History and Archive Workgroup

The history of bellringers & bellringing - Ringers from the past

Rifleman Bertram Prewett

Date of Birth12/10/1878
Date of Death31/08/1918
Date of Funeral 
Age at death39
Trade or professionClerk in Post Office Savings Bank

Biographical references

Biographical Summary

Bell News page 520 18/12/1909
The Ringing World page 349 01/11/1918
The Ringing World page 86 31/01/1975
Giants of the Exercise II. More notable ringers of the past page 51 01/06/2006
The Ringing World page 807 08/08/2014
The Ringing World page 938 12/09/2014
The Ringing World page 742 03/08/2018
Report and Newsletter page 2 01/04/2019

Societies

Hertford County Association
Middlesex County Association

Photo

Places

Place of BirthOxhey, Herts
Began ringing atSt Matthew, Oxhey
TowersBushey, St. James
Location mentioned in obituaryBushey
Roll of Honour towerBushey

Performances

First peal

Grandsire Triples
St. Matthew, Oxhey, Herts
28/03/1898
Total peals rung953
Total peals conducted236

Participation in Central Council activities

Meetings attended: 9

YearSocietyParticipation
1907Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1908Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1909Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1910Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1911Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1912Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1913Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1914Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1915Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1916Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1917Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1918Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative

Ringers in Rolls of Honour

WarGtW
RegimentLondon Regiment (London Irish Rifles)
CemeterySailly-Saillisel British Cemetery
MemorialIX. A. 9
Commonwealth War Graves4037336
NotesRifleman Bertram Prewett, Bushey, Middlesex. Died 31/08/1918 age 39. London Regiment (London Irish Rifles) 18th Bn. Service No.608485. Commemorated at Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery, France, Grave IX. A. 9. Born 12/10/1878. One of two children; he had an older sister, Florence Prewett. Son of Jacob Prewett and the late Caroline Mary Prewett (née Davies, died 1921) of Bushey. Husband of Ida Lizzie Prewett (née Elton), whom he married on 12/07/1913 at St James, Bushey, of "Alderbury", Oxhey Avenue, Oxhey. Ida died in 1974 and did not re-marry. At the time of the 1911 census, he was working as a second division clerk for the Post Office Savings Bank. His sister was a first division clerk for the same organisation. He learnt to ring at Oxhey, where he was taught by George N. Price, and rang his first peal there, ringing the 4th to Grandsire Triples which George N. Price conducted. By the end of 1898, he had rung eight peals, the start of a glittering peal ringing career. At the time of his death, he had rung 953 peals in total, which included 880 tower bell peals and 73 handbell peals. He rang 495 peals of Stedman, 61 peals of Bristol S Major, 66 peals of London S Major, 164 peals of Superlative S Major and 3 peals of Cambridge S Maximus, including the first peal in that method at Ipswich on 15/08/1908. Long Lengths included 18,027 Stedman Caters at All Saints, Loughborough, on 20/03/1909, the first time the clock had been rung round by a single band; 15,264 Bristol S Major at St Andrew's, Hornchurch on 27/05/1912; and on handbells, 6063 Stedman Cinques at The George IV, Brunswick Street, Haggerston on 22/03/1913, the longest length of Stedman Cinques in hand at that time. He rang exactly 100 peals during 1912. He conducted 236 peals of his peals. He went on several of William Pye's peal tours around the UK and Ireland. In the back of his peal book, he records that he rang at 347 different towers, the entries for 1915 and 1916 include Cuckfield and Lindfield in Sussex, Wrentham and Covehithe in Suffolk, Mells in Somerset, and Sutton Veny and Warminster in Wiltshire, keeping ringing while he was serving in the Army. He was killed in action, shot through the throat by a machine gun bullet, and was initially buried in a Battlefield Cemetery known as Aldershot Military Cemetery; during 1920, his remains were exhumed and reburied in Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery, he was identified by the disc worn on his neck. At the time of the 1911 census he was living with his parents and sister at 83 Upper Paddock Road, Oxhey. Note: : The ringing room at Ypres in Belgium is named "The Bertram Prewett Ringing Roo" to help preserve the memory of one of the greatest ringers of his generation. Born: Hampstead, London. Enlisted: Bunhill Row in early 1915, initially in the 5th (City of London) Battalion (London Rifle Brigade). Resided: "Alderbury", Oxhey Avenue, Oxhey.

Rifleman Bertram Prewett

Date of Birth12/10/1878
Date of Death31/08/1918
Date of Funeral 
Age at death39
Trade or professionClerk in Post Office Savings Bank

Biographical references

Biographical Summary

Bell News page 520 18/12/1909
The Ringing World page 349 01/11/1918
The Ringing World page 86 31/01/1975
Giants of the Exercise II. More notable ringers of the past page 51 01/06/2006
The Ringing World page 807 08/08/2014
The Ringing World page 938 12/09/2014
The Ringing World page 742 03/08/2018
Report and Newsletter page 2 01/04/2019

Societies

Hertford County Association
Middlesex County Association

Photo

Places

Place of BirthOxhey, Herts
Began ringing atSt Matthew, Oxhey
TowersBushey, St. James
Location mentioned in obituaryBushey
Roll of Honour towerBushey

Performances

First peal

Grandsire Triples
St. Matthew, Oxhey, Herts
28/03/1898
Total peals rung953
Total peals conducted236

Participation in Central Council activities

Meetings attended: 9

YearSocietyParticipation
1907Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1908Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1909Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1910Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1911Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1912Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1913Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1914Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1915Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1916Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1917Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative
1918Hertford County AssociationSociety Representative

Ringers in Rolls of Honour

WarGtW
RegimentLondon Regiment (London Irish Rifles)
CemeterySailly-Saillisel British Cemetery
MemorialIX. A. 9
Commonwealth War Graves4037336
NotesRifleman Bertram Prewett, Bushey, Middlesex. Died 31/08/1918 age 39. London Regiment (London Irish Rifles) 18th Bn. Service No.608485. Commemorated at Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery, France, Grave IX. A. 9. Born 12/10/1878. One of two children; he had an older sister, Florence Prewett. Son of Jacob Prewett and the late Caroline Mary Prewett (née Davies, died 1921) of Bushey. Husband of Ida Lizzie Prewett (née Elton), whom he married on 12/07/1913 at St James, Bushey, of "Alderbury", Oxhey Avenue, Oxhey. Ida died in 1974 and did not re-marry. At the time of the 1911 census, he was working as a second division clerk for the Post Office Savings Bank. His sister was a first division clerk for the same organisation. He learnt to ring at Oxhey, where he was taught by George N. Price, and rang his first peal there, ringing the 4th to Grandsire Triples which George N. Price conducted. By the end of 1898, he had rung eight peals, the start of a glittering peal ringing career. At the time of his death, he had rung 953 peals in total, which included 880 tower bell peals and 73 handbell peals. He rang 495 peals of Stedman, 61 peals of Bristol S Major, 66 peals of London S Major, 164 peals of Superlative S Major and 3 peals of Cambridge S Maximus, including the first peal in that method at Ipswich on 15/08/1908. Long Lengths included 18,027 Stedman Caters at All Saints, Loughborough, on 20/03/1909, the first time the clock had been rung round by a single band; 15,264 Bristol S Major at St Andrew's, Hornchurch on 27/05/1912; and on handbells, 6063 Stedman Cinques at The George IV, Brunswick Street, Haggerston on 22/03/1913, the longest length of Stedman Cinques in hand at that time. He rang exactly 100 peals during 1912. He conducted 236 peals of his peals. He went on several of William Pye's peal tours around the UK and Ireland. In the back of his peal book, he records that he rang at 347 different towers, the entries for 1915 and 1916 include Cuckfield and Lindfield in Sussex, Wrentham and Covehithe in Suffolk, Mells in Somerset, and Sutton Veny and Warminster in Wiltshire, keeping ringing while he was serving in the Army. He was killed in action, shot through the throat by a machine gun bullet, and was initially buried in a Battlefield Cemetery known as Aldershot Military Cemetery; during 1920, his remains were exhumed and reburied in Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery, he was identified by the disc worn on his neck. At the time of the 1911 census he was living with his parents and sister at 83 Upper Paddock Road, Oxhey. Note: : The ringing room at Ypres in Belgium is named "The Bertram Prewett Ringing Roo" to help preserve the memory of one of the greatest ringers of his generation. Born: Hampstead, London. Enlisted: Bunhill Row in early 1915, initially in the 5th (City of London) Battalion (London Rifle Brigade). Resided: "Alderbury", Oxhey Avenue, Oxhey.
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