History and Archive Workgroup

The history of bellringers & bellringing.

The Central Council's Historical and Archive workgroup has a responsibility to:

  • develop and manage a comprehensive historical and reference resource relating to ringers and all aspects of ringing.
  • make these resources as widely known and appreciated as possible within the ringing community and more generally.

The Council’s existing collection of books, archives and other ringing related artifacts must be the premier source of information on the heritage of ringing. In addition, we are committed to undertake further research and development of historical information to promote and sustain ringing.

Ringing Time Line

1610 Beginning of Change Ringing

1612 Lincoln Cathedral Company of ringers formed

1637 Ancient Society of College Youths formed

1668 Publication of Tintinnalogia

1672 Society of Sherwood Youths formed

1677 Publication of Campanalogia

1690 Possible first peal of Grandsire Triples at St Sepulchre's

1715 First peal of Plain Bob Triples at Norwich

1717 First peal of Grandsire Caters at St Bride's London

1718 First peal of Grandsire Triples at Norwich

1718 First peal of Oxford Treble Bob Major at St Dunstan's E

1724 Society of Cambridge Youths formed

1725 James Barham born - Leading 18th century ringer who conducted the 40,320 in 1761

1725 First peal of Grandsire Cinques at St Bride's London

1725 First peal of Plain Bob Major at St Brides

1725 First peal of Plain Bob Royal at St Brides

1726 First Peal of Plain Bob Maximus at St Brides

1731 First peal of Stedman Triples at Norwich

1734 Oxford Society formed

1741 First peal of Double Norwich Court Bob Major at Coslany

1741 First peal of Oxford Treble Bob Royal at St Sepulchre, London

1746 London Scholars Society formed

1747 Society of Royal Cumberland Youths formed

1751 First peal of Plain Bob Caters at Leeds, Kent

1755 Society of St Martin's Youths formed

1758 First peal of Oxford Treble Bob Max at Southwark

1773 First peal of Plain Bob Minor - Garboldisham, Norfolk

1774 First peal of Kent Treble Bob Major at Leeds, Kent

1775 First peal of Grandsire Major - St Mary Matfelon, Whitechapel

1776 Buckingham - the fall of the tower took place only a minute after the ringers left it.

1777 First peal of Grandsire Doubles - St Lawrence, Alton, Hants

1778 First peal of Kent Treble Bob Royal - St Nicholas, Leeds, Kent

1782 Society of Trinity Youths formed

1784 First peal of Kent Treble Bob Royal at Leeds, Kent

1787 First peal of Stedman Caters, Horsleydown

1788 First peal of Stedman Cinques at St Martin in the Fields

1811 Painswich Youths formed

1811 First Hand Bell peal of Oxford Treble Bob Major at Sheffield

1819 Henry Haley born - conducted the first peal outside the British Isles, at Philadelphia in 1850

1820 First peal of Kent Treble Bob Maximus at Birmingham

1821 First peal of Superlative Surprise Major at Huddersfield

1822 First peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal at Wakefield

1823 First Hand Bell peal of Plain Bob Major at Colegate

1824 St James' Society formed

1828 First Hand Bell peal of Grandsire Triples at Poplar

1835 First peal of London S Major at Norwich

1853 First Hand Bell peal of Stedman Triples at Clerkenwell

1858 Big Ben cast

1859 Rev F E Robinson's first peal

1866 First Hand Bell peal of Kent Treble Bob Royal at Liverpool

1866 First Hand Bell peal of Kent Treble Bob Major at Liverpool

1868 Waterloo Society formed

1870 East Derbyshire Ringers' Association formed

1872 Oxford University Society formed

1873 Dundee Society of Bellringers formed

1873 First peal of Cambridge S Major at Bennington

1874 West Middlesex Bell Ringers' Association formed

1874 Guild of Devonshire Ringers formed

1875 Yorkshire Association formed

1875 Society of Framland Ringers formed

1876 Lancashire Association formed

1876 Jabez Armiger Trollope born - Notable ringer & author

1876 William Henry Barber born - Prominent Birmingham ringer who conducted the first handbell peal in Scotland

1877 Norwich Diocesan Association formed

1877 Durham Diocesan Association of Ringers formed

1878 Gloucester and Bristol Diocesan Association formed

1878 East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire Change Ringing Society formed

1878 John Sparkes Goldsmith born - Proprietor and first editor of The Ringing World

1878 Bertam Prewett born - Prominent peal ringer & conductor killed in WW1

1879 Winchester Diocesan Guild formed

1879 Middlesex County Association and London Diocesan Guild formed

1879 South Lincolnshire Association formed

1879 Cambridge University Guild formed

1879 North Wiltshire Guild formed

1879 Essex Association formed

1880 Sonning Deanery Society of Change Ringers formed

1880 Kent County Association formed

1880 South Yorkshire and East Derbyshire Association of Change Ringers formed

1881 Great Paul Cast

1881 Oxford Diocesan Guild formed

1882 Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Association formed

1882 Worcester and Districts Association formed

1882 Midland Counties Association formed

1882 Bedfordshire Association formed

1882 Stoke on Trent Archidiaconal Association of Church Bell Ringers formed

1882 Bath and Keynsham United Deaneries of Change Ringers formed

1882 Salisbury Diocesan Guild formed

1883 Society for the Archdeaconry of Stafford formed

1883 United Counties Association formed

1884 Eastern Counties Guild formed

1884 Hertford County Association formed

1884 North Lincoln Association formed

1885 Sussex County Association formed

1886 Hereford Diocesan Guild formed

1886 Aldenham College Youths formed

1887 East Derbyshire Association of Church Bellringers formed

1887 Chester Diocesan Guild formed

1887 North Notts Association formed

1888 North Middlesex Association formed

1889 Leeds and District Society formed

1889 Middlesex Association formed

1889 St Martin's Guild of Change Ringers for Birmingham, Aston and the surrounding districts formed

1889 James George's first peal

1890 Bath and Wells Diocesan Association formed

1892 Heavy Woolen District Association formed

1893 Worcester Cathedral Guild of Voluntary Bellringers formed

1893 Llandaff Diocesan Association of Church Bell Ringers formed

1894 Towcester and District Association formed

1894 South and West Middlesex Guild formed

1894 First peal of Double Norwich Court Bob Caters at Bristol

1895 Central Northants Association formed

1897 Ely Diocesan Association formed

1897 Truro Diocesan Guild formed

1898 Irish Association formed

1898 Cleveland and North Yorkshire Association formed

1899 Lincoln Diocesan Guild formed

1899 Dudley and District Guild formed

1901 First peal of Bristol Surprise Major at Brighton

1903 London County Association formed

1903 First peal of Yorkshire Surprise Major at Sheffield

1904 First Hand Bell peal of London Surprise Major at Romford

1905 Rev F E Robinson's 1,000th peal

1907 First Hand Bell peal of Bristol Surprise Major at Romford

1908 First peal of Cambridge Surprise Maximus at Ipswich

1921 First peal of Yorkshire Surprise Royal at Chesterfield

1923 First peal of Rutland Surprise Major at Bolsover

1924 First peal of Pudsey Surprise Major at Bolsover

1924 Brian Price born - Notable ringing composer who introduced the use of singles into Surprise

1924 Wilfrid Moreton born - Prominent Yorkshire ringer who founded the Hereford Ringing Course

1927 First peal of Superlative Surprise Maximus - St Mary le Tower, Ipswich

1928 James George's 1,000th peal

1929 First peal of Yorkshire Surprise Maximus at Ipswich

1933 First peal of London Surprise Royal (No.3) at Beddington

1933 First Hand Bell peal of Cambridge Surprise Major at Oxhey

1934 First peal of Bristol Surprise Royal at Beddington

1940 Great George Cast

1946 First Hand Bell peal of Yorkshire Surprise Major at Bushey

1947 First Hand Bell peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal at Leicester

1947 First Hand Bell peal of Cambridge Surprise Maximus at Leicester

1950 First peal of Bristol Surprise Maximus at Leicester

1951 First Hand Bell peal of Kent Treble Bob 14 at Leicester

1959 First peal of Londinium Surprise Maximus at Ashton

1969 First Hand Bell peal of Kent Treble Bob 16 at Watford

1974 George Ernest Fearn died - Prominent Birmingham ringer

1976 First Hand Bell peal of Cambridge Surprise 14 at Langley Marish

1998 Frank Muir died - Famous comedian who rang in his youth

In This Week - 11/11/1918 - Able Seaman Harold Edgar Walpole

History and Archive

Image credits: _bigideas

Died 11/11/1918 age 19. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Anson Bn. R.N. Div

More information at:

Rolls of Honour, 26/10/2018

steppingforwardlondon, 08/11/2023

Imperial War Museum, 08/11/2023

For more interesting events like this, buy a copy of Bill Butler's book - On This Day - from the Central Council Shop.

There are also more at Things to ring for.

Pealbase also has a lot of historical events On This Day. Mostly derived from peal records but also including Bill Butler's collection.

Welcome

This website has been created to bring together various strands of research that relate to ringing and ringers. Information that Central Council Committees generated in the past is being combined here in a website and database.

Going forward, new information and lines of research will be uploaded to this central resource by History & Archive Workgroup members. The database will also record changes to the information.

Database technology allows us to add extra value by identifying links between the various sources. So, by searching for a subject in one area, you may find information from another. This takes time to populate though.

If you are interested getting involved in any aspect of this, please feel free to get in touch.

CCCBR Library news

The Library Collection is moving to Loughborough. Details here.

The Central Council's Historical and Archive workgroup has a responsibility to:

  • develop and manage a comprehensive historical and reference resource relating to ringers and all aspects of ringing.
  • make these resources as widely known and appreciated as possible within the ringing community and more generally.

The Council’s existing collection of books, archives and other ringing related artifacts must be the premier source of information on the heritage of ringing. In addition, we are committed to undertake further research and development of historical information to promote and sustain ringing.

Ringing Time Line

1610 Beginning of Change Ringing

1612 Lincoln Cathedral Company of ringers formed

1637 Ancient Society of College Youths formed

1668 Publication of Tintinnalogia

1672 Society of Sherwood Youths formed

1677 Publication of Campanalogia

1690 Possible first peal of Grandsire Triples at St Sepulchre's

1715 First peal of Plain Bob Triples at Norwich

1717 First peal of Grandsire Caters at St Bride's London

1718 First peal of Grandsire Triples at Norwich

1718 First peal of Oxford Treble Bob Major at St Dunstan's E

1724 Society of Cambridge Youths formed

1725 James Barham born - Leading 18th century ringer who conducted the 40,320 in 1761

1725 First peal of Grandsire Cinques at St Bride's London

1725 First peal of Plain Bob Major at St Brides

1725 First peal of Plain Bob Royal at St Brides

1726 First Peal of Plain Bob Maximus at St Brides

1731 First peal of Stedman Triples at Norwich

1734 Oxford Society formed

1741 First peal of Double Norwich Court Bob Major at Coslany

1741 First peal of Oxford Treble Bob Royal at St Sepulchre, London

1746 London Scholars Society formed

1747 Society of Royal Cumberland Youths formed

1751 First peal of Plain Bob Caters at Leeds, Kent

1755 Society of St Martin's Youths formed

1758 First peal of Oxford Treble Bob Max at Southwark

1773 First peal of Plain Bob Minor - Garboldisham, Norfolk

1774 First peal of Kent Treble Bob Major at Leeds, Kent

1775 First peal of Grandsire Major - St Mary Matfelon, Whitechapel

1776 Buckingham - the fall of the tower took place only a minute after the ringers left it.

1777 First peal of Grandsire Doubles - St Lawrence, Alton, Hants

1778 First peal of Kent Treble Bob Royal - St Nicholas, Leeds, Kent

1782 Society of Trinity Youths formed

1784 First peal of Kent Treble Bob Royal at Leeds, Kent

1787 First peal of Stedman Caters, Horsleydown

1788 First peal of Stedman Cinques at St Martin in the Fields

1811 Painswich Youths formed

1811 First Hand Bell peal of Oxford Treble Bob Major at Sheffield

1819 Henry Haley born - conducted the first peal outside the British Isles, at Philadelphia in 1850

1820 First peal of Kent Treble Bob Maximus at Birmingham

1821 First peal of Superlative Surprise Major at Huddersfield

1822 First peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal at Wakefield

1823 First Hand Bell peal of Plain Bob Major at Colegate

1824 St James' Society formed

1828 First Hand Bell peal of Grandsire Triples at Poplar

1835 First peal of London S Major at Norwich

1853 First Hand Bell peal of Stedman Triples at Clerkenwell

1858 Big Ben cast

1859 Rev F E Robinson's first peal

1866 First Hand Bell peal of Kent Treble Bob Royal at Liverpool

1866 First Hand Bell peal of Kent Treble Bob Major at Liverpool

1868 Waterloo Society formed

1870 East Derbyshire Ringers' Association formed

1872 Oxford University Society formed

1873 Dundee Society of Bellringers formed

1873 First peal of Cambridge S Major at Bennington

1874 West Middlesex Bell Ringers' Association formed

1874 Guild of Devonshire Ringers formed

1875 Yorkshire Association formed

1875 Society of Framland Ringers formed

1876 Lancashire Association formed

1876 Jabez Armiger Trollope born - Notable ringer & author

1876 William Henry Barber born - Prominent Birmingham ringer who conducted the first handbell peal in Scotland

1877 Norwich Diocesan Association formed

1877 Durham Diocesan Association of Ringers formed

1878 Gloucester and Bristol Diocesan Association formed

1878 East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire Change Ringing Society formed

1878 John Sparkes Goldsmith born - Proprietor and first editor of The Ringing World

1878 Bertam Prewett born - Prominent peal ringer & conductor killed in WW1

1879 Winchester Diocesan Guild formed

1879 Middlesex County Association and London Diocesan Guild formed

1879 South Lincolnshire Association formed

1879 Cambridge University Guild formed

1879 North Wiltshire Guild formed

1879 Essex Association formed

1880 Sonning Deanery Society of Change Ringers formed

1880 Kent County Association formed

1880 South Yorkshire and East Derbyshire Association of Change Ringers formed

1881 Great Paul Cast

1881 Oxford Diocesan Guild formed

1882 Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Association formed

1882 Worcester and Districts Association formed

1882 Midland Counties Association formed

1882 Bedfordshire Association formed

1882 Stoke on Trent Archidiaconal Association of Church Bell Ringers formed

1882 Bath and Keynsham United Deaneries of Change Ringers formed

1882 Salisbury Diocesan Guild formed

1883 Society for the Archdeaconry of Stafford formed

1883 United Counties Association formed

1884 Eastern Counties Guild formed

1884 Hertford County Association formed

1884 North Lincoln Association formed

1885 Sussex County Association formed

1886 Hereford Diocesan Guild formed

1886 Aldenham College Youths formed

1887 East Derbyshire Association of Church Bellringers formed

1887 Chester Diocesan Guild formed

1887 North Notts Association formed

1888 North Middlesex Association formed

1889 Leeds and District Society formed

1889 Middlesex Association formed

1889 St Martin's Guild of Change Ringers for Birmingham, Aston and the surrounding districts formed

1889 James George's first peal

1890 Bath and Wells Diocesan Association formed

1892 Heavy Woolen District Association formed

1893 Worcester Cathedral Guild of Voluntary Bellringers formed

1893 Llandaff Diocesan Association of Church Bell Ringers formed

1894 Towcester and District Association formed

1894 South and West Middlesex Guild formed

1894 First peal of Double Norwich Court Bob Caters at Bristol

1895 Central Northants Association formed

1897 Ely Diocesan Association formed

1897 Truro Diocesan Guild formed

1898 Irish Association formed

1898 Cleveland and North Yorkshire Association formed

1899 Lincoln Diocesan Guild formed

1899 Dudley and District Guild formed

1901 First peal of Bristol Surprise Major at Brighton

1903 London County Association formed

1903 First peal of Yorkshire Surprise Major at Sheffield

1904 First Hand Bell peal of London Surprise Major at Romford

1905 Rev F E Robinson's 1,000th peal

1907 First Hand Bell peal of Bristol Surprise Major at Romford

1908 First peal of Cambridge Surprise Maximus at Ipswich

1921 First peal of Yorkshire Surprise Royal at Chesterfield

1923 First peal of Rutland Surprise Major at Bolsover

1924 First peal of Pudsey Surprise Major at Bolsover

1924 Brian Price born - Notable ringing composer who introduced the use of singles into Surprise

1924 Wilfrid Moreton born - Prominent Yorkshire ringer who founded the Hereford Ringing Course

1927 First peal of Superlative Surprise Maximus - St Mary le Tower, Ipswich

1928 James George's 1,000th peal

1929 First peal of Yorkshire Surprise Maximus at Ipswich

1933 First peal of London Surprise Royal (No.3) at Beddington

1933 First Hand Bell peal of Cambridge Surprise Major at Oxhey

1934 First peal of Bristol Surprise Royal at Beddington

1940 Great George Cast

1946 First Hand Bell peal of Yorkshire Surprise Major at Bushey

1947 First Hand Bell peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal at Leicester

1947 First Hand Bell peal of Cambridge Surprise Maximus at Leicester

1950 First peal of Bristol Surprise Maximus at Leicester

1951 First Hand Bell peal of Kent Treble Bob 14 at Leicester

1959 First peal of Londinium Surprise Maximus at Ashton

1969 First Hand Bell peal of Kent Treble Bob 16 at Watford

1974 George Ernest Fearn died - Prominent Birmingham ringer

1976 First Hand Bell peal of Cambridge Surprise 14 at Langley Marish

1998 Frank Muir died - Famous comedian who rang in his youth

In This Week - 11/11/1918 - Able Seaman Harold Edgar Walpole

History and Archive

Image credits: _bigideas

Died 11/11/1918 age 19. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Anson Bn. R.N. Div

More information at:

Rolls of Honour, 26/10/2018

steppingforwardlondon, 08/11/2023

Imperial War Museum, 08/11/2023

For more interesting events like this, buy a copy of Bill Butler's book - On This Day - from the Central Council Shop.

There are also more at Things to ring for.

Pealbase also has a lot of historical events On This Day. Mostly derived from peal records but also including Bill Butler's collection.

Welcome

This website has been created to bring together various strands of research that relate to ringing and ringers. Information that Central Council Committees generated in the past is being combined here in a website and database.

Going forward, new information and lines of research will be uploaded to this central resource by History & Archive Workgroup members. The database will also record changes to the information.

Database technology allows us to add extra value by identifying links between the various sources. So, by searching for a subject in one area, you may find information from another. This takes time to populate though.

If you are interested getting involved in any aspect of this, please feel free to get in touch.

CCCBR Library news

The Library Collection is moving to Loughborough. Details here.

  © CCCBR. Material on this website may be freely used for any purpose in connection with the promotion of bell ringing. For any other purpose please contact us, Central Council