Index

Six of us met to ring at Etwall, where we successfully attempted a previously unrung surprise method which we called Isca Silurum – ‘first’ number one.  We then travelled to Repton where at least seven of us lost Grandsire Triples for the first time this year – number two.  Next stop to the Stanhope Arms on the outskirts of Bretby, and then to Newhall where we rang Plain Bob Doubles with the third as hunt bell, this was a ‘first’ for the ringers of 1,4 & 5 – number 3, it was also the 101st quarter this year for the ringer of the sixth – ‘first’ number four.  Our final quarter at Winshill was another unrung method very similar to the other one, we called it Venta Silurum – number five.  Finally the rest of the band would like to congratulate and give their best wishes to Graeme and Gill because this day was their 31st wedding anniversary ‘first’? number six.

Our thanks go to all incumbents and ringing masters involved for the use of their bells.

A.H.

We were fortunate to be able to use Duffield bells for both sessions.  Two of our allotted students didn’t materialise which meant that the four who were present had a much better ‘crack at the whip’ than they might otherwise have had.

Laura Astbury from Ashbourne was only able to be with us in the morning, but like the other members of the group was able to show her grasp of the principle by writing out Plain Hunt on five and on eight.   She made good progress in ringing Plain Hunt on five on the treble and she also rang a course of Grandsire Doubles on the treble.

Emma Astbury, Laura’s sister decided after the morning session to forego her previously arranged activity and came back for more ringing in the afternoon.  She rang the treble and the second to Grandsire Doubles, the treble to 120 Bob Doubles and to Plain Hunt on 6 and 7.

Brian Astbury, the girls’ father, made good progress and has now rung the treble to plain courses of Grandsire Doubles and to 120 Plain Bob Doubles – he has also rung the tenor with aplomb several times to doubles and to plain hunt on 7.

Ben Kershaw of Melbourne came to us having previously rung the treble to Plain Bob Doubles and wishing for more practice at Plain Hunt on other bells.  With very little ado he adapted to ringing plain hunt on the 5th (easy ropesight), then the 2nd (harder ropesight).  This was followed by Grandsire Doubles on the 2nd and the treble to Plain Bob Minor and Plain Hunt on 7.  By this time Ben was displaying such confidence that we showed him how to dodge in 3-4 and to make 4 blows behind; he then rang several courses of Bastow Little Court Doubles – he is now able to ring all the component parts of Plain Bob Doubles.

I would like to thank all those ringers who so willingly gave their time, and to congratulate each of our students; well done.

Alec Humphrey

Pentritch, St Mathew (11-0-14)
30th October, 1998
1260 Plain Bob Doubles
1 Alec Humphrey (c)
2 Graeme Hughes
3 Sally Bramson
4 Alan Rowe
5 Iain Clifford (1st Quarter Peal)
6 John Marshall

Well done Iain!

Belper, St Peter
22nd December, 1998
1260 Plain Bob Doubles
1 Chris Reade (1st Quarter Peal)
2 Alec Humphrey (c)
3 Graeme Hughes
4 Gill Hughes
5 John Booth
6 Ian Clifford

Well done Chris!

Why does it often seem easier to ring odd bell methods with a cover than even bell methods without?

There are probably two main reasons why you find odd bell methods easier.  Firstly, when you come to lead you always lead off the tenor so you know straight away where to look.  In even bell methods each time you arrive at lead you may be leading off a different bell, which you have to find.

The second important reason is a tenor covering helps set a good even beat (providing the tenor ringer is in the right place of course!).  It is more difficult to get an even rhythm when the tenor is in with everybody else.  This all depends really on the experience of the band as a whole, but most bands find it easier to achieve good striking when ringing odd bell methods.  If the ringing is even and has a good rhythm it is much easier to spot the bells you are
supposed to be following.

Which tower has the longest rope draft in Derbyshire?

Interesting question, and one I don’t know the answer to.  Melbourne certainly has a fairly long rope draft.  The bells are rung from the chancel crossing and fall through three sets of rope guides.  The longest rope draft in the country is reputed to be at Crowland Abbey in Lincolnshire.  The ropes there are almost 90ft in length.  If anybody does know which are the longest in Derbyshire please write to Strike Notes and put us right.

More from uncle Bob, next month!

This month’s method is another simple, yet seldom rung plain minor method.  Stanstead College Bob.  Try it next time as a change to St. Clements or Double Oxford.

The grey forms had been sent out by Maurice and Mary and we sat in the pub following one of our quarters when the subject of quarter peal day came up – isn’t it strange how all the best ideas arise in such circumstances?  We would request something out of the ordinary, a quarter in a method that no-one had ever heard of and that was not impossibly difficult.

Finding a method was easy enough, I just skimmed through the collection of treble dodging minor methods making notes of interesting names, eventually coming up with TDMM 984 which is called Isca Dumnoniorum (which you will all recognise as the Roman name of Exeter).  This method is very similar to Cambridge above the treble, and to London below the treble and although irregular is fairly straightforward to ring.

John Cater filled in his form, Graeme and Gill Hughes filled in theirs, I filled in ours at St Peter’s. Then – quelle horreur – our form disappeared from the ringing room notice board, someone who will remain nameless had tidied up the notice board and mis-read the date, consigning it to the bin, never to be seen again.  So my name was added to the Belper list, but since Alan Rowe was not available to ring we were still two ringers short and we needed a conductor.  Then somebody remembered Caroline and Tim had been around when the scheme was first hatched, and accordingly we decided that they would most certainly wish to help out.  Since they were on holiday and would remain so after the closure date I was nominated to visit the Cathedral and amend their grey form to include Isca.

When we received our schedules for quarter peal day there was not even a sniff of Isca Dumnoniorum. However we six were down for an interesting sounding, but totally non-existent method masquerading under the name of Isadora Duncan Surprise Minor – I don’t think the writing of three of us could really be that bad.

Well we rang our method and despite a missed sally rang an enjoyable quarter peal, however later in the George at Youlgreave – it would  have to be a hostelry again wouldn’t it – we decided to give Maurice his money’s worth and find a method to which we would give the name Isadora Duncan.  You'llsee from the place notations below that the previously unrung method we rang and named is as  closely similar to Isca Dumnoniorum as possible.

In any case anyone interested in ringing these methods, I.D. Surprise Minor, whichever version you decide to try,  is not too difficult and would certainly make a change at any practice – dare I say it – even at the District six bell practice.

Great Longstone.  24th October, 1320 Isca Dumnoniorum SM
1 John Cater  2 Caroline Peverett  3 Gill Hughes  4 Graeme Hughes  5 Alec Humphrey 6 Tim Peverett (c)
First in the method by all the band.  In fond memory of Isadora Duncan.

Sutton on the Hill.  27th Novemeber, 1272 Isadora Duncan SM.
1 Sally Bramson  2 Graeme Hughes  3 John Cater  4 Gill Hughes  5 Alec Humphrey  6 Alan Rowe (c)
First in the method.  With thanks to Maurice Starkey without whose efforts this quarter peal would not have taken place, and with memories if Isca Dumnoniorum.
 
Isca Dumnoniorum SM x56x14x12x36.14x14 hl56 lh12 142563  (TDMM 984)
Isadora Duncan SM x56x14x12x36.14x14 hl56 lh14 154263 (TDMM 985)

Some time around October 1997 I decided that it was about time that I rang a date touch, and so not to do things by halves I arranged to ring two, both of minor, to take place on new year’s eve and new year’s day.

We had to fit in between the requirements of some members of the band to go shopping, cook meals, prepare for the evening’s celebration and so on, but we successfully completed the new year’s eve quarter.  On the following day, not too early (we had to allow recovery time after the previous night’s excesses) the same band met and rang a second quarter exactly one change longer.

We felt fairly please with these outcomes, but a couple of weeks later Alan dropped a pebble into the sea of tranquillity and from that the ripples spread ever wider and higher.  He suggested that we should ring a date touch of 1298 minor on the first of February, furthermore that it ought to be possible to obtain callings to produce 1398 for the 1st of March, 1498 for the 1st of April and so on thus ringing date touches on the first of each month of the year.  We balked at the idea of ringing 11098 on the first of October and vetoed date touches of that type for the last three months.

And so we embarked on our enterprise.  Whilst I organised the bells and the ringers, Alan arranged callings and did all the conducting.  All together 17 ringers took part, ringing a total of 19 methods at six churches.  Special thanks are due to Paul for standing in at the last possible moment when we metone short in July.

To obtain the required lengths Alan’s most frequently used device was to shorten a Course of Plain bob from 60 to 18 changes by splicing one lead of Plain Bob and one lead of Ashford Little Bob.  Another ploy was to shorten a touch of Plain Bob by 20 changes by switching to Little Bob.  In February andSeptember, rounds was produce two blows after a single wrong in a method with Cambridge above the treble, and in April we ended with a touch of spliced Little Bob and Cambridge.  The only other “oddity” was the very first, when we started at the treble’s backstroke and with a single – this in effect just
crossed over number 5 and 6 one row before everyone else started.

The performances were as follows:-

Brailsford 31/12/97 1997 Minor (720 each Bourne & Cambridge, 557 Plain and Little)
Derby,St Peters 1/1/98  1998 Minor (720 each Bedford S & Morning Exercise D, 558 Plain and Ashford)
Derby,St Peters 1/2/98 1298 S Minor (720 Beverley, 578 Surfleet)
Derby,St Peters 1/3/98 1398 P Minor (Double Oxford, S Clements, Oxford Bob)
Derby,St Peters 1/4/98 1498 Minor (720 each Cambridge & Oxford TB, 58 Little and Cambridge)
Breadsall 1/5/98 1598 Minor (720 each York & Durham, 158 Plain, Little and Ashford)
Brailsford 1/6/98 1698 Minor (720 each Hexham & Durham, 258 Plain and Ashford)
Duffield 1/7/98 1798 Minor (720 each Cambridge & Kent, 358 Plain, Little and Ashford)
Brassington 1/8/98 1898 S Minor (720 each York & Carlisle, 458 Cambridge)
Belper 1/9/98 1998 Minor (720 each Ipswich & Bourne, 300 S Clements, 198 Plain and Ashford)

The other day someone in the pub – well you know how good ideas are when you’re in the pub – suggested ring 1199 on New Year’s day 1999, followed by 2199 the next day, then 3199 on the third and so on.  Now there’s food for thought, who’s on for that series, and how do we decided when to stop?

Alec Humphrey.

Twice a year at the 10-bell tower of St. Goodenough, Great Blicester, we hold an annual recruitment event and as a result we have several learners.  As usual, when a group of ringers get together, they start talking about ringing and sharing their understanding of the subject.  Learners are particularly prone to this because the excitement of ringing is too much for them to bear alone.  One night, when Rusty Dingler and Bob Doublesday were learning, they were talking in the pub.   Since ringers in the pub always shout at each other I couldn’t help overhearing it:

RD “It’s your round again Bob.  Mine’s a pint of Spotty Duck.”
BD “These are always the best rounds of the night but some of the rounds in the tower tonight were good as well”
RD “Yeah, your leading is much better now.  Your backstroke gaps are just right; perfect to fit two extra bells in.”
BD “That’s because I always look for the tenor sally coming through the hole in the ceiling.  Anyway, your covering sets a good rhythm these days.”
RD “That’s because I have managed to learn the order of the bells that I have to follow.  You should do it that way; it’s easier than this ropesight they go on about”
BD “I don’t think I’ll ever get ropesight.  I find that ringing a bit quicker when moving up a place and a bit slower when moving down a place works for me.”
RD “I find that the best way to speed up is to pull harder to make the bell swing quicker.  Sometimes it’s best to bounce the bell on the stay.”
BD “I like to hold the tail end with about a foot sticking out but the ropes are too short; I always need a box.”
RD “You should try some of that glycerine gunk that Bert Headstock uses.  Gudgeon says that it damages the ropes and makes them stiff but I can’t see that.”
BD “That’s right.  Glycerine is hydrophobic and should soften the ropes.  Anyway, do you understand those call changes yet?”
RD “Yes.”
BD “Oh!”
RD “They are easy – if the call is 2 to 3 then 3 follows 2 and 2 follows 3.  The bell that was following 3 but was not itself called out goes to follow the bell that was following it.  The bell that was called out and which was following the other bell called out goes to follow the bell that the other bell that was called out was following.”
BD “I see.  So if ‘2 to 3’, ‘4 to 5’, ‘2 to 5’ were called then that would give Tittums.”
RD “Er…..  I thought Tittums was 531246”
BD “So if ‘2 to 3’ is called and I am ringing no.2 I turn to face no.3?”
RD “I suppose so, otherwise your arm would be in the way.  Anyway, you should keep the same visual gap between you and the bell you are following, and if they go wrong you need to change speed.”
BD “That Plain Hunt looks hard.  I’ve had a couple of goes.  It took me a while to realise ‘go Plain Hunt’ is called two whole pulls before starting.”
RD “Me too but I found that if I slow down the last backstroke lead before setting off it was easier to balance the bell.  The other thing is that when you follow the bigger bells you should leave a smaller gap because bigger bells turn faster.”
BD “I think that I’m starting to understand what ‘green lines’ are.  They tell you which position you are in.  When the line moves to the right you are ‘hunting in’ and when it moves to the left you are ‘hunting out’.”
RD “That’s right.  When the line moves to the right you ring quicker and when it moves to the left you ring slower.  They help you learn which bells to follow.  Anyway, how about that pint then.”
BD “Coming up…”

District peal day was held on the 5th December.  Peal attempts were limited to six bells this year for two reasons.  Firstly the eight-bell tower requested could not accommodate us on this day and also we were still about eight ringers short!  However, the day proved to be successful with all peals attempted being scored.  Well done in particular to the two first pealers, Tom Crouch and Paul Bradley, and the first inside for Eleanor Evans (who took some persuasion to be tempted off the treble!)  Thanks to the Incumbents and tower correspondents at the towers visited, to the conductors and to all those who agreed to take part.  Thanks also to Jack Chadwick who agreed be a reserve and ring if required.  In the evening some of the ringers retired to the Cock Inn at Mugginton for a meal and some liquid refreshments.  The peals rung were:

Mugginton
5040 Surprise Minor (7m)
in 2hrs 42
1 extent each: London,
Beverley, York, Lightfoot,
Norwich, Cambridge,
Ipswich
1 Brian A Tomlinson
2 Peter H P Harris
3 Patricia A M Halls
4 Pamela J Timms
5 Anthony P Cotton
6 Simon Humphrey (c)
Engagement compliments to Joyce Timms (mother of 4) and Vivian Parker.  Also to Martin Halls (son of 3) and Chris Hewings.  A welcome to Alexis Chelsea Tiernan, born 1st December (daughter to cousin of 4).

Marchington
5040 Plain Bob Minor in
2hrs 35
Each extent called
differently
1 Jane Boden
2 Eleanor Evans
3 Jackie Burns
4 Tom Crouch
5 John Heaton
6 Christian Peckham (c)
1st peal: 4 1st inside and of minor:

Denby
5040 Minor (4m) in 2hrs 33
2 extents each Cambridge,
Kent, Oxford and 1 Plain
Bob
1 Elizabeth Heaton
2 K Maurice Starkey
3 Philip J H Hudson
4 Paul Bradley
5 Alec Hetherington
6 John E Heaton (c)
1st peal: 4

Christian Peckham.

After what seemed a decade of trying Bob Doubles I decided, unbeknown to John Heaton to stay on rounds, but would have just one more attempt.  Yes, I saw the light – EUREKA EUPHORIA!

This was the night before the Bob Doubles day and my goal had been to attempt a quarter inside. October 24th, the dreaded day dawned.  The weather was bad and everywhere was flooded.  Do I, or do I not go?  I have a good excuse after all, wet roads!  I can’t do that though, not after all I have put myself and every one else through.  All my fellow ringers who have supported my learning.  How could I let a few drops of rain stop me?  Even, though with no confidence in myself, I will attempt this quarter peal inside after so much public humiliation.

The place, Ashford in the Water, was very apt on the day.  Frightened was not the word I would really choose for how I was feeling as John Heaton called  “Go bob Doubles”.  Yes, I missed a bob, but was soon put right and after all the stress we were successful.  After this, I did not need an excuse to slake my thirst.  The feeling of success was all the more sweet after struggling so hard.  Was it worth it you may ask?  In one word, YES.

E.E.

The 9 errors were:

• 'call change country’  is usually thought of us the West Country (Devon and Cornwall) not Greater Manchester!
• they ring the bells up before each touch and down again afterwards
• changes are called at handstroke not backstroke (this applies to everywhere)
• the pre-defined sequence of calls are not quarter peals
• it is 60 on 3rds not 80 on 3rds
• strictly speaking 60 on thirds starts ‘4 to 5’, ‘2 to 3’, ‘2 to 5’
• the calls ‘2 to 3’, ‘4 to 5’ and ‘2 to 5’ to give Queens not Tittums
• tittums is not also known as thirds (this is Queens)
• the calls ‘1 to 4’ and ‘1 to 2’ should read ‘1 to 2’ then ‘1 to 4’

The short part was:
100: pbppbpbppb