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The history of bellringers & bellringing - Ringing Societies


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Hereford Diocesan Guild

Society NameDescriptionsFrom (year)To (year)Web site
Hereford Diocesan Guild

In the period up to 1886 ringing in the Diocese was limited. Little change ringing took place and the behaviour of the ringers was seen to be poor with much cider drunk in the belfry. This position together with the Belfry Reform Movement underway at the time led to the establishment of the Guild.
In February 1886 the Revd G M Custance, Rector of Colwall and himself a change ringer, circularised many people in the Diocese about the possibility of starting an Association of Change Ringers. A meeting took place on 2nd March at the hall of the College of Vicars Choral, Hereford where it was agreed to set up the Guild with the Revd. Custance as Secretary. It initially just appointed instructors to visit towers and help teach change ringing, but from 1888 the Guild held an annual festival. It was not until 1898 that the members started to elect Guild officers. A fuller history can be found in Ringing World (28th February 1986, pages 178 to 179) and the publication The Hereford Diocesan Guild of Bellringers 1886 to 1986: The History of the First Hundred Years by John Eisel (The Whiting Society of Ringers 2013). [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Certificates Collection by Chris Ridley.]

founded 1886 [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]

1886https://hdgb.org/

Photo

Books in the Council Library

TitleAuthorDateNotesAcquisition Number
Ringers' Office (Revised)1979 1044
Annual Reports 1886-92 (photocopies), 1893, 1894-2019, 20&21, 2022,682
The Hereford Diocesan Guild of Bellringers. Record of, 3 or more bells (Excludes Chiming) (sic)Mark Pugh (Compiler)2007, Oct 3232

Accounts of the lives of members (Navigation at foot of page)

NamePlace(s)Other societiesDate of death
Corporal George Dunbar Acton Roll of Honour tower: Ludlow15/08/1917
Gunner Francis Henry Anthony Roll of Honour tower: Clyro12/09/1917
Leonard George Attwood Roll of Honour tower: Sutton (St Nicholas)09/06/1944
Frederick James Bassett Roll of Honour tower: Leominster12/05/1944
Private Thomas William Bengough Roll of Honour tower: Almeley23/04/1917
Rev Preb Edward Geoffrey Benson Place of Birth: Hornsey, London
Began ringing at: Gt. St. Mary's Cambridge
First peal tower: Handbells at Trinity College, Cambridge
Towers: Berkhamsted, Herts (1921-1924); Tewksbury, Glos (1928-32); Bridgnorth, St. Leonard's, Salop (1933-6); Burghill, Heref. (1936-50); Presteign, Rad. (1950-)
Location mentioned in obituary: Presteign
05/08/1961
D A Biggs Roll of Honour tower: Fownhope 
Thomas W Biggs Roll of Honour tower: Fownhope17/08/1944
Private Walter Bradley Roll of Honour tower: Ledbury16/11/1915
Thomas James Bratton Place of Birth: Welshpool
Began ringing at: Welshpool
First peal tower: St. Lawrence Church Stretton
09/01/1930
Peter Harry Brawn Roll of Honour tower: Ross06/06/1941
John Gordon Buchanan Began ringing at: Clun
Towers: Hereford Cathedral and other city churches
Location mentioned in obituary: Hereford
Central Council of Church Bellringers15/02/1927
Petty Officer Stoker Harry Thomas Chandler Location mentioned in obituary: Kington
Roll of Honour tower: Lyonshall
Roll of Honour tower: Plymouth
Guild of Devonshire Ringers15/06/1944
Private Charles Ernest Cheshire Roll of Honour tower: Bredenbury27/08/1917
Private Frank Christie Roll of Honour tower: Quatt21/09/1916
John Clark Place of Birth: Ross-on-Wye, Hereford
Began ringing at: St Mary the Virgin, Ross
03/12/1946
Thomas Cooper Place of Birth: Bromyard, Herefordshire
Began ringing at: Bromyard
First peal tower: Bromyard
Towers: None
Location mentioned in obituary: Bromyard
14/05/1981
George Thomas Cousins Place of Birth: Wellington, Herefs
Began ringing at: Wellington
First peal tower: Wellington
Towers: Hereford Cathedral 1938-63; Ross-on-Wye 1963-87
Location mentioned in obituary: Ross-on-Wye
18/10/1987
Clifford John Dale Roll of Honour tower: Sutton (St Nicholas)31/01/1944
Arthur William Davis Place of Birth: Bucklebury, Berkshire
Began ringing at: Bucklebury
First peal tower: St. George, Southwark
Towers: Hereford Cathedral 1938-1961. Bucklebury 1961-1986
Location mentioned in obituary: Bucklebury
03/07/1986

Peal Statistics

Statistics sourced from the annual reports of the Council Peal Analysis Committee will be shown here

The tables will need to be digitised first. A job for 2024.

Peal board photos

Total records: 3

Bridgnorth (St Leonard), Shropshire 04/02/1901

Details

Bridgnorth (St Leonard), Shropshire 05/09/1908

Details

Bridgnorth (St Leonard), Shropshire 06/11/1909

Details

Peals

For those who have a pealbase login, the society analysis has totals since 1910.

Hereford Diocesan Guild

Society NameDescriptionsFrom (year)To (year)Web site
Hereford Diocesan Guild

In the period up to 1886 ringing in the Diocese was limited. Little change ringing took place and the behaviour of the ringers was seen to be poor with much cider drunk in the belfry. This position together with the Belfry Reform Movement underway at the time led to the establishment of the Guild.
In February 1886 the Revd G M Custance, Rector of Colwall and himself a change ringer, circularised many people in the Diocese about the possibility of starting an Association of Change Ringers. A meeting took place on 2nd March at the hall of the College of Vicars Choral, Hereford where it was agreed to set up the Guild with the Revd. Custance as Secretary. It initially just appointed instructors to visit towers and help teach change ringing, but from 1888 the Guild held an annual festival. It was not until 1898 that the members started to elect Guild officers. A fuller history can be found in Ringing World (28th February 1986, pages 178 to 179) and the publication The Hereford Diocesan Guild of Bellringers 1886 to 1986: The History of the First Hundred Years by John Eisel (The Whiting Society of Ringers 2013). [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Certificates Collection by Chris Ridley.]

founded 1886 [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]

1886https://hdgb.org/

Photo

Books in the Council Library

TitleAuthorDateNotesAcquisition Number
Ringers' Office (Revised)1979 1044
Annual Reports 1886-92 (photocopies), 1893, 1894-2019, 20&21, 2022,682
The Hereford Diocesan Guild of Bellringers. Record of, 3 or more bells (Excludes Chiming) (sic)Mark Pugh (Compiler)2007, Oct 3232

Accounts of the lives of members (Navigation at foot of page)

NamePlace(s)Other societiesDate of death
Corporal George Dunbar Acton Roll of Honour tower: Ludlow15/08/1917
Gunner Francis Henry Anthony Roll of Honour tower: Clyro12/09/1917
Leonard George Attwood Roll of Honour tower: Sutton (St Nicholas)09/06/1944
Frederick James Bassett Roll of Honour tower: Leominster12/05/1944
Private Thomas William Bengough Roll of Honour tower: Almeley23/04/1917
Rev Preb Edward Geoffrey Benson Place of Birth: Hornsey, London
Began ringing at: Gt. St. Mary's Cambridge
First peal tower: Handbells at Trinity College, Cambridge
Towers: Berkhamsted, Herts (1921-1924); Tewksbury, Glos (1928-32); Bridgnorth, St. Leonard's, Salop (1933-6); Burghill, Heref. (1936-50); Presteign, Rad. (1950-)
Location mentioned in obituary: Presteign
05/08/1961
D A Biggs Roll of Honour tower: Fownhope 
Thomas W Biggs Roll of Honour tower: Fownhope17/08/1944
Private Walter Bradley Roll of Honour tower: Ledbury16/11/1915
Thomas James Bratton Place of Birth: Welshpool
Began ringing at: Welshpool
First peal tower: St. Lawrence Church Stretton
09/01/1930
Peter Harry Brawn Roll of Honour tower: Ross06/06/1941
John Gordon Buchanan Began ringing at: Clun
Towers: Hereford Cathedral and other city churches
Location mentioned in obituary: Hereford
Central Council of Church Bellringers15/02/1927
Petty Officer Stoker Harry Thomas Chandler Location mentioned in obituary: Kington
Roll of Honour tower: Lyonshall
Roll of Honour tower: Plymouth
Guild of Devonshire Ringers15/06/1944
Private Charles Ernest Cheshire Roll of Honour tower: Bredenbury27/08/1917
Private Frank Christie Roll of Honour tower: Quatt21/09/1916
John Clark Place of Birth: Ross-on-Wye, Hereford
Began ringing at: St Mary the Virgin, Ross
03/12/1946
Thomas Cooper Place of Birth: Bromyard, Herefordshire
Began ringing at: Bromyard
First peal tower: Bromyard
Towers: None
Location mentioned in obituary: Bromyard
14/05/1981
George Thomas Cousins Place of Birth: Wellington, Herefs
Began ringing at: Wellington
First peal tower: Wellington
Towers: Hereford Cathedral 1938-63; Ross-on-Wye 1963-87
Location mentioned in obituary: Ross-on-Wye
18/10/1987
Clifford John Dale Roll of Honour tower: Sutton (St Nicholas)31/01/1944
Arthur William Davis Place of Birth: Bucklebury, Berkshire
Began ringing at: Bucklebury
First peal tower: St. George, Southwark
Towers: Hereford Cathedral 1938-1961. Bucklebury 1961-1986
Location mentioned in obituary: Bucklebury
03/07/1986

Peal Statistics

Statistics sourced from the annual reports of the Council Peal Analysis Committee will be shown here

The tables will need to be digitised first. A job for 2024.

Peal board photos

Total records: 3

Bridgnorth (St Leonard), Shropshire 04/02/1901

Details

Bridgnorth (St Leonard), Shropshire 05/09/1908

Details

Bridgnorth (St Leonard), Shropshire 06/11/1909

Details

Peals

For those who have a pealbase login, the society analysis has totals since 1910.

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