THE PUBLICATION OF THE DURHAM AND NEWCASTLE DIOCESAN ASSOCIATION OF CHURCH BELL RINGERS THE D&N TIMES ISSUE 1 JUNE 2015 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: GOINGS ON IN THE 2 UPDATE: RINGING TO REMEMBER SOUTHERN DISTRICT RACHAEL HOUCHIN, DURHAM GOINGS ON IN THE 2 CENTRAL DISTRICT Since the last issue of THE TIMES, the Ring- Bamburgh and Earnest Ransom Mundle of GOINGS ON IN THE 4 ing to Remember project has gotten under Jesmond. During May and June there will NORTHERN DISTRICT way, with commemorative ringing taking be ringing for Jack Stewart of Darlington, place across the Association. Philip Hall of Bamburgh, Cecil Sayer of RECYCLED 5 RINGERS If the scope and intention of this project has Sunderland and Archibald Hetherington of passed you by, then let me remind you: Allendale. NO BATS IN OUR 5 BELFRY! ‘Ringing to Remember’ is the Association’s Details of these soldiers, and the associated five-year long project which aims to remem- commemorative ringing, can be found on A STRANGE 6 ber the forty-one ringers from the D&N pages 13-15 of this edition of THE TIMES REQUEST who fell during the First World War. and also on the Ringing to Remember Blog. BUSY TIMES AT 6 JESMOND ST GEORGE! The is truly a monumental task to under- If you are interested in getting involved in take, but it is the very least that we can do to ringing then please contact Rachael HOLY WEEK 7 RINGING recognise the sacrifice of these people. Houchin. If you have any further infor- The first piece of ringing was on 16th De- mation about any of the ringers who died EIGHT THEN 8 cember for Alix Oliffe Liddle of Darlington during the war, or wish to share details of EIGHT-SPLICED and continued with ringing for Thomas Hen- commemorative ringing then please get in FIRST 9 ry Wake and Wilfred Hereward Wake of touch with Ellen Crabtree. PEALS ROPE SPLICING 9 WORKSHOP ST. OSWALD’S 10 HARTLEPOOL BELL PROJECT V.E DAY 11 RINGING The 70th Anniversary of V.E. Day RINGING TO 13 KAREN DICKINSON, NORTH SHIELDS REMEMBER FROM THE 16 Many towers of the D&N joined in with Ponteland, Sunderland and North Shields CENTRAL COUNCIL ringing on Friday 8th, Saturday 9th or Sun- also completing further ringing over the 17 day 10th to commemorate the cessation of course of the weekend. GIFT AID hostilities in Europe at the end of WWII. THE 2015 CALENDAR 19 Quarter peals were rung at Ovingham, Pon- teland, Hartlepool, Rothbury, Durham, Thank you to all involved! D&N DINNER MASONIC HALL DURHAM Willington and Shincliffe with Allendale, OCTOBER 24TH 2015 Lanchester, St Cuthbert's Darlington, Ry- Further details of the ringing that was carried out ton, Barnard Castle, Berwick-upon-Tweed, over the course of the weekend can be found on Hexham, Shildon, Bamburgh, Gosforth, pages 11and 12. ISSUE 1 PAGE 2 GOINGS ON IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT JACK HANLON, HARTLEPOOL The year so far has been great for the contribute to the restoration appeal by by half a point – better luck next time. Southern District. We started it with a purchasing some raffle tickets at any Hexham, you need to watch out! There District Meeting at Darlington, Holy major D&N event. The raffle contains a have been 18 Tower Bell quarters at St Trinity, (somehow we managed to fine selection of Richards’s alcoholic Cuthbert’s so far this year, half of squash twenty-nine ringers into the beverages and will be drawn at the An- which were Surprise Major and, of very small belfry) and Hurworth. nual Dinner in October. St. Oswald’s which, three of these were spliced. This There is now regular ringing at St. was also host to a Peal of Grandsire is a great achievement for our ringers John’s as they have been greatly im- Caters in February, in memory of Rich- who continue to learn new methods proved by having a small working team ard. and practice them at our advanced attend to them last year. Stephen Recently, we held a 12 bell practice at practices and then solidify them by Duguid is trying to resurrect a band at Stockton and were joined by the Cen- ringing a long extent. Other quarters the church, and has attracted a few po- tral District. This collaboration worked rung include Surfleet, Stedman, Grand- tential ringers who are being taught at very well and was great to see a packed sire and Kent. Continued thanks goes St. Cuthbert’s. They had a very good -out tower. The night got off to an ex- to Chris Enzor for organising these write up in the Northern Echo, which citing start with a broken stay, but soon quarter peals. was good publicity for the church and it got back under control with some great At the time of reading, we will have is to be a hive of activity this year, with 12 bell ringing of Little Bob and Grand- enjoyed a very fine trip around North the Association 8 Bell Striking Compe- sire. There was lots of firsts; first on Yorkshire, ringing at six towers includ- tition being held on Saturday 13th June 12, first on 10, first plain hunt on 10 ing Felixkirk, Whorlton and Cowesby, (have you entered a team?!), and having and first broken stay, to name a few! to name a few. Over 30 people are on a Southern District Advanced Practice In the recent 6 Bell Striking Competi- the list to attend and we should have every other Tuesday. Our advanced tion at St. John’s, Newcastle, it was some great ringing and fellowship that practices are open to anyone to come very nearly a victory for St. Cuthbert’s day. along, but the minimum you need to be who narrowly missed out to Hexham I extend my thanks to all the ringers able to ring is Plain Bob Minor. A lot of who come out and ring for services, us, myself included, are currently practices, weddings and funerals, and ‘Battling with Bristol’! who continue to support and keep alive In March we held a great day out to our great tradition. Andrew Frost and Newcastle, where we rang at Heworth, Anthea Enzor do a superb job of Chair- St. John’s, Benwell, and Fenham. The man and Ringing Master respectively; battle of that day was most certainly without them and their enthusiasm our Benwell – these bells challenged even district would be a much less exciting our most experienced ringers! place. April saw St. Oswald’s Church in Har- tlepool host the Memorial Service for Please do get in touch with Secretary Jack Richard Turner, a district stalwart who Hanlon [email protected] or was tragically killed in November of Ringing Master Anthea Enzor; acen- last year. This occasion was very much [email protected] if you want to know more a celebration of life, and was proceeded about what’s going on in the Southern Dis- by a fantastic bring and share dinner. trict. The service contained some good cho- ral numbers with the D&N Choir being ably conducted by Kris King. Richard Things go Bump when would have most certainly approved of you strike? Matthew Atherton’s performance of Widor’s Toccatta on the organ. Don’t Panic! We are hoping to have a significant CONTACT THE D&N amount of work done on the bells at St. BELL MAINTAINANCE Oswald’s and have already started re- Stephen Duguid and Kate Millar ADVISOR moving all the sand from the bell pits – at St. John’s Darlington Howard Smith a gruesome job! You could always help PAGE 3 THE D&N TIMES GOINGS ON IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT ROBERT CRIDDLE, BRANCEPETH As usual, the past six months have been St. Brandon’s, Brancepeth DUSCR for taking part. Well done, rather busy for the Central District – too, to everybody who joined in the with a whole array of varied and enjoy- joint Central & Southern District 12- able events taking place. The first of bell practice at Stockton in April, which these was the Annual District Meeting was yet another popular evening. which was held in November at At an Association level, the District Lanchester, when the 2014 District hosted three events during the period – Officers were unable to escape re- the Carol Service at South Shields in election for 2015. The ADM was also December, the Tower Representatives’ tinged with sadness as the District Meeting in February (again, at Shin- marked the sudden passing of our good cliffe!) and the AGM in April (at Bran- friend Richard Turner. Although prin- cepeth). The AGM in particular was a cipally associated with the Southern well-attended and varied day – with District, Richard spent many years and also a rope splicing workshop in ringing on the steel bells at Willington, working around Durham, and a put a February. The workshop, organised by and on handbells, mini-ring and tower lot of time and effort into helping inex- Ellen Crabtree, proved to be a huge bells at Brancepeth, followed by a su- perienced ringers – particularly Uni- success – with attenders from both the perb tea attended by over 75 people. versity of Durham students – to pro- Central and Northern Districts, who gress through Surprise Major quarter were ably assisted by expert volunteer Thanks are due to everybody who has peals through the use of the affection- tutors from as far away as Nottingham! helped to make the past six months ately named “Turner Ladder”. Richard Thanks are due to everybody who such a success for the District – espe- was a regular visitor at District events, helped to make this particular event cially those who have provided such and he is certainly sadly missed by a lot such a worthwhile morning.