Ringing World 5177 (16 July 2010)

Front Cover: The National 12 Bell striking Contest 2010
a report by Simon Rudd with pictures by the Editor
What could be better than a weekend of brilliant sunshine, the West Country, fine beer and music of the highest quality - where the hell did I put those Glastonbury tickets! Oh well, I might as well wander on down to Crediton while I’m down here.
There is absolutely no doubt that the National Twelve Bell Contest has become one of the major events in the ringing calendar, like no other. Indeed one eminent ringer described it as the “best day of the year”. His wife however, held a somewhat contrary view, didn’t she Linda Garton?

Letters
Listen again to the 12-Bell - Howard W. Egglestone
Generations of peal ringers - Nicholas Parr
Extent of Grandsire Major - Colin A Lewis
A brief (sic) reply to Chris Mew (p635/8) on Child Protection - Robin Woolley
The Queen takes a touch of Whitechapel to Toronto - Giles Field

Thinking the unthinkable – 1
I was lying in bed. The radio turned itself on and the news was about demonstrations after the Iranian election. Somehow that led to the idea of writing these articles. My initial thoughts were about mismatches between the perceptions of those in authority and the perceptions of the mass of people they are there to serve, but the ideas grew and evolved into something much broader about the need for change in the Exercise, and how we might bring it about.

Face to Face
A profile of John Flynn
In the first of a series of occasional portraits, Sue Lucas talks to John Flynn about the challenges of learning to ring without the benefit of sight.

Obituary
Bert Butters

Thought for the week
Once a year we invite the people of Kidlington to come and see what happens in our bell tower . This year we even managed a web cam so that the visitors could see the bells turning full circle.

Cromwell, Cork, Youghal and Canon
The Annals of Youghal, an ancient walled town on the south coast of Ireland, record that in 1649 Cromwell entered the city of Cork, on December 17th. The inhabitants, not surprisingly, gave him a great welcome:”...he received very hearty and noble entertainment”. Since he sacked Drogheda and burnt the church: “men and bells coming down with a terrible cry”, and put many of the people of Wexford to the sword, it was wise of Cork folk to make Cromwell welcome!

Chairman of Derbyshire County Council visits Ringing Centre
Councillor Robin Baldry was one of the principal guests, as chairman of Derbyshire County Council, at the recent Civic Reception and Gala Dinner held for the Central Council at Derby. During the evening I discovered that Robin had little knowledge of bells or how they are rung in church towers. Conversation turned to the activities of the Gordon Halls Ringing Centre at Eckington and the training activities carried out there and his curiosity was aroused.