Salford Priors, Warks, 14th Oct, 1250 Valparaiso D Major: Chris Mew (C) 1, Per Quinn 2, Robert Reeves 3, Karen French 4, Richard Lewis-Skeath 5, John Gwynne 6, John Nicholls 7, Mark Sayers 8. Rung as a compliment to Jackie and Robin Hands for their Pearl Wedding anniversary on 15th October.
Mickleton, Glos, 21st Oct, 1260, Grandsire Triples: John Gwynne 1, John Kinchin 2, Karen French 3, Richard Lewis-Skeath 4, Jackie Hands 5, Michael Dane 6, John Nicholls (C) 7, Chris Povey 8. Rung as a compliment to Jackie and Robin Hands for their Pearl Wedding anniversary on 15th October.
Middle Littleton, Worcs, 25th Oct, 1260 Stedman Doubles: John Richards 1, Claire Penny 2, Robert Richards 3, Matthew Kemble 4, Martin Penny (C) 5, Andrew Gunn 6. First Q of Stedman: 4.
Offenham, Worcs, 27th Oct, 1260 Plain Bob Doubles: John Richards 1, Matthew Kemble 2, Robert Richards 3, Claire Penny 4, Martin Penny (C) 5, Bob Topp 6. First Q: 6.
Broadway, Worcs, 27th Oct, 1260 Plain Bob Minor: Mark Newbury 1, John Richards 2, Matthew Kemble 3, Claire Penny 4, Robert Richards 5, Chris Povey (C) 6.
Bletchingdon, Oxon, 8th Nov, 1260 Doubles (60 Stedman, 1200 Plain Bob): Richard Lewis-Skeath (C) 1, Michael Haynes 2, Rosemary Hemmings 3, Keith Abbott 4, Alan Griffin 5, Allen Turner 6. Rung in memory of Edna Everitt of Bloxham, who died on 30th October.
Harbury, Warks, 11th Nov, 1260 Stedman Triples: Chris Mew (C) 1, Mark Sayers 2, Robert Reeves 3, Karen French 4, John Nicholls 5, Michael Dane 6, Richard Lewis-Skeath 7, R J Taylor 8. Rung for Remembrance Day.
Lighthorne, Warks, 25th Nov, 1260 Minor (2 Methods): Chris Mew (C) 1, Annie Hall 2, John Nicholls 3, Mark Sayers 4, Robert Reeves 5, Richard Lewis-Skeath 6.
Buckland, Glos, 29th Nov, 1260 Doubles (St Simon's, St Martin's, Plain & Grandsire): Andrew Gunn 1, Tom Sandham 2, Chris Povey 3, Martin Penny 4, Matthew Kemble (C) 5, Roland Merrick 6.
Offenham, Worcs, 7th Dec, 1260 Grandsire Doubles: Christina Ireland 1, Chris Povey 2, Roland Merrick 3, Robert Hall 4, Matthew Kemble (C) 5, Bob Topp 6.
Salford Priors, Warks, 9th Dec, 1250 Johannesburg S Major: Michael Dane 1, Chris Mew (C) 2, Richard Lewis-Skeath 3, Karen French 4, Robert Reeves 5, John Gwynne 6, John Nicholls 7, Mark Sayers 8. Rung in memory of Nelson Mandela, also Stanford Nicholls, brother of John.
Mickleton Glos, 16th Dec, 1260 Grandsire Triples: Andrew Gunn 1, John Nicholls 2, John Kinchin 3, Keith Murphy 4, Bill Nash 5, Chris Mew (C) 6, John Gwynne 7, Jackie Hands 8. Dedicated to those who so generously, this time last year, donated to the bell rope fund appeal.
Hook Norton, Oxon, 20th Dec, 1260 St Simon's Bob Doubles: Helen Burchell 1, Gayle Woods 2, Sally Austin (C) 3, Mick Austin 4, Jonathan Muller 5, Daniel Austin 6. Rung for the Christmas Tree Festival. First in method — 2. Rung on the front 6.
Hook Norton, Oxon, 22nd Dec, 1260 Plain Bob Doubles: Daniel Austin 1, Andrew Kenyon 2, Selina Harris 3, Sally Austin (C) 4, Mick Austin 5, Nick Burchell 6. Rung before the Carol Service. First in Method: 2. First as Cover: 6. Rung on the front 6.
Moreton-in-Marsh, Glos, 29th Dec, 1415 Doubles & Minor (96 PB Minor, 1200 PB Doubles, 119 Grandsire Doubles): Benjamin Lewis-Skeath 1, Richard Lewis-Skeath (C) 2, Sophia Lewis-Skeath 3, David Adams 4, Denise Hughes 5, Rob Stansbury 6. Rung as a birthday compliment to Benjamin, 15 today - also his first quarter peal.
Saintbury, Glos, 30th Dec, 1260 Plain Bob Triples: Jenny Chadburn 1, Sarah Chadburn 2, James Allen 3, Robert Hall 4, Claire Penny 5, Richard Lewis-Skeath 6, Robert Chadburn (C) 7, Chris Povey 8. Rung for Christmas. First quarter on 8: 3
(Please let me have details of quarters. I cannot guarantee to see them on Campanophile, Bellboard, or wherever. I do some, but probably not all. Ed)
Doug Carr, for many years one of the Guild's Accounts Examiners until recently, was 90 on 9th October. It was suggested that members of the Committee ring a quarter peal to mark the occasion, and such was arranged. It wasn't possible to ring on the actual day for a number of reasons, not least being a cracked stay on one of the bells, so a date as soon as possible afterwards was chosen. Unluckily, Michael Haynes (part of the Committee band) was unavoidably delayed in Oxford and was unable to ring. Fortunately Allen Turner had accompanied Doug, so was there to step into the breach by ringing the tenor behind. Details of the Q are:-
Halford, Warks, 7th Nov, 1290 Grandsire Doubles: Andrew Gunn 1, Michael Dane 2, John Nicholls 3, Peter Kenealy 4, Chris Povey (C) 5, Allen Turner 6. To celebrate Doug Carr's 90th birthday (9/10/13)
Doug had brought along some sparkling wine and some nibbles, so the 'Aprés Q' was very pleasant, as can be seen. Congratulations Doug!
The bellframe at Dumbleton has been listed by the Church Buildings Council as being of special and historical merit. This may be the first all-metal frame to be listed in this way. It is the very first cast-iron lowside 'A' bellframe constructed by John Taylor & Co, and was completed on December 13th 1892 in time for the bells to be rung for Christmas. It is, of course, the forerunner of hundreds of that type of frame world-wide. While it is very clearly similar to those that followed, there are little differences, the most obvious being the cast-iron 'gate-ends' at the ends of the pits. They are now fabricated in steel. One of the cast-iron gate-ends was found to have a crack in it when the work to replace and refurbish the pulleys was undertaken earlier this year. Due to its historical importance it was decided to weld the crack in-situ, as getting the gate-end out was very difficult (apparently Taylors still have the patterns for these gate-ends 'somewhere in the pattern store'). A sub-contractor of Taylors, who has all the necessary qualifications to weld cast-iron, undertook the welding. Naturally fire prevention measures were much in being (it was done in conjunction with the PCC's insurers, EIG). There is a Saturday night practice at Dumbleton on January 11th. If you come, just remember that you are ringing on a big lump of bellhanging history. (Query to John Bolton: does the 1897 Taylor frame at Badsey have cast-iron gate-ends, or fabricated steel ones? I can't see from the Badsey frame drawings on JT&Co's archives web-site.)
No movement at Pebworth yet regarding the replacement of the tenor headstock. Alan Strickland, the Gloucester DAC Bells Advisor, has been in touch with the Vicar and PCC to provide any help he can in getting something sorted with this problem. Pebworth are a useful light 10 and having them out of action as a 10 is a loss. (The front 6 are, of course, a 'proper' 6, - and an 8 in the Dorian mode, 2-9, are quite ringable — so ringing there is still possible.)