thirteen pieces spanning five hundred years of music, from William Byrd to Michael Berkeley.
« Le carillon renaît »
by Peter Dale
This was the message emblazoned upon posters throughout Dunkerque, advertising the inaugural concert on the newly restored (reborn) 48-bell Paccard carillon. What an amazing experience it was to stand in the street with hundreds of townsfolk all listening appreciatively to their carillon, whose music hadn’t been heard for fifteen years. Every piece was rewarded by enthusiastic applause.
I had been invited to the celebrations, presumably in recognition of my years of “carillon grabbing” in Flanders. Each year I arrange a trip across the Channel for a group of East Kent ringers to visit bell installations, and experience the French way of doing things. Accounts of our outings have been published in The Ringing World from time to time.
Letters
US Christmas ‘bell’ stamps — Laurence Hitchins
Stephen Ivin – 60th anniversary of first peal — Mike Callow
Mementoes of C. T. Coles — John Coles
DUSCR anniversary — Robin Leale
1962 Whit Monday Outing — Graham Bloom
From fag tray to soap dish — Angela Newing
Golden dimensions — David W. Struckett
Queenstown treble — George Dawson
Historic carriage — David C. Manger
Jingle Bell Rock — Alan Buswell
The Good Old Days — Geoff Dodd
From Across the Pond: A round-up of reports from towers in the North American Guild of Change Ringers
by Kathryn Tucker
The Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca once wrote: “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” If one subscribes to this pearl of wisdom, then the ringers of North America have minds as vigorous as marathon runners. The most recent issue of “The Clapper” came out a short while ago, and it’s time for the area report round-up, full of travels and visitors and safaris. Pack your bags and let’s go!
One of the shortest trips taken was that of the Charleston (South Carolina) ringers – they crossed the bridge over to Mt Pleasant and visited the I’On neighborhood to see 4 Russian bells at the Holy Ascension Orthodox Church. Eve Gentieu reports, “We were treated to a tour of the church and a demonstration of this very different kind of ringing. Everyone got to have a go at it.” Sounds interesting – I wonder what “different” means? I shall try to find out and report back to you.
The Principle of Stedman
by Barbara le Gallez
The spring of ’09 was a bad time for organised crime in the Fens. Tough cookies though Abs ‘Run in’ Allchin and Babs ‘Run out’ Bongle were, even they were finding it difficult to make a living by intimidation and extortion in the area to the North of Cambridge. Their great-grandparents had dealt in bootlegged whisky; their grandparents had fixed the heavyweight boxing championship of the world; their parents had made millions out of drugs. Abs and Babs, having been forced to flee Brooklyn for an area they injudiciously referred to as ‘Europe’, were trying to scrape a dishonest living out of bell ringing ...
Obituary
Colin S. Taylor
What’s up that tower?
Chris Pickford explores …
St Mary’s, Wellingborough, Northants.
St Mary’s, Wellingborough stands on an elevated site to the east of the town, its fine west tower making a striking landmark for travellers on the Midland mainline railway. This is not the home, however, of Wellingborough’s heavy eight. In fact there are no bells in this tower at all, yet it is what the late Percy Amos might have called a “Bob Major tower” because eight bells could hang in it comfortably.
Few people will now remember Percy and I never met him. He was, however, well known to many of the older generation of ringers in Northamptonshire and the surrounding counties. I once recorded an evening’s conversation with Bryan Simms, Percy Bonnett and Eddie Jeffries, and “Percy Amos stories” were the source of much amusement. A man of firm views with a loud voice to match, Percy was known for sounding forth at district meetings. His contributions to The Ringing World were equally forthright and occasionally controversial.
Thought for the week
Despite financial stringencies there are always people who are willing to make significant donations to worthwhile causes and this includes many people, in addition to bellringers, who feel that installing or improving a ring of bells in their local church is a worthy project. One could name many examples. Whenever such a project is contemplated there will be a range of options to consider, some very limited, others more ambitious. If people are to be asked to give money they will want to be assured that it will be well spent for the best possible result. I believe that PCC’s should be encouraged to ‘think big’ and go for the more ambitious option regardless of cost.
