Ringing World 5164 (16 April 2010)

Front Cover: Oxford DG marks centenary of death of 1st Master by Robert Newton
It is well known that Revd Francis Edward Robinson was the first ‘thousand pealer’ and that he had a particular liking for Stedman Triples. Tuesday, 16th February was the centenary of his passing and the anniversary was marked by dedicated ringing in many towers throughout the diocese.

A fitting memorial to ‘The Gentle Giant’ – Peter Border commemorated
The original six bells at St Mary Magdalen, Oxford were cast in 1874. They are now at Mandurah, Western Australia, with two trebles making eight again. They were augmented to eight with the addition of two Whitechapel trebles in 1975.

St Peter Mancroft, Norwich – Outing 2010: New Year in London by Richard Turk
Every year, Westminster Abbey invites a visiting band to ring on New Year’s Day. Thanks to the efforts of three men (namely David Brown, Simon Rudd and Tim Joiner), this year’s guests were the members of the Guild of St Peter Mancroft.

Photograph of 1948 Somerset tour
Bill Bibby of Frodsham, son of the late John E. (Jack) Bibby, handed me a copy of this photograph last year, in the hope that we might put names to the ringers shown. With a little help, each member of the group was identified. Bill had already established that the photograph was taken on a peal ringing tour of Somerset in 1948. John Eisel kindly sorted out the details of the tour, which included a copy of this photograph, and sent them to me. The tour was organised by Ted Causer, then living in Yorkshire, and the peals were characterised by their long duration. Well known tenor ringers, Ralph Edwards, John Worth, James Simpson and Leonard Trevor among them, all produced slow peals on some of the county’s finest rings and to their deaths, maintained their delight in this slow and accurate ringing.

Letters
RW on-line - Tony Godber
Teachers who learn - B. H. Taylor
A link to Sir Arthur? - Alan Reade
Zipper Society flashes its teeth - Frank Anderton
Ladies with spanners - Mhairi Miller
Bells in music - L. H. Turner
Brighter Bellringers Unashamed? - Bill Croft
Weekly miracle in Andover - Gavin E. Price
Resolving our differences - Hilary Donoghue
Fusilier at large? - Sam Austin
My brother is right … - Oliver Austin

A mini and mobile quarter peal report by Alan Buswell
The title of this report could be seen as a misnomer as there seems to be no firm opinion as to what defines a mini ring. The conventions to the A-Z of Dove’s Guide mentions that rings with a tenor weight of more than 1/2cwt (56lb) are in the Guide. Criterion for Michael Williams’s Mini-Ring Directory is that the ring is in private ownership with a tenor weight of around two hundredweight or less. There are a number of rings that are in both lists and are indicated by an asterisk in the Table, (an ‘M’ in my table indicates a mobile or portable ring and an ‘S’ a Simulator). Logically those that are 55lb or less would then become a lightweight or micro ring which would be a more accurate description for these bells. It is all really a matter of subjective opinion of which should be in which or which could be in both.

Obituaries
Harold Percy Judd, Ian F. Galpin

Peta and David Bee
The bells of St Michael’s, Aldbourne, Wiltshire were ringing on Saturday, 27th March for the marriage of Peta and David. Friends of the bride and groom gathered to ring before and after the service which was beautifully conducted by Revd Ann Massey, curate of St Michael’s.

Jane and Martin Hough
On Saturday, April 3rd, 2010, bellringers Martin Hough and Jane Johnston were married at Shaw House in Newbury.

Thought for the week
What I have been looking forward to arrived in the post this morning – the programme for the post-Easter Clerical Guild Tour, this year’s entitled ‘Astride the Trent’. From this you will gather that we shall be disturbing the peace in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

Frances receives Royal Maundy
Frances Hibbert of Chapel-en-le-Frith received the Royal Maundy from the Queen at Derby Cathedral on Maundy Thursday, together with 167 other pensioners from the Derby Diocese, chosen for their long service to the church and other organisations.