ANNUAL REPORT AND NEWSLETTER OF THE

ANCIENT SOCIETY OF COLLEGE YOUTHS

SPRING 2003 ______

A Year of Records and Sell-Outs

Since the last Newsletter the Society has had another very successful year. The first sell-out was the Informal Dinner in April, which happened just as last year’s Newsletter was being finalised. We were at a new venue, Davy’s of Creed Lane, which is close to St Paul’s in the heart of the City. Capacity is 70, which is more than normal attendance and it was, therefore, a surprise when we sold out a week or two before the event. The consensus was that the food was excellent and the location perfect but we were a bit tightly packed in. Members differed as to how much of a problem they found it. One end of the room was more crowded than the rest but, as it had the then Master and Junior Steward sitting next to each other that may have been a factor. In June we were at Winchester for the National 12 Bell Contest Final. It was an excellent day with a lovely setting and superb facilities. Unfortunately, our ringing did not match the rest of the arrangements and we were placed eighth. This was a particularly disappointing result as we had produced an excellent piece of ringing in the eliminator at Sheffield, which we won by a fair margin. It was generally felt that we were under-prepared, partially through difficulties in getting our band together for a Handing on the baton: Chris Pickford invests Dickon Love practice on the contest bells. More attention is being paid as Master, November 2002. to the latter this year and we are hoping to improve our position. The Senior Steward, Dickon Love, organised a number of The Country Meeting in July was one of the best peals most of which were successful. Following his for many years. The Master arranged three 12 bell towers ambulatory achievements last year, Chris Kippin walked on the day and we achieved good ringing at all of them. from Oxford to Worcester in a single overnight session. A We were fortunate that the tenor clapper at Worcester few other Members also did the walk but sensibly broke it Cathedral broke at the end of our time there rather than at into stages and spent the night in bed. In a new venture, the start. It would have been a shame to miss out on this Simon Linford arranged a golf day for Members on the fine, if challenging, 12. The meeting and dinner which day before the Meeting. We were particularly fortunate followed at the Worcestershire County Cricket Ground with the weather throughout. The sun shone for the whole were both excellent. The setting must be one of the most weekend and we were treated to the English countryside at impressive in , with the cricket pitch in the its best. foreground and the river and Cathedral behind. We were Peal Weekend went much better than the never in danger of selling out the dinner at the Cricket previous year, when we were affected by the September 11 Club (capacity 120) but the attendance of 92 may have events in the US. In all 19 peals were scored and only a been a record for these events. few lost. The good performance over Peal Weekend As is becoming the custom, there was a full helped us to achieve another record year for Society peals, programme of events leading up to the Country Meeting. 209 being rung.

Page 1 Two particularly noteworthy peals to mention among Christchurch, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and finishing many good performances. In June, 8 Members rang in Perth. Our stay in Sydney coincides with Society Peal 15,008 changes of Spliced Surprise Major in 67 methods, Weekend and we are hoping to ring as many peals as all the work. A great achievement in itself but one the possible while we are in the City. We want to meet and band is hoping to cap by ringing 100 spliced all the work ring with as many ANZ Members as we can whilst we are this year, which would be the longest peal of Spliced “down under” and hope that they contact us so that we can Surprise rung to date. After several successful practice get together. Formal events on the Tour will include a peals the attempt for the record itself, planned for 12 April, dinner in Sydney and a business meeting in Perth. If you has had to be postponed because of injury to a member of can join us in any of these please do. Non-members are the band. welcome. Perhaps even more impressive is the 25,560 of The Anniversary Dinner on 1 November will London Surprise Royal rung on handbells in Worcester in have a St Paul’s Cathedral theme. The date is the 125th November. By all accounts the ringing was excellent anniversary to the day of the opening of the bells by the throughout and the only serious mishaps were corporal Society in 1878. We have arranged to hold a special rather than campanological. Evensong in the Cathedral at 5.00 pm, immediately prior Once again the Anniversary Dinner was held at to the Dinner. Speakers will include the Dean of St Paul’s, Chartered Accountants’ Hall on the first Saturday in John Moses, and Cathedral Ringing Master, Paul November. This was another sell out, with capacity of 250 Mounsey. There will be a peal attempt at the Cathedral the being reached with several weeks to go. This is the night before the Dinner and it is hoped to have attempts at biggest turnout at a Dinner since the 350th Anniversary in all of the City churches where we normally ring on the 1987. Particularly pleasing was the number of Members same evening, a total of four rings of 12 and one of 8 (St present, over 200. They were treated to entertaining Mary-le-Bow, Cornhill, Cripplegate, St Sepulchre and St speeches from our guests, Katharine Rumens, Rector of Lawrence Jewry). Cripplegate, and Patrick Wilkins, Secretary of the Friends Looking forward to 2004, the Society will be of St Paul’s. Giles Galley proposed the Society in his hosting the Final of the National 12 Bell Striking Contest inimitable style. There was a scary moment when he at St Mary-le-Bow. This will be the first time the Society launched a limerick about a young lady called Dinah but has hosted a Final since the 1970’s. all turned out well. We are back at Accountants’ Hall So, another full year in prospect and I hope to see again this year but it looks as if this will have to be our last as many of you as possible at our events over the next 12 at the venue. More information on the future of the Dinner months. is given on page 3. Phil Rogers At our Election Meeting, the Senior Steward, Dickon Love, succeeded Chris Pickford as Master. Chris has to take much of the credit for the successes of this year and he has given us all a standard to live up to. He and Heather are planning to move away from the London area in the next few months and we wish them well for the future. One of the new Master’s first official duties was to attend the celebrations which marked the installation of the Rev’d George Bush as Rector of St Mary-le-Bow. Dickon and George are old friends from St John’s College, Cambridge and it was particularly appropriate that George should take up his appointment during Dickon’s year of office. We are fortunate with all of our incumbents and Bow is no exception. We are privileged to be able to ring the bells frequently, as demonstrated by Bow’s position as leading Society peal tower last year. This year sees another series of events which we hope Members will enjoy. We have two country meetings, the first in Cambridge in early August. The Master has secured a dinner at his former college, St Johns, which should be another excellent setting. It would be nice to sell out here, but as capacity is about 250 this is unlikely. Perhaps a more realistic ambition would be to try and have a bigger attendance at our Country Meeting Dinner in Cambridge than the Cumberlands achieve at their main dinner in the City the next month. We understand that A handsome china plate presented to the Society by the they are expecting 120, so there is a target to aim for. Brereton family on the occasion of their worldwide The second Country Meeting is in New Zealand reunion in 2001. Brereton was the home of the Society’s and Australia in September, the first time that the Society first Master, William 2nd Lord Brereton, although the Hall has visited the Southern Hemisphere. We are planning a 3 passed out of family ownership many years ago. week tour, starting in Wellington and travelling to Page 2 Master’s Report 2003 Each month when a new member is proposed we often 366 year history, the Society has allowed itself to evolve hear the words and they will value their membership. rather than fall into the trap of identifying a favourite part Whilst we can sometimes feel blasé about this phrase, it of history and trying to stay there. It holds dear to the really suggests one of the distinctions of a College Youth authority of the monthly meeting and the rules that give by indicating a sense of pride in the organisation, the framework for this evolution. The quest for excellence something that can be found all the way through the in ringing remains the same, as does the notion that we Society. should perhaps enjoy ourselves in the process! Surely the When a member chooses to propose someone pride in being a College Youth remains as constant as it for membership, their sense of pride in their friend’s has been since the days of the Great Fire of London. abilities and achievements is normally articulated. The In our peals and in our practices we enjoy trying same goes for the expressions of support from others to ring new things. These days in London it is good to see frequently seen as a useful benchmark of a candidate’s the number of new people progressing through the suitability. Also at meetings it is with pride we honour our programme of methods from Bristol to Orion and Spliced, deceased members and pause each month in solemn as well as explore the worlds of cyclic methods and remembrance. composition. At the same time it is always a pleasure to Sometimes the Society is branded as purely a hear a good touch of Stedman, which remains at the core London Society. In these days of increased of any practice. communication and mobility, it is becoming more and As well as Australia, I am pleased to bring the more the national and international institution that it claims Society to my old University City of Cambridge where I to be. spent three happy years. I am especially pleased that the I was pleased to visit Washington DC last year Country Meeting will be held in St John’s College, one of and be welcomed by American College Youths. It is clear the oldest colleges, probably visited by both Fabian that the pride they express in their membership is as great Stedman and our founder, Lord Brereton. I encourage as as can be found anywhere. I look forward to the Society’s many people as possible to take the opportunity to attend first tour of Australia and New Zealand in September the dinner in the ancient Great Hall which must rank as where I am sure the feelings are much the same. one of the most magnificent venues that the Society has We have seen an increase in the number of peals dined in. organised and rung (many of them leading edge). There is I was very proud to become a College Youth in an increase in the number of good candidates coming 1991. Becoming Master in 2002 comes as an enormous forward for membership. The Anniversary Dinner sells out privilege and seeing the Society evolve through the as a matter of course, and the number of people supporting excellent years of Masters Carless and Pickford, more than the Country Meeting continues to go up. Yet despite the ever I would say yes, I value my membership. I hope you expansion, there is a certain continuity. Throughout its value and enjoy yours. Dickon Love

The Society Web Site, WAP Site and Email Group

The Web site has been visited 26,400 times since June the officers have their own email addresses viz. 1999 (12,500 in the past year). The WAP site has been [email protected], [email protected], visited 320 times since July 2000 (136 in the past year). [email protected], etc. 57 new members joined the Email group during the year Web site: http://ascy.org.uk WAP site: bringing the total to 277. 67 messages were sent out during http://tagtag.com/ascy Email group: the year bringing the total to 146 since July 2000.The Web http://groups.yahoo.com/group.ascy site was transferred to a new server during the year, and Dickon Love, Webmaster

The Anniversary Dinner: The Future

The Society’s Dinner has been held at the Hall of the this time we were told that the hire cost of the Hall would Institute of Chartered Accountants since 1998. The move be rising by 80% to £3,600. Half of this increase has been to this location was made possible by the generosity of one applied this year and it is likely that the remainder will be of our Members, Dr Martin C Faulkes, who offered to added next year. In addition, the meal price is likely to provide support of up to £5,000 pa for 5 years. This period increase by at least £5 plus VAT in 2004. expired in 2002. He has now offered to continue his Increases on this scale would imply a ticket support for one further year but from 2004 the Dinner must price in excess of £65, which we do not believe is viable. be self-funding. We are very grateful to Dr Faulkes for his Accordingly, we are looking for a new home for the generosity over this period. Dinner. We hope to be able to find a suitable hall at an Independently of the ending of the subsidy, affordable price, but this may not be easy. We are from next year we will have to look for a new venue. We investigating a number of possibilities and I will keep you have had regular above-inflation cost increases in recent informed. years which we have managed to cope with. However, Phil Rogers Page 3 THE 206 PEALS RUNG IN 2001/2002 Information compiled by Philip Saddleton, Peal Recorder Date Tower Method Cond Date Tower Method Cond 14/11/2001 (H) Cornhill Vestry Stedman Cinques DCB 5/5/2002 Rotherham, S Yorks Stedman Cinques PNM 17/11/2001 Dublin, St Patrick Yorkshire S Maximus RL 6/5/2002 Ossett, W Yorks Bristol S Maximus JNH-D 17/11/2001 Liverpool, Pierhead Spliced S Maximus (50m) DGH 7/5/2002 Bishopstoke, Hants London No.3 S Royal TFC 17/11/2001 Towcester, Northants Yorkshire S Maximus JP 11/5/2002 Tavistock, Devon Triton Delight Royal DPH 24/11/2001 Painswick, Glos Stedman Cinques JRR 11/5/2002 Hurstbourne Priors, Hants Stedman Triples JHN 28/11/2001 S Sepulchre without Newgate Bristol S Maximus SAC 15/5/2002 South Croydon, S Peter Stedman Cinques MJU 1/12/2001 Brewood, Staffs Bristol S Major JB 19/5/2002 Bermondsey, S James Spliced S Major (18m) AJG 3/12/2001 Wellesbourne, Warks Lincolnshire S Major GCH 22/5/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Spliced Maximus (4m) SAC 6/12/2001 (H) Cornhill Vestry Stedman Cinques DJS 25/5/2002 Llandaff Cathedral Bristol S Maximus JC 8/12/2001 Peterborough, Cathedral Bristol S Maximus JC 25/5/2002 Washington DC, Old Post Office Stedman Caters PNM 8/12/2001 S Michael, Cornhill Spliced S Maximus (4m) JNH-D 26/5/2002 Washington DC, Cathedral Spliced S Royal (4m) SAC 15/12/2001 Tewkesbury, Glos Stedman Caters TPE 26/5/2002 Washington DC, Old Post Office Gainsborough S Major RRS 18/12/2001 Bishopstoke, Hants Triton Delight Royal RL 27/5/2002 Washington DC, Old Post Office Camdone S Royal JSW 22/12/2001 (H) Royston, 49 King Street Bristol S Fourteen JNH-D 31/5/2002 Willesden, Middx Spliced S Major (67m) SJLL 22/12/2001 Ambleside, Cumb Bristol S Major JB 1/6/2002 Worcester, S Swithun S Minor (7m) MWJR 31/12/2001 S Michael, Cornhill Stedman Cinques PNM 4/6/2002 S Paul's Cathedral Stedman Cinques PNM 1/1/2002 S Paul's Cathedral Stedman Cinques PNM 4/6/2002 Oldham, Lancs Cambridge S Minor PCR 5/1/2002 Sevenoaks, Kent London S Major DPH 4/6/2002 Westminster Abbey Bristol S Royal DPH 5/1/2002 Streatham, Surrey Spliced S Major (4m) PR 5/6/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Stedman Cinques MWJR 8/1/2002 Pebworth, Worcs Painswick S Major GCH 7/6/2002 Whitby, N Yorks London No.3 S Royal MJH 12/1/2002 S Sepulchre without Newgate Spliced Maximus (6m) JNH-D 8/6/2002 Rotherham, S Yorks Stedman Cinques SAC 12/1/2002 Worcester, Cathedral Cambridge S Maximus MPAW 8/6/2002 Selby, N Yorks Yorkshire S Maximus DPH 16/1/2002 South Croydon, S Peter Stedman Caters SMA 9/6/2002 Escrick, N Yorks, Bristol S Maximus JC 23/1/2002 (H) Cornhill Vestry Stedman Caters DCB 9/6/2002 Sheffield Cathedral Stedman Cinques CHR 26/1/2002 Harpenden, Herts Stedman Triples BHT 12/6/2002 (H) Cornhill Vestry Stedman Cinques DCB 31/1/2002 (H) Cornhill Vestry Stedman Cinques PNM 15/6/2002 Oxford, S Thomas the Martyr Spliced S Major (67m) SJLL 5/2/2002 Sproxton, Leics Spliced S Major (8m) MAC 18/6/2002 King's Norton, Leics Norton S Major MAC 9/2/2002 Northfield, W Mids London No.3 S Royal DGH 19/6/2002 South Croydon, S Peter Stedman Cinques MJU 9/2/2002 Kings Norton, W Mids Bristol S Royal DGH 22/6/2002 Fulbourn, Cambs Bristol S Major AMB 9/2/2002 Macclesfield, Ches Spliced S Major (8m) RBS 24/6/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Rigel S Maximus SAC 10/2/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Bristol S Maximus MWJR 29/6/2002 Towcester, Northants Orion S Maximus JSW 14/2/2002 Cornhill Vestry Stedman Cinques PNM 3/7/2002 South Croydon, S Peter Stedman Cinques DCB 23/2/2002 Chichester, Cathedral Spliced S Major (8m) AJG 6/7/2002 S Sepulchre without Newgate Spliced Maximus (7m) JNH-D 23/2/2002 South Petherton, Som Stedman Cinques CHR 6/7/2002 South Croydon, S Peter Stedman Cinques CHR 23/2/2002 Swindon, Wilts, S Mark Single Oxford Bob Triples WB 6/7/2002 S Giles, Cripplegate Spliced Maximus (4m) DCB 24/2/2002 Birmingham, S Martin Bristol S Sixteen JSW 7/7/2002 Shoreditch, S Leonard Spliced S Major (23m) AJG 25/2/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Stedman Cinques MWJR 10/7/2002 (H) Cornhill Vestry Stedman Cinques JNH-D 25/2/2002 Wellesbourne, Warks Cotswold S Major GCH 13/7/2002 S Giles, Cripplegate Bristol S Maximus AJG 1/3/2002 Alloa, Clack Bristol S Major MJC 14/7/2002 Shoreditch, S Leonard Spliced S Major (21m) AJG 2/3/2002 S Sepulchre without Newgate Spliced Maximus (7m) JNH-D 14/7/2002 Towcester, Northants Stedman Triples MPAW 2/3/2002 Haddington, E Loth Spliced S Major (10m) RL 16/7/2002 Bishopstoke, Hants Bristol S Royal RL 2/3/2002 Dundee, S Paul Spliced S Major (8m) RL 17/7/2002 South Petherton, Som Cambridge S Maximus JC 3/3/2002 Shoreditch, S Leonard Spliced S Major (13m) AJG 19/7/2002 (H) Steenwijk, Netherlands Plain Bob Minor JNP 3/3/2002 Nairn, Druim Croft Campanile Cambridge S Major MJC 20/7/2002 Oxford, S Thomas the Martyr Eastwell S Royal JMJ 4/3/2002 Walkden, Lancs Spliced S Major (15m) JB 21/7/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Spliced Cinques and Max (2m) MWJR 9/3/2002 Farnham, Surrey London No.4 S Royal MPAW 24/7/2002 (H) Cornhill Vestry Stedman Caters PNM 16/3/2002 Wanborough, Wilts Stedman Triples JP 25/7/2002 Kidderminster, Worcs Cambridge S Maximus AJG 18/3/2002 Garston, Mers Spliced S Major (4m) MJC 26/7/2002 Dursley, Glos Spliced S Major (8m) BHT 20/3/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Ariel S Maximus SAC 26/7/2002 Claines, Worcs Stedman Caters CHR 27/3/2002 (H) Cornhill Vestry Stedman Caters JRJ 26/7/2002 Worcester, All Saints Bristol S Maximus PN 30/3/2002 Ashton under Lyne, S Peter Spliced S Major (19m) JB 28/7/2002 Stourbridge, W Mids Stedman Cinques DEH 1/4/2002 S Paul's Cathedral Stedman Cinques SAC 7/8/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Stedman Cinques MWJR 2/4/2002 Bishopstoke, Hants London No.3 S Royal RL 10/8/2002 Lichfield Cathedral Wimborne S Royal DCB 6/4/2002 Accrington, Lancs Bristol S Maximus AJG 11/8/2002 Birmingham, S Martin Bristol S Sixteen JSW 6/4/2002 Bromley, Kent Love Bug S Major PABS 16/8/2002 (H) Worcester, 64 London Road Lessness S Major FRS 6/4/2002 Ashton under Lyne, S Michael & AA Yorkshire S Maximus EJK 17/8/2002 S Lawrence, Jewry Spliced S Major (23m) SJLL 7/4/2002 Stockton On Tees, Cleve Bristol S Maximus EJK 17/8/2002 Marietta, GA Cambridge S Major AWRW 8/4/2002 Eardisland, Herefs Grandsire Triples ALM 17/8/2002 Atlanta, GA Yorkshire S Royal JC 9/4/2002 Westminster Abbey Stedman Caters DPH 18/8/2002 Hendersonville, NC Lincolnshire S Major JMJ 9/4/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Cambridge S Maximus MWJR 21/8/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Spliced S Maximus (5m) SAC 13/4/2002 Newport Cathedral Spliced Maximus (8m) JNH-D 22/8/2002 Raleigh, NC Bristol S Major JMJ 13/4/2002 Worcester, All Saints Toronto Delight Maximus DJP 23/8/2002 Charleston, SC, Cathedral Yorkshire S Major AWRW 14/4/2002 S Sepulchre without Newgate Spliced Maximus (5m) SAC 24/8/2002 Charleston, SC, S Michael Bristol S Major JC 20/4/2002 Hereford Cathedral Stedman Caters TPE 25/8/2002 Charleston, SC, Grace Church Cambridge S Royal JMJ 20/4/2002 Saffron Walden, Ess Bristol S Maximus JC 26/8/2002 Waltham Abbey, Ess Bristol S Maximus CJP 20/4/2002 Guilden Morden, Cambs Spliced S Major (27m) SJLL 29/8/2002 (H) St Albans, 9 Falstaff Gardens London No.3 S Royal DCB 21/4/2002 Bushey, Herts Spliced S Major (26m) SJLL 1/9/2002 Shoreditch, S Leonard Spliced S Major (21m) AJG 24/4/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Spliced S Maximus (4m) SAC 2/9/2002 Bishopstoke, Hants Bristol S Royal RL 27/4/2002 S Sepulchre without Newgate Cambridge S Maximus CJP 4/9/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Stedman Cinques SLA 28/4/2002 Willesden, Middx Spliced S Major (25m) SJLL 7/9/2002 Bristol, S Stephen the Martyr Spliced Maximus (6m) JNH-D 29/4/2002 Ashton under Lyne, S Peter Spliced S Major (8m) RGG 14/9/2002 Greenwich, S Alfege London No.3 S Royal AJG 1/5/2002 (H) Cornhill Vestry Stedman Cinques PNM 15/9/2002 Gressenhall, Norf Lyme S Major RIA 4/5/2002 Haslemere, Surrey London No.3 S Royal CJP 18/9/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Bristol S Maximus JC 4/5/2002 Greasley, Notts, S Mary Spliced S Major (15m) AJG 20/9/2002 York, S Laurence Bristol S Major DGH 4/5/2002 Newport Cathedral Cambridge S Maximus JB 20/9/2002 (H) Cambridge, Chesterton Road Plain Bob Major JRJ 4/5/2002 Canterbury Cathedral Bristol S Maximus MPAW 21/9/2002 Amersham, Bucks Yorkshire S Maximus JBK 5/5/2002 Bristol, S Stephen the Martyr Swindon S Maximus JHF 21/9/2002 Beckenham, Kent Spliced S Royal (8m) PR Page 4 Date Tower Method Cond Date Tower Method Cond 21/9/2002 Bishopstoke, Hants Spliced S Royal (4m) RL 29/10/2002 Bishopstoke, Hants Spliced Caters (2m) RCK 21/9/2002 Harpenden, Herts Spliced S Major (8m) BHT 31/10/2002 South Croydon, S Peter Spliced S Maximus (3m) JB 21/9/2002 East Huntspill, Little Orchard Tower Grandsire Triples BVM 1/11/2002 S Giles, Cripplegate Yorkshire S Maximus FRS 21/9/2002 S Giles, Cripplegate Cambridge S Maximus PNM 1/11/2002 S Sepulchre without Newgate Bristol S Maximus DJB 21/9/2002 Northfield, W Mids Yorkshire S Royal AWRW 1/11/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Stedman Cinques PNM 21/9/2002 Oxford Cathedral Ariel S Maximus DJP 2/11/2002 St Neots, Cambs Grandsire Caters AMK 21/9/2002 Rotherham, S Yorks Yorkshire S Maximus JEA 2/11/2002 S Giles, Cripplegate Cambridge S Maximus RL 21/9/2002 Sheffield, S Yorks, Ranmoor Quakers Friars S Royal JB 2/11/2002 Henham, Ess S Minor (11m) AMB 21/9/2002 Tavistock, Devon Bristol S Royal CJP 2/11/2002 Colliers Wood, Surrey S Minor (7m) CMJS 21/9/2002 Towcester, Northants Cambridge S Maximus AWRW 2/11/2002 Limehouse, S Anne Spliced S Major (8m) JSW 21/9/2002 Weston Super Mare, Som Yorkshire S Major CRF 2/11/2002 Maidstone, S Michael and All Angels London S Major TMP 22/9/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Stedman Cinques PNM 2/11/2002 S Sepulchre without Newgate Bristol S Maximus PJS 22/9/2002 Hexham, Northumb Lincolnshire S Royal PR 2/11/2002 Southwark Cathedral Cambridge S Maximus JB 22/9/2002 Kingston, Dorset London No.3 S Royal CJP 2/11/2002 Oxford, S Thomas the Martyr Stedman Caters CJP 22/9/2002 Sheffield, S Yorks, S Marie Spliced S Major (8m) JSW 3/11/2002 St Mary's Platt, Piltdown House Spliced Cinques and Max (2m) DGH 23/9/2002 Walkden, Lancs Spliced S Major (23m) MJC 9/11/2002 S Lawrence, Jewry Lessness S Major CJP 24/9/2002 Towcester, 12 Watling Street S Minor (7m) DJP 9/11/2002 S Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside Bristol S Maximus MWJR 28/9/2002 Exeter Cathedral Stedman Cinques JNH-D 10/11/2002 S Sepulchre without Newgate Double Ascension Cyclic B Max AJG 28/9/2002 Abergavenny, Mon Cambridge S Royal CJP 11/11/2002 (H) S Mary-le-Bow, Vestry London No.3 S Royal DCB 28/9/2002 , S Mary the Virgin Stedman Cinques TPE 30/9/2002 (H) St Albans, 9 Falstaff Gardens London No.3 S Royal DCB Peals rung at 116 Towers, led by 5/10/2002 Great Holland, Ess Double Norwich CB Major AMB London, St Mary le Bow 16 5/10/2002 South Croydon, S Peter Spliced Maximus (4m) JNH-D 6/10/2002 Bermondsey, S James Spliced S Major (22m) AJG London, St Sepulchre without Newgate 9 12/10/2002 Surfleet, Lincs Bristol S Maximus DGH Bishopstoke, Hants, St Mary 8 12/10/2002 Warwick, S Mary Stedman Caters JRR South Croydon, Surrey, St Peter 7 12/10/2002 Wimborne Minster, Dorset Stedman Caters DPH 15/10/2002 Bishopstoke, Hants London No.3 S Royal RL London, St Giles, Cripplegate 5 16/10/2002 (H) Oxford, 7 Blandford Avenue London No.3 S Royal DCB Shoreditch, St Leonard 5 19/10/2002 Newport Cathedral Stedman Caters DEH Towcester, Northants, St Lawrence 4 26/10/2002 Ballymena, Antrim Spliced Maximus (6m) DEH 26/10/2002 Beverley, S Mary London No.3 S Royal AMB 27/10/2002 Shoreditch, S Leonard Spliced S Major (23m) AJG Ten handbell peals were rung in Cornhill Vestry.

377 Members took part, led by Year to November: Total Tower Hand 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993

Rung Cond Rung Cond Rung Cond Sixteen 2 1 1 1 42 14 42 14 Andrew J Graham Septuples 1 42 42 Victoria J M Halliwell Fourteen 1 39 12 32 8 7 4 Paul N Mounsey Sextuples 1 34 34 David J Dearnley Maximus 57 37 28 16 16 20 27 30 16 18 34 34 Stephanie J Warboys Cinques & Max 2 1 1 1 31 3 31 3 Philip Rogers Cinques 22 14 15 12 10 10 9 18 9 3 29 29 Mark A Humphreys Royal 29 23 25 12 10 12 16 15 9 10 28 11 21 9 7 2 John N Hughes-D'Aeth Caters & Royal 1 28 6 28 6 Simon J L Linford Caters 12 14 20 11 5 10 7 7 3 5 28 2 28 2 Eleanor J Kippin Major 52 50 27 21 13 19 31 19 23 19 28 28 Joanna M Ainsworth Triples 7 8 9 6 4 2 9 5 9 9 28 28 Gwen Rogers Minor 5 6 5 3 3 4 7 2 1 27 24 3 Paul L Carless Doubles 1 1 2 1 1 3 2 3

25 25 Alan D Flood Total Tower 188 156 130 84 61 74 104 106 75 70 24 24 Robin O Hall Sixteen 1 23 8 18 8 5 Mark W J Regan Fourteen 11 22 10 22 10 Stephen A Coaker Maximus 1 5 6 1 1 5 9 22 6 22 6 John S Warboys Cinques 7 9 9 11 15 14 8 2 4 5 22 1 22 1 Susan L Apter Royal 4 1 22 1 22 1 David J Baverstock Caters 3 2 1 2 3 2 2 3 2 4 22 12 10 Michael P Moreton Major 2 4 1 1 2 22 22 John M Thurman Triples 1 21 1 21 1 Christopher J Poole Minor 1 1 21 21 Dickon R Love Doubles 1 20 8 20 8 James Clatworthy Total Hand 18 19 15 20 20 18 13 6 11 18 20 4 19 4 1 Michael P A Wilby Total 206 175 145 104 81 92 117 112 86 88 20 20 Colin G Newman

Page 5

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

COUNTRY MEETING 2003: CAMBRIDGE After Country Meetings in two of England’s most day itself. We are also intending to hold a dinner at St beautiful cities, Oxford and Worcester, the Society is this John’s College on Saturday evening. year visiting another, on Saturday 2nd August. It remains to be seen how many of the extra- The Master has close ties with the City, being a curricular activities which have become a feature of former Master of the Cambridge University Guild. He is country meetings take place this time. Will Chris Kippin planning a full programme of ringing, including peals in walk from London (or Worcester)? Will Simon Linford the week before the Meeting and general ringing on the arrange another golf day? Watch the Ringing World, the Society’s Web Site and the Egroup for full details.

COUNTRY MEETING: AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND A second, more ambitious, Country Meeting is planned for coinciding with the tour being in Sydney. We are September. intending to ring as many peals as possible and hope that On the 10th of the month, the day after our our Members locally will be able to join us. We are also September Business Meeting, a party of Members and planning a dinner in the city on the Saturday. friends will fly to Wellington, New Zealand, to start a 3 The tour will end in Perth the following weekend. week tour. The culminating event will be a Society Practice on Swan We have been fortunate to be given permission to Bells on Tuesday 30, followed by a Business Meeting, our attempt peals on all of the rings of 12 bells and more and first in the Southern Hemisphere. these attempts will be the framework for a larger The tour party is now fully subscribed but programme of ringing. The central weekend of the tour Members are very welcome to join us for some or all of will be Society Peal Weekend (please see below), the tour under their own steam if they can.

PEAL WEEKEND A reminder that in 2000 it was decided that the annual Peal We very much hope that there will be a large Weekend would be fixed for the weekend centred on the number of attempts in both hemispheres and that if third Saturday in September. Accordingly, Peal Weekend possible we can surpass the excellent total achieved in this year will be held from 19 to 21 September. 2002. As indicated above, Peal Weekend this year Notice of attempts advised before 10th September coincides with the Society tour of Australia and New will be given notice of at the Meeting on that night and Zealand but that should not reduce the number of peals posted on the Society’s Web Site. attempted, quite the opposite.

OUT OF TOWN PRACTICE In recent years we have started holding one of our Tuesday We are intending to hold another Out of Town practices outside our usual area of the City of London and Practice this year, on 29th July. The venue had not been Southwark. The first of these practices was at Amersham decided at the time the Newsletter went to press and will in 2000 and in subsequent years we have been to Ipswich be publicized as soon as possible in the Ringing World, the and South Croydon. On all of these occasions we have Society’s Web Site and on the Egroup. been welcomed by our local Members and friends Please come and join us on the night if you can, especially if we are coming to your area.

366th ANNIVERSARY DINNER The Anniversary Dinner will once again be held in day, requiring us to start the meal itself slightly later. We Accountants’ Hall, Moorgate Place, on Saturday 1st are very pleased that the Dean of St Paul’s, John Moses, November. As explained on Page 3, this is likely to be our has agreed to attend and speak at the Dinner. He will be last Dinner at this location for reasons of cost. followed by Cathedral Ringing Master, Paul Mounsey, The date coincides with the 125th anniversary of who may by then have achieved the outstanding the opening of the bells of St Paul’s Cathedral and we are achievement of 1000 peals for the Society. planning a special celebration of this event. Please come along if you can but book early. As happened on the 100th anniversary, we will be Last year tickets sold out a month before the event and a holding a special Evensong in St Paul’s at 5.00pm on the few Members were disappointed.

Page 6 NEW MEMBERS

The following were elected and welcomed as new members in the year to November 2002:

Christopher J Stuart of Kidderminster Stewart W Holbeche of Redditch Rosalind J Keech of Kempston, Beds Roger H Hunt of Fladbury, Worcs Daniel J Vernon of Liverpool Debbie J Barnes of Reading Robert W Lee of Raithby-by-Spilsby, Lincs Peter R Ellis of Reading Joanna M Ainsworth of St Paul’s Cathedral, London Graeme Booth of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Matthew E Beadman of Guildford Carol Brown of Chelmsford Rebecca L Melen of Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, Notts Tim R Palmer of Birmingham Susan E Turner of Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, Notts Jon Waters of Great Baddow Oliver R Hall of Frensham, Surrey Michael J Church of Upton Grey P Mary Cheesewright of Norwich Rev’d Anthony Murray-Feist of Perth, WA Louise A M James of Barnstaple, Devon Laura Davies of Perth, WA Cecily Rock of Washington D C Victoria Hodgkin of Perth, WA Michael G Francis of St Kea, Cornwall Josclyn Sloan of Perth, WA Colin A Haines of St Kea, Cornwall Paul McNutt of Hillmorton, Warwicks John P W Taylor of Oxford

Apologies to Robert C Hawtree of Birmingham, who was elected in 2001 and omitted in error from last year’s Newsletter. ______

OBITUARY

The following are the members to whom tribute was paid at Society Business Meetings in the year to November:

Frederick A Munday of Bidford on Avon, elected 1938 Cyril Crossthwaite of Preston, Lancs, elected 1958 Peter C Wright of Ampthill, Beds, elected 1961 C Stanley Ryles of Lee-on-Solent, elected 1950 David Snowdon of Weare Giffard, N Devon, elected 1983 John Botham of Cape Town, elected 1942 David C Woodward of Appleton and Oxford, elected 1960 W John Phippen of Buckland Dinham, Som, elected 1957 Rev’d Roger St John Smith of Darley Dale, elected 1950 Walter H Trueman of Romsey, Hants, elected 1929, Dennis G Brown of Beckenham and Penge, elected 1960 aged 99 years, the Society’s oldest known Member Urban W Wildney of Kirby Soken, Essex, elected 1934 Frank Heyes of Newton-le-Willows, elected 1948 William E Turner of Hardington Mandeville, elected 1950 Robin J Lee of Pampisford, Cambs, elected 1962 Peter Crook of Bilsborrow, Preston, elected 1928 Jeffrey Kershaw of Todmorden, elected 1986 Rodney B Meadows of Westminster Abbey and Kilburn, Harold W Milford of Havant, Hants, elected 1951 elected 1953, Master 1964-5, Trustee 1998-2002 Paul J Dye of Killara, NSW, elected 1961 Ranald W M Clouston MBE of Hartest, elected 1948 Eric Nixon of Newcastle-under-Lyme, elected 1959 Trevor Tarbatt of Wakefield Cathedral elected 1967 Ernest Preston of Gamston, Notts, elected 1961 Gordon A Halls of Mickleover, Derbys, elected 1961 Robert E Havard of Kidderminster, elected 1985 Ivor Goulter of Norton, Glos, elected 1948

As the Newsletter was going to press we heard of the death of our senior Member Frank E Darby, elected 1924.

______

MILESTONES

We congratulate the following 10 members who celebrated 50 years’ membership in 2002:-

Richard J Bowdon Roger Savory Derek Fowles Raymond W Skinner George W Massey Peter J Woodgyer Roland W Morant Jack R Worrall A James Phillips, Master 1990-1 David G Yeo

And Cecil R Longhurst who achieved the even greater distinction of 60 years’ Membership in 2002

We were very pleased that Jim Phillips, Roger Savory and Derek Fowles were able to attend the 365th Anniversary Dinner last November. Other Members present with over 50 years’ membership were Stan Mason (66), Jim Bullock (61), Vernon Benning (59), John Gipson (55) and David Kingston (51).

Page 7 From the Library

The Society’s Library is kept at St Paul’s Cathedral, in a honorarium from the church for Sunday ringing and this room immediately below the Ringing Chamber. It record shows that the young Jim Pipe from Suffolk was contains many books and other items of historical interest also enjoying himself in town as for the last quarter of dating back to the Society’s earliest years. 1928 he was fined sixpence for being naughty. But it gets As well as printed volumes, the Library contains worse, the following quarter he was fined ninepence for many of the Society’s records including Name Books, Peal being naughty! Books and Minutes. The tradition of handwriting peals The final records for 1940 are heavy with continues to this day, although the style is somewhat more poignancy. For the year 1939/40 there were 24 members sober than the magnificent illuminated volumes of earlier on the books and on Sunday June 9th 1940 they met 10 generations. ringers for Matins and 9 ringers for Evensong. The Sadly, some of the records were destroyed during following Sunday the bells fell silent. A minute of the the blitz of the Second World War. At the time some of CY’s meeting at the Coffee Pot on June 18th 1940 records the property was contained in a safe in the Coffee Pot, the ‘On Sunday June 16th 1940, by an order in Council all Society’s then headquarters pub. When the pub was ringing of church bells was prohibited throughout the destroyed by incendiaries the safe, which was on an upper land’. The last names in the visitor’s book reveal that on floor, plunged to the basement where it was subsequently May 4th 1940 Olive L Ashbrook and H W Rogers of found. Some items survived in a charred state but many Isleworth attended ringing at St Andrew’s. It was not long records were destroyed. Unfortunately, in the absence of before Hitler’s incendiary bombs reduced the church and back ups, the information which they contained has been tower to nothing but four walls. lost for good. The material from St Andrew’s also included Whilst we heartily hope that no such disaster will some dinner menus of times past. The 1927 dinner menu ever occur again, we are more careful these days to ensure reveals there were 11 speeches, the National Anthem was that we have duplicate records. At the Society’s March sung, there was Stedman Cinques on handbells, 2 handbell Meeting it was agreed that the Junior Society Peal Book tune solos, and 2 songs. The first of these ‘Danny Boy’, 1820-39, the Society’s Peal Books 1885-1974 and the was to be sung by Captain (later Major) J H R Freeborn. Society’s Minutes and Copy Minutes 1884-1990 be Now the thought of the gallant Captain getting up to try microfilmed and stored in a location away from the main and sing Danny Boy after a hard days drinking fills me Library. Copies of the filmed material will be made with some trepidation. Major Freeborn does however available to the Central Council Library and the Guildhall feature in some correspondence that follows. Library to facilitate access and provide additional backup. Among a carrier bag full of papers from the late Since 2000 the Society’s Minutes have been Charles W Roberts is a letter (circa 1945) from Wilfred prepared on word processor rather than being handwritten Williams, then living and working in Cheltenham, to and appropriate back up arrangements are in place. Charlie Roberts. The letter is pure Wilfred and the The Society is always grateful to receive following extracts will amuse those who knew him. donations of books and ephemera for the Library and we are indebted to George Pipe, Laith Reynolds, Chris Ridley, ‘Dear Charles, Mike Chilcott and all those other members who have so ……I thought there would be a peal on that day. generously given items recording the history of ringing It is now definitely off so if you would like me to deputise and the College Youths. It is so interesting to find things for you at St Paul’s that Sunday and also the following coming together after many years and indeed generations Sunday August 11th I shall be pleased to do so. You have apart. George Pipe recently gave a silver plated cigarette probably heard that I did your bit on Victory Day. Of case and solid silver matchbox formerly the property of course I am assuming that you are going away August Joseph S Hawkins (Master 1927 & 1931). Joe Hawkins week-end as usual hence my offer. had been very kind to Cecil W (Jim) Pipe (George & ……..Went down to Wrington last Sat with some Rod’s dad) when he first came to London, hence the Oxford people for Stedman. The great Freeborn ruined it connection. The case still contains strands of tobacco and by tearing the tenor along at breakneck speed and then the the striking plate of the matchbox had been well used. 6th began to slip wheel and so we packed up after two One can imagine the pleasant evenings in the Coffee Pot, hours. I told the tenor man that it was his fault and I heard the meetings, outings and other occasions when these afterwards that he is never going to ring with me again (a items would have been much in evidence. If only they great loss)……………Please let me know about the St could talk. Paul’s duties and also inform H Langdon that I am By a strange coincidence the following week attending for you, that is if you need me. other items were given to the library by Valerie Payne, He wrote me yesterday and said you had not been librarian of The Middlesex Association. These are records up for some weeks and that they were ringing the whole relating to St Andrew’s, Holborn, very much a College pull and stand for Hoskins last Monday night. So there Youth tower between the wars, and you may have guessed will be another election taking place and one of the that the names of Joe Hawkins and Jim Pipe feature undesirables may get in. Would you please send me H prominently in the books. The former was Secretary of the Miles address, I am going to see if there is a chance of tower for many years and Jim Pipe was Master of the getting St Mary Abbotts for Cambridge Royal on Sat Aug tower for the year 1929/30. The ringers received an 10th, keep it dark though.’ Jim Phillips Page 8 The Society’s Bell Restoration Fund

Our Bell Restoration Fund dates back to 1978 when it was churches under which tower fees and donations decided to close down the Society’s Benevolent Fund and from visiting ringers are paid into our Bell to use its proceeds to start up a new Bell Repair Fund. The Restoration Fund in exchange for our undertaking Benevolent Fund had been in existence for some time for to pay for routine maintenance (eg ropes, clapper the purpose of providing assistance to members in and pulley maintenance). Some £900 was collected financial difficulty. Our then Treasurer, Stan Mason, in this way during 2002 and it is estimated that carried through negotiations with the Inland Revenue and expenditure should average out at around £500 per the Charity Commissioners, leading to the Fund’s annum at each tower. We have recently instituted a registration as a charity. Its opening balance was £183.16 scheme whereby these fees and donations can be and the first recorded grant was in 1978 for £105.24 to St paid under Gift Aid. The other two churches at Giles Cripplegate for the refurbishment of four clappers. which a significant amount of revenue is earned from visiting ringers, St Sepulchre and St Mary-le- Where does the money go? Bow, have their own bell funds.

The Fund’s rules state that grants can only be made to o Interest. The Fund is currently invested in a churches where the Society has a major interest. In National Savings Income Account. Interest totalled practice, this restricts grants to those Central London £940 in 2002. churches at which the Society regularly practices, but with the occasional exception. For example, we recently made The most spectacular single source of income to the Fund a grant from the Fund towards the bell restoration scheme over recent years has been the Oranges and Lemons at Brereton Parish Church, the home our Founder and first project, whereby profits from the sale of prints and Master. However, the Fund is normally unable to respond Christmas cards based on a reproduction of the 1929 to requests for grants to other churches, even where watercolour by H E Tidmarsh have been shared between individual members are heavily involved. the Bell Funds of the Society and the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths. Each Fund has received to date Where does the money come from? £10,926. The scheme was the brainchild of David Hilling Income to the Fund arises from a number of regular and Alan Regin, who deserve our thanks and sources as well as from some one off initiatives. congratulations, not just for their inspiration but for the untiring energy and time they have spent in promoting The main regular sources of income are:- displays and deliveries, in which they have been assisted by a number of members, notably our Senior Steward, o Annual steepleage. As an alternative to payment of Colin Newman. (Although too modest to say so, Andrew weekly steepleage (currently £1 per practice) himself did a great deal of work on the project-Ed). The members are invited to pay a discounted annual rate project has now largely run its course, with only a few of £40. This goes directly to the Bell Restoration prints and Christmas cards remaining. They will be Fund and, if paid under Gift Aid, enables the Fund available at the Ringing World Roadshow, which may be to claim back the tax. Higher rate income tax your last opportunity to avail yourselves of these superb payers are encouraged to pay annual steepleage at products. the higher rate of £52 per annum, as they can claim back the extra tax themselves. This option has been Future Plans taken up by a number of members who, although not regular practice attendees, see it as contributing With a current balance in excess of £30,000 it might be to the Society’s well being on a regular basis. thought that the Fund is well provided, if not Annual steepleage during 2002 amounted to oversubscribed. However £2,000 is already reserved for £1,640, with £430 tax claimed back under Gift Aid. work at St Sepulchre and plans are being drawn up at Any member who would like to participate in this Cripplegate and Cornhill, each likely to cost a four figure way is asked to contact the Treasurer who will sum. And we know that the amount of ringing at St make the necessary arrangements. Sepulchre since the bells were restored will give rise to the need for more expenditure before long. o Pence Box. A collecting box is circulated at every And what about the “big one”? There is Business Meeting, members being invited to fill it frequent talk in the Counting House about whether we with their loose change. In 2002 £280 was should launch another project like St Sepulchre and how collected and a drive is under way to convince far £30,000 would go if that became more than just a members that “loose change” can in this day and dream. Nevertheless a Fund of this size is a big age include pounds and not just pence! responsibility and the Officers are currently working on a strategy for its future management. In the meantime, we o Tower fees and donations at St Giles, Cripplegate have a healthy Fund with sound, regular income. Please and St Michael’s Cornhill. Over recent years, the help us to keep it that way. Society has set up arrangements with these two Andrew Stubbs

Page 9

Area First To 1801- Leading towers represented in the Society’s membership 1801-1914 1914 1914 Beds 1874 7 7 Woburn (3), and 1 each from Barton le Clay, Bedford, Dunstable and Old Warden Berks 1731 117 81 Appleton and Besselsleigh (9), Caversham (14), Drayton (6), Maidenhead (15), Reading (12), Wargrave (7) and Windsor (3) Bristol 1720 38 27 Bristol City (26) Bucks 1785 33 32 Farnham Royal (3), Great Marlow (4), High Wycombe (6), Hughenden (5) and Wraysbury (8) Cambs 1727 66 29 Cambridge and University (27), and 1 each from Ely and Wilburton Cheshire 1851 48 48 Chester (25), Crewe (3), Hyde (4), Mottram (3) and Stockport (7) Cornwall 1864 6 6 Fowey (2), Penzance (2) and 1 each from Calstock and Pillaton Cumberland 1872 4 4 Carlisle, Keswick, St.Bees and Workington – 1 each Derbys 1760 23 20 Derby (3), Glossop (5), Norton (3), Staveley (3) and 2 each from Burbage, Chesterfield and Duffield Devon 1783 152 120 Alphington (4), Devonport (5), Exeter (43), Heavitree (16), Huntsham (15), Ilfracombe (3), Plymouth (6) and Tiverton (7) Dorset 1867 7 7 Wimborne (3) and 1 each from Fordington, Shaftesbury, Sherborne and Wyke Regis Durham 1773 7 6 Sunderland (3), Darlington (2) and South Shields (1) Essex * 1760 204 182 Bocking (13), Braintree (9), Chelmsford (8), Galleywood (4), Prittlewell (9), Rayleigh (4), Stanstead Mountfitchet (6), Saffron Walden (3), Waltham Abbey (19), Widford (7) and Writtle (4) Gloucs 1687 57 48 Cheltenham (7), Gloucester (32) Hants and Isle of 1741 36 26 Bournemouth (6), Christchurch (3), Romsey (3), Southampton (4) and Winchester (3) Wight Herefs 1867 5 5 Colwall, Hereford, Kington, Mathon and Ross – 1 each Herts 1736 210 128 Baldock (6), Benington (4), Bishops Stortford (10), Bushey (12), Hatfield (3), Hemel Hempstead (4), Hertford (13), Hitchin (7), Oxhey (6), Rickmansworth (3), Sawbridgeworth (7), St.Albans (33) and Watford (9) Hunts 1763 2 1 Bythorn (1) Ireland 1869 22 22 Dublin (4), Waterford (15) and 1 each from Bandon, Belfast and Kilkenny Kent * 1718 413 316 Canterbury (14), Chislehurst (21), Edenbridge (7), Gillingham (4), Gravesend (34), Maidstone (19), Rochester (12), Sittingbourne (8), Staplehurst (7), Tenterden (5), Westerham (11) Lancs 1788 128 112 Ashton under Lyne (21), Bolton (5), Burnley (3), Eccles (4), Garston (7), Liverpool (30), Manchester (13), Rochdale (8) and Southport (4) Leics 1732 31 22 (11), (7) and 1 each from Hallaton, , Netherseale and Peckleton Lincs 1771 36 35 Boston (4), Lincoln (4), Spalding (15) and 2 each from Gainsborough, Pinchbeck and Sleaford London (City) 167 70 (Members chiefly listed by residence rather than by tower) Middx * 1731 770 492 Bow (Stratford) (10), Chiswick (14), Ealing (5), Edmonton (20), Isleworth (8), Ruislip (8), Tottenham (17), Twickenham (8) and Willesden (11) Norfolk 1758 51 41 Diss (3), Great Yarmouth (4), Marsham (3), Norwich (14) and 2 each from Bergh Apton, Hockwold-cum- Wilton, Kings Lynn and Pulham Market Northants 1760 18 11 Northampton (3), Peterborough (2) and 1 each from Kingsthorpe, Lowick, Oundle, Thorpe Malsor, Wansford and Wellingborough Northumberland 1851 11 11 Newcastle on Tyne (9) and 1 each from Cramlington and Whitley Bay Notts 1765 15 9 Bawtry (2), Nottingham (5) and 1 each from Lenton and Mansfield Oxon 1689 103 54 Oxford (25) and the University (24), Whitchurch (2) and 1 each from Chipping Norton, Great Tew and Henley on Thames Salop 1693 34 10 Shrewsbury (7), Whitchurch (2) and Shifnal (1) Scotland 1869 31 31 Alloa (1), Dundee (3), Edinburgh (24), Leith (3) Somerset 1763 49 45 Bath (3), Midsomer Norton (2), Minehead (10), Taunton (17) Staffs 1872 11 11 Burton on Trent (2), West Bromwich (6) and 1 each from Handsworth, Lichfield and Wombourn Suffolk 1714 106 96 Bury St.Edmunds (5), Eye (7), Halesworth (3), Ipswich (43), Kelsale (3), Sudbury (5), and 2 each from Bungay, Debenham, Leiston, Otley, Ufford, Wickham Market and Worlingworth Surrey* 1734 538 330 Ashtead (5), Bletchingley (3), Capel (15), Charlwood (7), Dorking (11), Ewell (3), Guildford (2), Horley (5), Leatherhead (3), Nutfield (3), Reigate (7) Sussex 1773 74 66 Arundel (10), Brighton (3), Chichester (17), Hastings (4), Horsham (2), Rusper (3), Steyning (2) and Warnham (12) Wales 1717 23 21 Bangor (13), Swansea (1) and Wrexham (7) Warwicks 1771 52 21 Birmingham (16), Rugby (2) and 1 each from Edgbaston and Nuneaton Westmoreland 1868 3 3 Ambleside (1), Kendal (2) Wilts 1760 46 41 Devizes (10), Salisbury (26), Wilton (2) and 1 each from Potterne, Swindon, Trowbridge and Wootton Bassett Worcs 1773 26 19 Great Malvern (2), Worcester (10) and 1 each from Bransford, Bromsgrove, Droitwich, Evesham, Kings Norton, Stourbridge and Wollaston Yorks 1758 195 173 Barnsley (14), Beverley (2), Bradford (21), Doncaster (6), Halifax (2), Heptonstall (2), Holbeck (3), Huddersfield (3), Hull (15), Ilkley (2), Leeds (9), Rotherham (3), Sheffield (51), Wakefield (7) and York (15)

This analysis of the membership has only been made possible by the completion of a spreadsheet containing full details from the name books. Hopefully members will agree that the results are interesting in illustrating the way in which the Society has forged and maintained links with the wider ringing community throughout its history. The results are of interest, too, in providing information on towers and places where the leading ringers of their day took a pride in being College Youths.

Page 10 The Immediate Past Master Continues his Study of Society Membership

In last year’s Newsletter, I gave a short account of the By then the total recorded membership stood at 4695, early membership of the Society in the period up to 1800. representing an increase of 2934 during the period under This included a chart showing the number of elections to review. As noted in last year’s article, the Society went the College Youths for each decade from 1637 to 1839 and through a difficult period in the opening decades of the a county-by-county analysis showing the towers and places nineteenth century and this was reflected in the relatively represented in our early membership lists. By the end of low numbers of new members elected until after 1850. 1801 the names of 1761 people had been entered in the The later decades witnessed a staggering increase to a peak Society’s name book. of 678 in the 1880s after which numbers tailed off in the This year’s article continues the story to the end years up to the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. of 1914.

Elections to the Society 1800-1920

700 678 600 571 500 458 400 384 300 221 200 185 180 125 100 56 49 48 74 0 1800s 1810s 1820s 1830s 1840s 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s

Apart from a brief spell in the 1860s the membership Looking to the wider membership, the table on the facing record is remarkably complete, and tower or place details page reflects the relative strength of the Society’s are given for all but 88 (3%) of those who joined between membership across the between 1801 and 1801 and 1914. Of the new members who joined in this 1914 – with the total number of members to 1914 being period, about 920 (31%) came from London and the given as well as those for the period under review as an surrounding area while the remainder came from indication of continuity from the period covered in last elsewhere. year’s article. The majority came from other parts of England, Although many of the leading centres of ringing but the Society also had members from Wales, Scotland such as Birmingham, Liverpool, Ipswich, Sheffield and and Ireland along with a handful from overseas. By 1914 Edinburgh are well represented in this list, there are some we had members from Edinburgh in Canada (New unexpected places too. The large numbers of members Brunswick), one from Lahore (now in Pakistan) and three from Devon, for instance, seems a little surprising given from Boston in the USA including A.H. Nichols and his the distance from London. This doubtless reflects the daughter Margaret. Elected in 1902, Margaret Nichols was sense of community among change-ringers in an area the second of the nine women who joined the Society where call-change ringing was prevalent. Other surprises between 1891 and 1919. The first – elected as an honorary include the large numbers of ringers from Chester, member in 1891 – was Rosa Macalpine-Levy from Gloucester, Salisbury and from Bangor in North Wales. Speldhurst in Kent. The bare statistics, of course, only tell part of As one might expect, towers in the immediate the story. The membership list contains a great many environs of the Capital provided large numbers of the names that are famous in the annals of ringing history for Society’s members. Some towers – like Southwark, the performances in which they took part and for the Kensington, Fulham, Chelsea, Croydon and Greenwich - contribution they made to the development of the Exercise. were consistently strong in their loyalty to the College To select names from a list of almost 3000 ringers would Youths over two centuries. Others were significantly be difficult, but the Society’s archives include some stronger in the eighteenth century than in the nineteenth excellent contemporary photographs of many of the century, like Twickenham, Isleworth, Mortlake and leading members from the 1870s. A selection of these – Deptford. The nineteenth century saw the emergence of many of the big names in ringing of their time - can be new centres of ringing supporting the Society, with viewed online in the gallery on the website Bethnal Green, Woolwich, Walthamstow, Edmonton, (http://ascy.org.uk/pages/history.htm). Bermondsey and Stepney among them. Chris Pickford

Page 11 PRACTICE SCHEDULE 2003 CORRESPONDENCE Practices are normally advertised in the last Ringing World Please send to the Secretary, Phil Rogers, 193 Lennard of each month and on the Society’s Web Site. Road, Beckenham Kent, BR3 1QN. Tel 020 8778 6308. Email [email protected]. Items for the Web Site May 6:P 13:G* 20:N 27:B should be Emailed to the Web Master ([email protected]). Jun 3:P 10:C* 17:N 24:S Jul 1:P 8:G* 15:N 22:G 29:O ASCY ON THE WEB Aug 5:P 12:N* 19:B 26:S The Society’s Web Site is at www.ascy.org.uk. The Site Sep 2:P 9:B* 16:G 23:C 30:B gives regular updates on Society activities as well as Oct 7:P 14:C* 21:P 28:S contact details for Members, Society peals back to 1968 Nov 4:P 11:N* 18:C 25:S and much other information. Pictures of Society events Dec 2:B 9:N* 16:P 23:G 30:B are particularly popular and occasionally controversial.

B = St Mary-le-Bow N = St Sepulchre, Newgate SOCIETY EGROUP C = St Michael’s Cornhill P = St Paul’s Cathedral The Society maintains an Email news service, which is G = St Giles, Cripplegate S = Southwark Cathedral free to Members. Subscription is via the web site or by O = Out of Town (venue TBA) sending an Email request to the Secretary or the Web * Denotes Meeting Night Master Meetings and normal pub venue (except Southwark) The Counting House, 50 Cornhill, London EC3. NEWSLETTER FINANCE This Newsletter is made possible by the contributions made by Members. Total production and postage costs of SOCIETY OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS 2002/3 last year’s Newsletter were £725.31. Members were Master Dickon R Love exceptionally generous with their donations and we raised Secretary Philip Rogers a total of £1034.85. This substantial surplus has enabled Treasurer Andrew N Stubbs us to cover some of the losses sustained on the Newsletter Senior Steward Colin G Newman in previous years and we are very grateful to the many Junior Steward Simon J L Linford Members who contributed. We regret that it is not Librarian A James Phillips possible to acknowledge donations individually but they Trustees John S Mason are very much appreciated. David E House MEMBERSHIP PROPOSALS Peal Recorder Philip Saddleton We are always on the lookout for good new members. Web Master Dickon Love Proposals are welcome at any Business Meeting or by letter to the Secretary. The Rules state that candidates should be over the age of 14, not members of the TOWER SECRETARIES Cumberlands, have rung at least a quarter peal in a St Mary-le-Bow: Mark Regan, 64 London Road, standard method and be “suitable persons who will uphold Worcester, WR5 2DY. Tel 01905 764364 the traditions and standards of the Society”. Candidates Email [email protected] and their sponsors are encouraged to be present at their St Michael’s Cornhill: Tony Kench, 40D Cornwall election meeting if possible, although we recognise that Gardens, London SW7 4AA. Tel 020 7937 9559. distance may rule this out. Proposals should be Email [email protected] accompanied by the full postal address (including St Giles Cripplegate: Gwen Rogers, 193 Lennard Road, postcode) of the candidate(s). The Membership fee Beckenham, Kent, BR3 1QN. Tel 020 8778 6308 remains one payment of £25. Email [email protected] St Lawrence Jewry: David Baverstock, St Benet’s MAILING LIST Chaplaincy, 327a Mile End Road, London E1 4NT. If you know of any Members who are no longer in touch Tel 020 8980 0562. with the Society please let us know. Thanks to all of those Email [email protected] Members who have identified “lost Members” and sent in St Sepulchre: Nigel Thomson, 50 Alders View Drive, their details. East Grinstead, W Sussex, RH19 2DN. Tel 01342 314480. Email [email protected] SOCIETY HISTORY An updated edition is being prepared. Would any PEAL FEES Members aware of errors in the book please let us know. The peal fee remains £1.50 per rope to be forwarded to the Secretary or Treasurer within 2 months, together with ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS details including composition. Advance notice of peals is A big thank you to all those who helped to put this given at Society Meetings if advised in time. The Newsletter together including the named people who Society’s Peal Book, which was about 7 years behind, is supplied articles plus ongoing technical support from Mrs currently being written up to date. Rogers. Many thanks also to the envelope stuffers, whose help is greatly appreciated.

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