Practice at H Grey. Amongst other things I plain-hunted on treble to: Plain Bob Triples (easy by numbers); Stedman Triples [Correction: I couldn’t have been plain hunting on the treble in Stedman Triples, because Stedman doesn’t have the treble plain hunting; probably I meant that I was ringing the tenor cover to this method — rather different! perhaps Grandsire Triples?]; and hardest of all, to St Simon’s Triples.
In St Simon’s the order of the bells is different coming down to the front from the order going up to the back, which means that I had to do it by ‘counting my place’ rather than by numbers. I more or less managed it (and didn’t lose my place), which must mean that my ‘rope sight’ in Triples is nearly there. Going up to the back is fairly easy (using the principle ‘follow the bell that followed you’). On the way down to the front I can see 7th place, 6th place (only one other rope left), just about see 5th place (two other ropes left), 2nd place (one rope gone down), and just about 3rd place (two ropes gone down) — and try and ring somewhere right for 4th place!
0 CommentsWe held another ringers’ meeting: Bob King was elected Tower Captain, and I was elected Tower Vice Captain. Sue Bates had earlier been chosen as Secretary so we now have a proper set of officers for our new band. Bob King was a member of the earlier band, so again, there is continuity with that band, as well as the necessary experience of these ringers. We would be hard pressed to ring without them.
0 CommentsMichael tried getting me to call some changes. First calling the treble up over each other bell (to 7th), then 2 over the others etc, until it comes back into rounds.
Later he had me try and call to ‘Queen’s’ (13572468) but I couldn’t get my head around this at the time.
As usual, a bit of thinking after the practice reveals that you need to call 6 up one place over 7, 4 up two places over 5 and 7, and 2 up 3 places over 3, 5 and 7; and then get them back of course.
0 CommentsThis month, for the first time we held a ringers’ meeting to formally change the signatories on the Tower bank account. Sue Bates and I became signatories. John Marlow remained as a signatory from the previous ringers, so that there is officially continuity with that band.
0 CommentsWith Sue Bates, and Caroline and Carrie-Anne Armes, I attended the AGM of the Huntingdon District of the Ely Diocesan Association of Church Bellringers. Sue, Jenny and I were elected members of the Association, which requires reasonable competency at ringing a bell.
0 CommentsNew Year’s Day: at 11.20am we rang the bells at St Ives to celebrate the New Year, followed by a lunch party for ringers from the area.
By this stage I could ring reasonably well in rounds on a number of bells, and could ring a tenor cover to a Triples method. I could also ring ‘called changes’, but not always correctly.
0 CommentsSunday 3 November 2002 All Saints’ Sunday: today we rang the bells after the main Sunday service, the first time that the new band of ringers, assisted by others, had rung the bells for worship. Several people rang at least a few pulls, including Jenny and me, together with Sue Bates, and (if I remember correctly) Carrie-Anne Armes, Chris Stephens, Andy Walker, and perhaps some others.
0 CommentsAfter five lessons at St Ives, we — Jenny and I — went to practice at Hemingford Grey. First time ringing an untied bell (that makes a sound) and first time at trying to ring rounds.
0 CommentsFirst practice session at St Ives. Using a tied bell (i.e. the clapper is strapped in place so that it doesn’t hit the bell and ring) a group of 5 or 6 beginners practised backstrokes. Michael White, tower captain at Hemingford Grey, assisted by his wife Bridget, was the teacher, supervising us, ringing the handstrokes, and ensuring nothing went wrong, or rescuing us if it did.
0 CommentsFor some time at St Ives there has been no regular ringing of the church bells. At long last something will be done about this, and Michael White, tower captain at neighbouring Hemingford Grey, has offered to teach a new band.
So this morning, after Church, Jenny and I stayed behind to hear what Michael had to say. I suppose nearly a dozen others were there too.
Michael set up a bell (number 5) at backstroke, and then we each, under his supervision, pulled it down, Michael catching the sally and re-setting the bell.
We agreed to start learning how to do this, so that our bells can once again sound out regularly to announce worship and other celebrations at the Church. First practice, tomorrow night.
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