The Guild of Devonshire Ringers
Ringing Round Devon is the occasional newsletter of the Guild of Devonshire Ringers, and is circulated free to all affiliated towers. Any individual members who wish to subscribe should contact Lester Yeo. The cost is two pounds for four issues. Items for inclusion may be sent by e-mail to lester-yeo@lyeo.freeserve.co.uk.
Following a successful outing to the Somerset Beer Festival with ringing at towers in the Taunton area in March 1997, North East Branch members wanted to continue the 'Beer and Bells' theme in the 1998 programme. Accordingly, in November around thirty ringers and friends drawn from the Branch and from the Dunster Branch of the Bath and Wells Association enjoyed a highly convivial excursion to the Exe Valley Brewery at Silverton.
All aspect of the brewing process were explained and samples were tasted for quality! Tea and ringing followed in the evening. Our picture shows Richard Barron, one of the Brewery owners (far right) explaining the finishing-off processes as the barrels are filled and racked before awaiting dispatch to pubs.
Links between the Brewery and local ringers are well established as 'Dob's Bitter' is a favourite tipple amongst the Silverton band, whilst Sue, the wife of co-owner, Guy Sheppard, has recently been ordained a deacon in the C of E at a service at St Peter's, Tiverton.
To mark the occasion, Guy and Richard came up with 'Curate's Choice', a special premium strength brew which will be available for about twelve months,. Part of the profits from the beer will be donated to the Exeter Hospice where Sue Sheppard completed some of her training for the ministry.
The first batch of shirts embroidered with the Guild badge are now been worn, and look very attractive. Further orders can be taken, and Wendy Campbell is happy to take them.
The Guild badge is in the correct colours of light and dark blue with gold, although slight liberties have been taken for manufacturing reasons. A tower name can also be added to individual garments at a slight extra cost.
Although a wide range of garments are available (e.g. hooded sweatshirts, rugby shirts...), the standard designs are:
Raglan sleeved Sweatshirt at #17.50 (available in black, bottle, burgundy, emerald, heather, kelly green light blue, navy, solid grey, red, royal, sunflower, white)
Dropped shoulder Sweatshirt at #18 (available in black, bottle, bright gold, burgundy, chocolate, heather, lead, natural, nautilus blue, navy, red, royal, sage, sesame, sunflower, white)
Unisex Polo Shirt at #17 (available in birch, black, bottle, bright royal, burgundy, French navy, red, sky, white, winter emerald, yellow)
Ladies' Polo Shirt at #18 (available in aqua, azure, cornflower, hot pink, navy, pastel pink, poppy, white)
Tee-shirt at #14 (available in aqua, birch, black, chilli, chocolate, coral, French navy, pine green, spruce, straw, white)
Contact Wendy Campbell for further details.
Before the Annual Meeting in 1994, a photograph of the Guild was taken to mark its 120th anniversary. It was agreed that a copy of the photograph together with a key identifying the members and friends shown, should be hung in the Cathedral ringing chamber. This was finally done on November 21st, a mere four and a half years after the photograph was taken.
Copies of the key are available from Wendy Campbell, at a small cost. Please contact her for full details.
On the last Friday in every month, the East Devon Branch have started holding a Cambridge Minor practice at Buckerell, starting at 7.30pm, to which all interested are invited. Further details are available from Edward Summers (see annual report for contact details).
For the scaffolding companies, business is booming in North East Devon. For local members trying to find a ringable tower, life is more difficult. The latest news shows three towers out of action, a fourth expected later in the spring, and restrictions at a fifth.
Cullompton has been closed for ringing for some months and until recently there seemed little prospect of early action on the tower stonework because of the cost involved. Reports now suggest that funds may be sufficient to allow repairs to start in the spring, but whether work will be completed early enough to allow ringing for the millennium is still uncertain. Meanwhile work continues on the tower masonry at St Peter's, Tiverton. The architect has conceded that limited ringing will be possible on the front six for Christmas and the New Year, but a hold up in obtaining further supplies of rare 'Raddon' stone means that the lower part of the tower may not be finished until well into 1999 and that full ringing before the summer is unlikely.
Many will have seen pictures of the devastation caused in Uffculme by the explosion at the Firework Company premises. St Mary's sustained external damage to a pinnacle on the tower and some ceiling damage inside the church. All ringing has been suspended until a full inspection can be carried out and this is not scheduled until the second half of January. Again there is the prospect of several further months without ringing.
Finally, Bampton has been due for some months to have the tower stonework repointed. It is now likely that this will start after Easter and that ringing will have to stop for at least three months. Over at Huntsham a crack in the tower means that ringing is being limited to the front six only. There is no news about possible remedial work here.
Further updates on the progress of work in the North East Branch Area can be had from Leslie Boyce, the Branch Secretary.
Ted Bickle rang the treble to a quarter peal of Grandsire Doubles to celebrate his 80th birthday at Emmanuel, Plymouth, on Sunday 26 July. Accompanying him in the regular Sunday band was Jack Sims (aged 85), Alena Wardle (Conductor), Christopher Wardle, Jill Larbalestier and Geoff Larbalestier.
Both octogenarian ringers totalling almost 150 years of ringing between them say that ringing throughout Devon and Cornwall has given, and continues to give them both great pleasure.
Ted came to Plymouth after his service in the air force and is a former manager at Plymouth's oldest engineering firm Isaac and Uren Engineering. He used to ring at St Budeaux before joining Emmanuel twelve years ago.
Last year's summer outings included the Dartmoor villages of Sheepstor, Walkhampton and Meavy culminating amidst a magnificent flower festival at Eggbuckland. This autumn, the Emmanuel ringers plan to visit the South Hams and Dartmouth.
Eight teams entered the East Devon Branch Striking Competition which was held this year on Saturday 11 July at St Mary's, Kentisbeare.
During the afternoon Mrs Kath Summers organised teas in the village hall and this was followed by an enjoyable social evening at the Awliscombe Inn with skittles and buffet. The branch thanks Mr Edward Summers for all his effort and organisation.
Judge Ron Trickey of Culmstock placed the teams as follows:
1 Sidmouth A 17¼ faults
The ringers at St Budeaux, Plymouth, were saddened recently when one of their number, Roger Mortlock, died after a short illness.
Roger, who only started ringing in 1992 had already rung about a dozen quarters and become a mainstay of the band. He became the unofficial tower keeper, and taught many of the learners, including both his wife Mo and his daughter Julie. All this, at the same time as being a Churchwarden and, together with Mo, running the Church Youth Group. Roger is greatly missed by all who knew him.
COMPETITION RESULTS:
Exeter 41½ faults
The Guild annual inter-branch striking competition was once again held at Sidbury - the first tower to have hosted the competition more than once - and once more, the Exeter Branch won!
Judges Charles Pipe-Wolferstan and David Ware from Bristol listened to seven teams ringing spliced Oxford Bob and Grandsire Triples, and before announcing the results, made some comments about the ringing.
It was a privilege to judge the competition, they said, and they enjoyed sitting in the sunshine listening to a fine peal of bells. Charles P-W particularly praised the tenor ringers as the unsung heroes of Triples ringing. They dictate the speed of the ringing, and wield enormous power over the quality of it, but they generally are only noticed when things go wrong. Tenor bells are often 'sociable', that is, 'they like to drop in from time to time' - and of course this presents a challenge even to experienced ringers. In the test pieces the judges heard, the tenor ringing was of a generally high standard, even though speeds varied, whilst the leading was not as accurate.
The first team to ring (the SW Branch) set a good speed with excellent tenor ringing, and gave a good, convincing piece of ringing, with only slight clips. The second team (East) did not do as well, but again the tenor ringing was excellent, even in adverse circumstances. Both tenor ringers failed to set the bell at the end of the rounds, causing some speculation whether it had been rung up wrong (by Charles HPW!).
The test piece of team 3 (NE) was patchy, with some v good spells, and a noticeable bad patch. Team 4 (Exeter) rang at a faster pitch, which paid off; this was the first team, the judges said, to have 'come to grips with the bells'. The fifth team (ECG) rang with a fast, lively tempo, possibly faster than the band were happy with; the judges liked the style of the ringing, but there was a constant drip feed of faults.
Team 6 (Ayl) rang briskly, but their ringing was peppered with faults, which marred some 'nearly good' ringing. Again team 7 (Mid) came 'close to good ringing' and their performance got better and better as it proceeded.
Each team captain was presented with a certificate, and Exeter Branch ringing master Janet Coles again collected the Andrews Memorial Jug, which was given by the NNW branch after they won the first competition back in 1986.
A peal of Grandsire Triples was rung at Newton St Cyres to celebrate the 96th birthday of Guild vice-president Reg Bray the previous day.
As usual Reg came out and met the band before the peal and rang 120 of Grandsire Double faultlessly - quite amazing when it's now the only method ringing he ever does. Reg learnt to ring at Newton St Cyres in 1915, and still rings regularly there for the Sunday morning service, so he has been a ringer at the same tower for eighty-three years! Is this a record?
Newton St Cyres (S Julitta & S Cyr)
1 Richard C Shere
The Exeter Colleges Guild 1999 dinner arrangements are taking shape, and tickets are available from Stephen Chambers ( s.j.chambers@exeter.ac.uk).
The dinner will be held as usual on the first Saturday in February (the 6th) at the Rougemont Hotel, and tickets will cost #27 (not including wine but including the traditional barn dance!).
A peal was rung at Emmanuel Church, Compton Gifford, Plymouth to celebrate the diamond wedding anniversary of Jack and Phyllis Sims.
Jack was tower captain at the church for many years and is a vice-president of the Guild, and the peal which took place at the end of September, contained local ringers from the branch and from the tower, together with famous guest Stedman conductor John Pladdys from Cornwall.
Few married couples reach their sixtieth anniversary and Jack and Phyllis who regularly support Guild and branch events are to be congratulated, and wished well for the future!
Plymouth, Emmanuel
1 John C Michelmore
The bells of St Andrews Church Plymouth, writes Fergus Stracey, are becoming increasingly more difficult and it is our intention to keep them ringing. It is a tribute to the Myers family that the bells are still in ringing condition considering that most of the gear dates from 1906 with the bearings dating from 1926.
On Saturday 17th October 1998 it was decided to hold a bellringing marathon, the original idea was to have the ninth wheel travelling the equivalent to the length of two marathons (52miles 700 yards). It was estimated that this would take approx 8 hours ringing at a peal speed of 3h 20 mins. Given the nature of the current band it was felt that call changes on the back eight would result in the best ringing.
Consequently the band was arranged with the assistance of ringers from other towers filling in gaps while the local ringers were resting or showing round the civic dignitaries. Of the local band most of the ringers had only rung a quarter peal and therefore it was decided that they should ring in two hour spells up to a maximum of six hours in the day (the children ringing in 15 minute spells). Fergus, being the most experience ringer, was to ring the ninth without change. The ringers changed ropes whilst the bells were ringing.
New ropes were fitted to the ninth and tenor and whilst pulling the tenor up at the start the sally got stuck in the garter hole of the ringing room ceiling, resulting in the rope slipping the wheel and the stay breaking. Obviously we couldn't use the tenor. Therefore we rang two to nine and because the ringing was faster we rang for a total of 8 hours. The ringing was started by Commander Mortlock, the new Commander of H M S Raleigh, and visits were made by the Deputy Lord Mayor and the Bishop of Plymouth.
The ringing was of reasonable standard with everything going to plan despite the occasional juggling of drinks! The composition was based on a peal of Grandsire Triples by Revd E Bankes James, a relative of a vicar of Charles Church Plymouth (the ruined Church on the Roundabout close to St Andrews) changes being called every handstroke for the majority of the time.
Together with the Church Gift Day we raised approximately #4,000 for our efforts to bring the total over #22,000 still some way to go.
Our thanks go to all those who helped both in the ringing and in sponsoring. We look forward to achieving our target as soon as possible.
The ringing community is very fortunate to have a number of able historians within it. This book, containing brief biographies of some of the major figures in the history of bell ringing, represents the work of some of those historians. Most of the text is by John Eisel, the Central Council librarians, but there are contributions also by John Scott, George Dawson and the late Bill Cook, and as a whole the book is very readable and fascinating,
The early history of change ringing took place outside the South-west, and so the early "giants" are from London, Norwich, Kent or Yorkshire, but there is much here to interest the local historian too. Charles Troyte from Huntsham, Henry Ellacombe, Vicar of Clyst St George, and William Banister, exiled from Woolwich to Devonport are included in the pantheon. Moreover, the interested reader can learn about Bill Pye's last peal, rung at Heavitree, on the day of the unveiling of the board at the Cathedral to record his single-handed peal there, and about William Wakley, the leader of "the band that truly ushered in the modern age of change ringing" at St Paul's, Burton on Trent, who was born and probably learnt to ring at Buckerell.
It is unfortunate, however, that the book is so poorly produced; the layout is unimaginative and unattractive and there are numerous spelling mistakes. And although a good read (it only took me a couple of hours), it cannot be regarded as acceptable scholarship, as it lacks references to sources and an index. There is not even a list of the "giants" on the contents page, and members of the Guild will pause when they read that the first of the territorial societies was the Devon Association! To sound a little schoolmasterish, with a little more care, especially at the proof reading stage, an excellent piece of work could have been produced.
Eight bell: At Barnstaple on 24 April.
Six bell North: At Bradford on 8 May.
Six bell South: At Marldon on 8 May
Six bell major final: At Morebath on 22 May
Six bell minor final: At South Milton on 12 June
Terry Hampton moved to a hamlet in Marwood parish in North Devon back in 1986 following early retirement from a career that took him around the world, or at least wherever motor car tyres are used.
Despite his demanding job, Terry had been a regular member of the Birmingham twelve-bell band, and was only a few peals short of his thousandth, when he arrived in Devon and joined the St Brannock's Society; inevitably his peal-ringing slowed down somewhat, but not his enthusiasm (except for peals on less than eight bells!). His thousandth (Bristol Max.) was rung back in Birmingham in September 1988. Terry was thus the first resident member of the Guild to reach that significant number.
On December 2nd, Terry reached another significant number, and this was marked by a peal of 5070 Stedman Caters at Thorverton - to celebrate his seventieth birthday:
Thorverton (S Thomas of Canterbury)
1 Elisabeth AG Bowden
Matthew Hilling was elected Ringing Master of the Exeter Branch at the Branch AGM, held in the Bell Inn at Thorverton on 21 November, following a service taken by the Revd Douglas Dettmer, the new priest-in-charge of the Raddon Team Ministry. Mike and Anita as usual made the ringers very welcome in their pub, and provided enormous quantities of food for the tea. Thanks were expressed to Janet Coles for her three year stint in the post, during which times the branch twice won the inter-branch competition. Janet was subsequently elected to serve on the Guild committee.
The Guild certificate was presented to Harry Grange, who has recently rung the required test piece, and also to his father Robert, who reached the required level of competency a few years ago! A certificate was not presented to Mary Coles, after it was discovered she had been given one in 1966! Also at the meeting Jo Bond was elected a member of the Guild, and after the tea and meeting, evening ringing took place at the Cathedral.
The historic ring of six bells from St Mary's Church, at Lynton, have been lowered from their tower in preparation for transport to Leicestershire for restoration.
The bells are being taken to John Taylor's bell founders in Loughborough for the first major work to be done on them in 40 years.
Because of their condition, the bells have not been rung for more than four years.
Local people and visitors have helped the congregation of St Mary's raise more than #30,000 towards the #35,000 needed to complete the work.
Vicar of Lynton, the Rev Philip Ringer, said: "Everyone has been extremely generous and encouraging with our appeal.
We are looking forward to the final push of the last #5,000 so we can get the bells back in the tower next year and ringing again in time for the millennium. There is certainly a lot of local enthusiasm being shown by people wanting to learn how to ring."
Although she had not been an active ringer for some time, Claire Scott who died suddenly on Monday 26 October, will be missed by many members of the Guild for the support she gave to ringing in Devon.
She was taught to ring by Bill Viggers at Aldershot, and as a student rang with the Oxford University Society, where she met her future husband. John recalls in the Society history, how she never had any lights on her bicycle when the OUS went on a cycle outing, and the ringers had to ride home in a tight pack. They were married in 1954, and John brought her to his home county of Devon; they have three children.
Totnes bells were rung by members of the Guild before and after her funeral, which was attended by family and friends from throughout the county, many clergy, and members of the Diocesan Prayer School team, as well as parishioners from John's former parishes.
The Guild sends its deepest sympathy to John and his family.
The Guild Computer donated by the London and Manchester Insurance Group has worked manfully for some time but although it had a soundcard added Ian Campbell found a serious problem with the floppy drive and recommended it was time to upgrade. Through his kindness, as Education officer I now have the use of a 486 running Windows95. The most common ringing programs are installed and it has a full soundblaster soundcard to that bobs and singles are heard as well as seen on the screen.
This update has prompted me to get on with a project which was discussed some time ago: to produce a set of handouts suitable for use on courses. These are to be available to any member of the Guild who thinks they may be useful If you have produced some material which might be of interest to others and you are willing to allow it to be used, I would very much like to have a copy. The current list is shown, but these are being added to or updated at the time of writing.
Most of these are handouts from various courses held in the county over the years, so if you are planning a training event of any sort and think that one of the titles will be of interest please let me know.
I have also just received a copy of the Central Council Education yearbook, which contains information on ringing courses planned for 1999; if anyone would like to go on a course next year, I can provide details.
My grateful thanks to Ian for this computer. and his patience with all my questions. Thank you, Ian.
There were a couple of changes of officer at the Mid Devon Branch AGM. Basil White has retired as Treasurer and been replaced by Lisa Came. The post of Branch Librarian has been separated from the secretaryship and has been taken by Andrew Hartley.
Each year the Edden Clapper trophy is given to the band which has made most progress in the last year. This year it was awarded to the newly affiliated team at Collaton St Mary. Not only have they made progress in method ringing themselves but have found time to help the new band at Staverton. Congratulations to them.
The bronzed figures of Derek and Mo Hawkins were at the AGM, back after two months in the antipodes - not a ringing holiday but they still managed to grab twelve towers while they were away. Dawlish has been the site of some bell work by Nicholson Engineering and reports of the improvements there are very good. The practice is normally on a Wednesday night and visitors are always welcome, but it would be best to check on the practice with Derek Hawkins before making the journey.
The new band at Babbacombe is progressing under the tuition of Steven Came. Tied bell practices have been held throughout the autumn and it is hoped to start 'real' ringing in the New Year.
St Marychurch practices have been very busy of late. The band has five learners of their own, plus several visitors from other towers. This has meant that there has been good progress and it has been good to welcome so many. It has been decided to revert to 7.30 starts in order to fit in as much as possible.
Coral Came rang her first Quarter a couple of weeks before her twelfth birthday. She rang the treble in exemplary fashion to Plain Bob Doubles. Unfortunately, Dad Steven had double booked and was unable to ring, but Mum Lisa filled in and made a fine job of beating the drum. It is hoped that very soon Grandad John will be persuaded to take part and all four ringing Cames will be able to ring a quarter together.
Congratulations to Justine Peberdy, Paul Blight and Tom Longridge who have recently rung their first quarter peals.
Collaton St Mary, Devon. 1 July 1998, 1260 Plain Bob Doubles : Rebecca Peberdy 1, Justine Peberdy (1st Q.), Helen Peberdy 3, Kathryn Goodhew 4, Simon Peberdy (1st as C.) 5, Paul Blight (1st Q.) 6.
Thorverton, Devon. 14 November 1998, 1260 Grandsire Caters : Jim East (1st on 10) 1, Sarah Garle 2, Paul Pascoe (1st on 10) 3, Andrew Mudge 4, Philip Mudge (1st on 10) 5, John Longridge 6, George Mudge (C.), Robert Brown 8, Matthew Hilling 9, Tom Longridge (1st Q.) 10.
Thirty odd members of the Ancient Society of College Youths have so far confirmed that they will be going to Tavistock for a regional meeting for College Youths in Devon and Cornwall which has been arranged for Saturday 10 January.
A buffet lunch will be held at the Royal British Legion Club, followed by ringing on the new ten at the parish church. The Master has confirmed the appointment of Guild President George Mudge as Ringing Master for the day, and the secretary will be placing a notice in the RW soon.
For further details contact Don Lawson.
A meeting was held in St Petrock's, Exeter, in October. Attendance was down but reports were given on work in progress. Our members in the far extremities of our Guild have been hard at work and encouraging reports were given of progress at Kelly in the West and Colyton in the East. The East Devon ringers have now held two meetings and it is good to report that several towers have been encouraged by meeting other ringers. It is hoped that a support group for call-change towers might be formed in that area.
Work in training new ringers is going on throughout the county but time is now getting short and and the deadline for new recruits to be trained in time to ring in the millennium is fast approaching.
At the meeting, the secretary of the Devon Association, Frank Bye, expressed his pleasure at the way the RING IN 2000 initiative had brought together the Guild and the Association. He felt it was important that we find some way of replacing RING IN 2000 as a focus after January 200. It is important that all ringers in Devon give this consideration so that the progress made in relations between the two groups is continued into the next century. If that come happen then RING IN 2000 could be one of the most important things to happen to ringing in Devon for many years.
Tavistock's two new trebles were dedicated before a packed churchful of people on 13 December. The bells were rung before the service by the local band and the SW branch. A new set of handbells were also rung before and during the service, including an ill-fated course of Grandsire Triples as the Bishop and clergy moved from the chancel to the tower! After the service a picked team of Association ringers rang a short peal, followed by a touch of Stedman Caters by the Cathedral band.
It is unfortunate that it was almost impossible to hear the bells from inside the church, and outside it was raining; they sounded very pleasant from the churchyard, although the soundproofing has obscured some of the richness of tone of the old eight. Inside the ringing chamber, more work has to be done to make the bells clearer, but generally speaking, Taylors have well matched the new bells in with the old, and Andrew Nicholson is to commended on the hanging. Above all, the Tavistock ringers are to be congratulated on giving Devon a new ring of ten!
A full report will appear in the next issue!
Pages written by
Ian Campbell
Updated 22/12/98
East Devon: Branch Competition
QUARTER FAULT SPLITS TOP TWO TEAMS
2 Sidmouth B 17½ faults
3 Ottery St Mary A 18¼ faults
4 Ottery St Mary B 25 faults
5 Honiton 28 faults
6 Shute A 30 faults
7 Shute B 33½ faults
8 Buckerell 45¾ faults
ROGER MORTLOCK
Sidbury: Exeter win for ninth time
TENOR RINGERS PRAISED BY COMPETITION JUDGES
South West 63 faults
Mid Devon 71½ faults
ECG 93 faults
Aylesbeare 103½ faults
North East 110½ faults
East Devon 151 faults
Newton St Cyres: Birthday peal
REG MARKS HIS 96TH
Thursday 29 November 1998
In 2 hours 33 minutes
5040 Grandsire Triples (JJ Parker's twelve-part)
2 Peter L Bill
3 Jill M Hansford
4 Michael R Rose
5 Michael C Hansford
6 Philip Stevens
7 Michael EC Mears (C.)
8 Ian W Avery
CHRISTMAS CROSSNUMBER
by Devon Bell
Special note. The inner 7 by 7 square is uniquely defined
NUMBERS ACROSS (LARGE LETTERS)
A 62843 / a
B xy (x down times y down)
D R - E
E R - D
F PQ (P across times Q across)
G Multiple of f
H U + V - 10
M 2Q - 10
N P - 15 (P across - 15)
P N + 15
Q Multiple of 12
R 2 W 29 W 149
S Palindromic permutation of V
T MN
U V + 10 (V across + 10)
V Half of H
X B + Y
Y X - B
numbers down (small letters)
a 2196 - A
b s + t - 100 (s down + t -100)
d b + t + 100
e prime
f palindromic prime
g multiple of e
h q + 300
m q + 590
n hr
p mq
q multiple of 61
r q + a
s 2t
t d / 4
u 4Q
v palindrome
x the first two digits...and...
y ...the last two digits of the largest prime factor of 62843
ECG
DINNER PLANS UNDERWAY
Plymouth: Stedman at Emmanuel
DIAMOND PEAL FOR COUPLE
27 September 1998
In 2 hours 50 minutes
5040 Stedman Triples
(J Pladdys No 37)
2 John Pladdys (C.)
3 Andrew GJ Mudge
4 George E Mudge
5 Alena Wardle
6 Robert DS Brown
7 Fergus MS Stracey
8 Christopher Wardle
Plymouth: improvements in hand at St Andrew's
EIGHT HOURS' RINGING
BOOK REVIEW
GIANTS OF THE EXERCISE
Some Notable Ringers of the Past
By Dr John C Eisel
Central Council Publications, #8.50
North Tawton: Association Annual Meeting
RINGERS MEAN BUSINESS
Cecil Crocker from Burrington took over the presidency of the Devon Association at its annual business meeting, which was held on Saturday 14 November at North Tawton. Former Association secretary Colin Adams was elected president elect. Members were encouraged to look at the way the Association was functioning and what form it would have in the future, especially in view of the challenge set by the Millennium ringing. The dates, venues and judges for the competitions were agreed, as follows:
Judges: I Hookway, M Phillips, J Cole, S Martin
(J Ward, scr.)
Judges: I Hookway, J Ward, B Drake, S Stacey
(J Wickett, scr)
Judges: J Cole, P Johnstone, I Avery, W Avery
(S Martin, scr)
Judges: B Drake, J Ward, I Avery, P Johnstone
(I Hookway, scr)
North Devon: Thousand-pealer reaches 70
TERRY HAMPTON'S BIRTHDAY
Thursday 3 December 1998 in 2 hours 53 minutes
5070 Stedman Caters (J Pladdys)
2 Frank D Mack
3 John Pladdys (C.)
4 Timothy E Barnaby
5 Howard W Egglestone
6 Michael R Rose
7 Philip Stevens
8 Terry R Hampton
9 Michael EC Mears
10 Mervyn C Way
Thorverton: Branch Annual Meeting
NEW RINGING MASTER FOR EXETER BRANCH
From the Western Morning News
SMALL PARISH GIVES #30,000 TO MAKE SILENT BELLS PEAL
CLAIRE SCOTT
Education News: Martin Mansley writes
GUILD COMPUTER UPGRADED
Titles of handouts available:
Hints for beginners (call-change) by Richard Heath
Plain Hunting by Martin Mansley
Plain Bob Doubles (PCs) by Martin Mansley
Plain Bob Doubles (Bobs) by Martin Mansley
Grandsire Doubles by Sheila Scofield / NE Branch
Grandsire Triples by Ian Campbell / Ex Branch
Plain Bob Triples by Ian Campbell / Ex Branch
Plain Bob Major by Ian Campbell / Ex Branch
Method Learning by Martin Mansley
Introduction to Conducting by Martin Mansley
MID DEVON NEWS
FIRST QUARTERS
The first quarter peal on the bells since affiliation to the Guild.
COLLEGE YOUTHS
RING IN 2000
STOP PRESS