The history of bellringers & bellringing - Ringing Societies

A forerunner of the Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers [Research by John Harrison.]

The fore runner of this Society was called the Raunds, Wellingborough and District Society of Church Bell-ringers. The Central Northants Association became part of the Peterborough Diocesan Guild on 5 January 1924. [Research by John Harrison.]

In the former Central Northamptonshire Association gold medals were awarded to those ringers who achieved 100 peals for the Association. Further details were given in the 'The Ringing World' of 12th April 1974, pages 315 and 490. [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]

The Guild was made up from the Central Northants Association, the Peterborough & Districts Association and the Oundle & Districts Association. The Guild has 10 branches. [Research by John Harrison.]

The Towcester and District Association, originally known with affection as the 'old toast rack', was founded in 1894 by James Slarke of Easton Neston. A discussion on 22 March 1930 considered whether they should approach the Peterborough and District Association and at the AGM in June this motion was carried.
The original Peterborough and District Association was formed, after preliminary discussion, on 16th June 1909 and held its first annual meeting on August Bank Holiday later that year at St Mary Peterborough. The meeting would have been at St John's but the bells were being rehung.
Central Northamptonshire Association was a leading society in its day and was content to continue operating as a single entity. Their enthusiasm to extend their area of operations led to various discussions culminating in the Bishop of Peterborough addressing a special meeting at Wellingborough on 9th June 1923. He suggested that 'A Diocesan federation be formed that would unite the ringers in the three counties in the diocese into one great family'.
A subsequent meeting initiated at by the Bishop of Peterborough, immediately prior to his subsequent appointment as Bishop of Winchester, at Wellingborough on 5 January 1924 the Peterborough Diocesan Guild was formally established. Both the Peterborough & District Association and Central Northamptonshire Association joined the new Guild, but it was not until 1930 that the Towcester and District followed.
For further background see the Ringing World (4th January 1974, pages 1 to 4). [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Certificates Collection by Chris Ridley.]

founded 1924
Formerly: Peterborough & District Association (1880-1924)
Subsumed: Raunds, Welling borough & District Society (1883-1895), Central Northamptonshire Association (1900-1923) and Towcester & District Association (1894-1930) [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]