Index

After discussion with the District Committee members I have placed the four old minute books in the county archives, at Matlock for safe keeping.  This means that anyone who wishes to undertake any research is able to access them along with the association material stored there; however, they remain in our ownership.

Jane Boden

I try and try with all my might
To learn bob doubles, get it right.
Simple they say; it’s easy to see.
If that’s the case what’s wrong with me?
Nerves on hold the mouth is dry
I try so hard, the end seems nigh
Another try - tonight’s the night
This time now I’ll get it right
The method’s learnt, I know it well -
Then Bob comes in “oh what the hell”!!

R.O.B.N.

As keen bellringers we have come to realise that there is a vast source of untapped prospective bell ringers who may be deterred from joining a local ringing group.  In view of this we thought you may be interested in the results of a recent survey to ascertain common reasons why people are reluctant to try their hand at ringing.  Also included are a few suggestions which may help to swell the declining numbers of bell ringers.

1. People are embarrassed about showing their bare midriff or their underwear.
Answer: Advise prospective ringers to invest in new underwear.  Harrods can be recommended as they wash well, are hard wearing, available in all shapes and sizes.  Long johns, interlock vests, 24 hour girdles are all allowed but young shapely females must not wear basques, suspenders, fish net stockings as this may cause visual disturbance with the male gender during ringing.

2. People are embarrassed when in the close confines of some bell towers.
Answer: Sticky black paper cut to size  of teeth.  Apply just before evening ringing and smile a lot.  Sleep in clothes at least over night, do not attend to personal hygiene for at least 1 week.  Complain about the lack of libido in front of the ringers and keep saying you’re to old to keep pulling.  Male members must not wear sleeveless T-shirts as those rippling muscles may make a few female members swoon.

3. People do not attend because of poor weather.
Answer:  All bell towers should have a supply of wellies, brollies and anoraks during the rainy season.  Supply information of times of snowball fights and building snowmen during the appropriate weather.  These should coincide with bell ringing practice nights.

4. People do not attend because of good weather.
Answer:  Hold gardening tutorials on practice nights.  Each ringer can take it in turns to host these tutorials – this will ensure that their other halves do not have to take care of the gardening.  This gives more time for bona fide ringers to spend more time partaking in liquid refreshment.

5. People cannot understand ringing jargon.
Answer:  Use of appropriate language skills when talking to ringers.  Say 1 5 2 6 3 7 4 8 not TITTUMS.  Or when being observed by new recruits do not just say go BRISTOL surprise.  This type of language can be misconstrued by the un-initiated.

WE REALISE THIS LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE AND YOU MAY HAVE IDEAS OF YOUR OWN, IF SO PLEASE LET US KNOW.       R.O.B.N.

The annual district meeting on the 9th January is our opportunity to elect a new committee for the coming year.  All the posts are up for re-election each year but the following need special thought because the current incumbents would prefer not to stand.

• District Secretary: Jane Boden is standing down because she took up the role of Association Secretary when Pat Halls was elected president.
• Education committee representative: Elizabeth Heaton would like to stand down because she feels she’s ‘running out of steam’.

Following the practice at Over Pulling one Friday, the ringers retired to their usual pub, the Aching Arms.  The tower captain of Over Pulling, Marlene Spike, thought this was a good opportunity to explain to one of the band, Bob Doublesday, the way the Call Changes are performed in the well known Call Change county, Greater Manchester.  She said that it was the custom to ring the bells down before each piece and ring them up again afterwards, but that the conductor would nevertherless call each change at Backstroke as they do everywhere else.  Marlene then explained that they used predefined sets of calls, or “quarter peals”, and she decided to teach Martin how to call one known as “Eighty on Thirds”.  This, said Marlene, started with the calls “2 to 3” and “4 to 5” and “2 to 5” to give tittums, also known as thirds.  The treble was then moved to 5ths place with “1 to 3”, “1 to 5”, “1 to 4” and “1 to 2”.  At  this point Marlene released she could not remember anymore of it and, being an experienced ringer needed to bluff her way out of this predicament.

Just then the vicar of Over Pulling, Rev. Canterbury, came over to Marlene.  He was himself a fine ringer and had called a quarter peal of Plain Bob Doubles only a few months previously.  The time had come to send it to the “Ringing World” but he couldn’t remember the details.  He recalled the band was Gudgeon Pynn and his wife Polly, Bert Headstock, Rusty Dingler, Marlene Spike and himself.  Between them he and Marlene eventually managed to remember the following facts.

1. Neither of them ever dodged with Rusty,
2. Bert’s bell was bigger than Rev. Canterbury’s,
3. Although Queens and Tittums appeared 11 times each, the quarter was less than 1320,
4. Polly rang next to Gudgeon,
5. Marlene ran in at the last bob in the short part whilst Polly made the bob,
6. Neither Gudgeon nor Bert followed Marlene during Tittums or Queens.

Gudgeon Pynn.

Brailsford ringers recently extended their activities to May pole dancing when they entertained at Brailsford Church Fete.  Perhaps this exercise is not so different from ‘The Exercise’.  We agreed the ‘Barbers Pole’ is similar to ‘Rounds’.  ‘Plaiting’ is perhaps more akin to ‘Plain Hunt’ and ‘The spiders Web’ not unlike ‘Treble Bobbing’ – all good practice for the Millennium!  It was visually very effective and appreciated by on-lookers.  At this same fete balloons purchased by ringers from the District were released.  We have news of where many landed, the furthest travelling over the Humber to East Yorkshire.  The winner was not a ringer, but many thanks for supporting us.

Back in the tower we have achieved another first quarter.  Anne-Marie Chesshire joins Rosemary Chesshire, Gemma Adams, Rachel Woodward, Elaine Baines, Amy and Charles de Nobriga – Seven so far this year.   Well done all!

Mary Cox.

Double Stedman Minor.
Here is a six bell method you can try if you like Stedman.  The treble rings the quick work on front and back (and so plain hunts on six).  The other five bells ring the slow work on the front and back.

• mellow tenor, 19cwt in A (bells of this weight are usually tuned to E or E flat.  Have a look in  “Dove”
• ringing of his 20,000 peals (20,000 peals is extremely unlikely)
• pint of Marston’s Bass (Marston’s don’t brew Bass)
• the bitter end of the bell rope (the end of the rope is the “tail end”, the “bitter end” of a rope is the actual end of the rope as tucked in half way up the tail end)
• 5056 Plain Bob Minor (Peals of minor must be multiples of 720 and are therefore normally 5040)
• 6 extents, each called differently (5040 is seven extents, six extents is too short for a peal)
• on the fine ring of six, Bert had covered (Plain Bob Minor on six bells can’t have a cover)
• everyone had the sun in their eyes the whole time (how can six people in a circle all have the sun in their eyes at the same time?)
• the band had decided to stop for a break and resume later that evening (you are not allowed to stop for a break!)
• The extent was
• W B H 23456
• s s s 53246 (these singles produce 52346)
• s     42356
• (the diary contains a similar extent but with a bob at H in each part.  It is not necessary to include this bob to obtain a true extent and this course end is correct when this bob is omitted.  Thus the second course is correct.  Those of you who had this as a mistake here are therefore not correct.)
• Repeat six times (two problems with “repeat six times”.)
• Problem 1 – Repeat six times means do it seven times in all.  There are no seven parts extents of minor (go on, prove me wrong)
• Problem 2 – Since the first part end produces 42356 with three bells out of place, the second part must produce 34256 and the third part 23456.  This gives six courses, which is only 360.  In other words there must also be singles at H half way and end.)

1260 Plain Bob and Grandsire Doubles
1 Maggie Self
2 Brian Tomlinson
3 Peter Marriott
4 Alec Humphrey
5 John Heaton (c)
6 Eleanor Evans

I am having a problem keeping my mind on what I am supposed to be ringing. I understand the blue line but when ringing my mind wanders, and before I know where I am, I’ve forgotten what I’m supposed to be doing and am
crashing around lost.

Concentration comes with practice, although some people are naturally better at keeping their mind on a task than others.  Ringing for longer periods of time (quarters and peals) is probably a good way to improve your ability to concentrate in shorter touches as well. It is important when ringing to try and avoid thinking of other things e.g. how hungry you are, how much you fancy the ringer on the fourth, whether you have turned the cooker off, or worst of all how long it has been since you’ve gone wrong!

It is also useful to keep thinking a little bit ahead about what is coming next.  Be careful though not to start ringing the next bit before you get there.

My tower captain tells me I must listened to my bell more when I am ringing. Unfortunately although I do try very hard, I can’t pick it out amongst the others.  I really would like to improve my ringing so have you any advise you
can offer me?

Listening to your bell whilst ringing is very important since it is the only way to consistently achieve good striking (evenly spaced, rhythmical ringing that is enjoyable to listen to).   It is good you have recognised this fact.  However, you say you can’t pick your bell out amongst the others.  This is not an uncommon problem, but there are a number of ways to help you hear your bell better.

1. Ring rounds on a bell, and count each bell as it rings.  If you are ringing the fourth, listen for the fourth bell in the sequence.  Keep counting all the time. 123456123456 123456123456.  After a while you will hopefully be counting automatically, and will be able to pick your bell more easily.
2. Try a few call changes.  Keep counting.  You will need to know which place your bell is in the sequence.  In tittums you will be ringing second. 142536142536 142536142536
3. It is often easier to pick out your bell if you are ringing the treble or tenor.  On higher numbers this is very much the case.
4. Listening to ringing can help very much to train your ears to listen for a bell. Obtain a tape of good ringing (the Central Council produce a couple of good examples) and listen carefully, trying to concentrate on a particular bell.  Also, listen to others when they are ringing.
5. Keep trying, the more you listen the easier it will get.

Ringing peals is difficult without any ringers, so my first task is to offer the excellent opportunity to all you keen people out there who have been waiting for this chance.  If this fails I will have to resort to the less pleasant methods of obtaining ringers such as arm-twisting, bribery, kidnap!

If you would like to ring please give me a call.  (01332) 253684 or Christian.  It doesn’t matter if you’ve not rung a peal before. Providing you can plain hunt the treble or bong behind, I am sure we can find a space for you.  Alternatively if you have ambitions to ring something a bit more taxing let me know, we may be able to do that too.

Apologies for not organising a Plain Hunt and Bob Doubles day on 12th September as promised.  However, we’ve rescheduled it to 31st October instead.  It’s a good opportunity to get some concentrated practice and meet some ringers from other towers too, so come if you can.