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The history of bellringers & bellringing - Ringing Societies


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North American Guild

Society NameDescriptionsFrom (year)To (year)Web site
North American Guild

Although there have been change ringing bells hung in North America since 1744, and bands of change ringers have been active in locations as far apart as Quebec, South Carolina, Illinois, and British Columbia at various times since then, by the middle of the 20th century, change ringing on tower bells had nearly died out on the continent and records of change ringing on handbells are correspondingly scanty. In the early 1960's, there were only seven active towers: In the USA at schools in Kent, Groton, and Chicago and in Canada at churches in Calgary, Mission, Vancouver, and Victoria. Excitement about the installation in 1963 of change ringing bells at the new National Cathedral in Washington, DC, however, energized ringers around the continent and discussions about forming a guild to support, improve, and extend change ringing in North America began.
In late 1968 a peal was rung at the Groton School that the ringers present considered to have been the nascent event of the North American Guild. The official founding of the Guild did not occur, however, until the ratification of the constitution in the autumn of 1972 at which time 141 ringers became members. At that time there were 11 active towers in North America concentrated in the southwestern quadrant of Canada and the northeastern quadrant of the USA. Details of this history can be found in There Was Life Before NAG by J. Michael Simpson. [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Certificates Collection by Chris Ridley.]

founded 1972 [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]

1972https://www.nagcr.org/

Photo

Books in the Council Library

TitleAuthorDateNotesAcquisition Number
North American Guild of Change Ringers.The Official Journal of the North American Guild of Change Ringers 'The Clapper' Vol 1 No 1 (Dec 1973) - Vol 47 No 4 (Oct 2020) Vol 48, No 1 (Jan 2021) - Vol 50, No 3 (Summer 2023)1291
1980/1-1987, 1988-2016, 2017 - 20221356
Ringing elementary minor methods on handbellsFrank H King1974, Aug 1367
Ringing elementary minor methods on handbellsFrank H King1974, Aug 2788
There was Life before NAGJ. Michael Simpson (editor)1997illustrated 2409
Change Ringingn.d.Recruiting leaflets - Foolscap sheet folded to give eight sides 1354
Change Ringingn.d.Recruiting leaflets 1355
Letters relating to the formation of the North American Guild1966-70Photocopies: 1) R S Dirksen - circular letter to tower captains and masters in North America 27.x.1966 2) Newsletter from the Tower of Washington Cathedral Jan 1967 3) R S Dirksen to Frank (C Price) enclosing report for presentation to 1870 CC meeting 1324
Bells of North America Vol 1n.d.Fifteen towers plus one handbell track Explanatory leaflet 1084

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

NamePlace(s)Other societiesDate of death
Bruce N Butler Location mentioned in obituary: Cranbrook18/01/2022
William Hillyard Jackson Place of Birth: Tadcaster
Began ringing at: Hatfield, South Yorkshire
First peal tower: Campsall
Towers: Oxford towers while he was at the University, Kingston upon Thames, Cookham, Prestbury (Cheshire), Wilmslow and St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich.
Location mentioned in obituary: Norwich
13/04/2009
William Alfred Theobald Place of Birth: Islington
Began ringing at: Portsmouth Cathedral
First peal tower: St. Paul, Salisbury.
Towers: Subsequently he was attached to all four Salisbury towers, then to St. Mary's Holloway. Later he was unattached for at least 25 years.
Location mentioned in obituary: London
Ancient Society of College Youths
Antient Free and Accepted Masons of England
08/07/1992
Kathryn Elaine Tucker Place of Birth: Whittier, California
Began ringing at: Marietta
First peal tower: St. Martin in the Fields, Philadelphia
Towers: Washington 2012
Location mentioned in obituary: Marietta
24/08/2014
Professor George Walton Williams Place of Birth: Charlseston, South Carolina, USA
Began ringing at: Christ Church, Raleigh, North Carolina
25/02/2022

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

Records 1 to 5, of 9 
◁◁▶▶ 

Quebec Cathedral (Holy Trinity), Canada 07/10/1972

Details

Quebec Cathedral (Holy Trinity), Canada 08/10/1972

Details

Quebec (St Matthew's Bell Tower), Canada 29/06/1985

Details

Quebec (St Matthew's Bell Tower), Canada 03/10/1987

Details

Quebec (St Matthew's Bell Tower), Canada 28/08/2004

Details

Peals

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

North American Guild

Society NameDescriptionsFrom (year)To (year)Web site
North American Guild

Although there have been change ringing bells hung in North America since 1744, and bands of change ringers have been active in locations as far apart as Quebec, South Carolina, Illinois, and British Columbia at various times since then, by the middle of the 20th century, change ringing on tower bells had nearly died out on the continent and records of change ringing on handbells are correspondingly scanty. In the early 1960's, there were only seven active towers: In the USA at schools in Kent, Groton, and Chicago and in Canada at churches in Calgary, Mission, Vancouver, and Victoria. Excitement about the installation in 1963 of change ringing bells at the new National Cathedral in Washington, DC, however, energized ringers around the continent and discussions about forming a guild to support, improve, and extend change ringing in North America began.
In late 1968 a peal was rung at the Groton School that the ringers present considered to have been the nascent event of the North American Guild. The official founding of the Guild did not occur, however, until the ratification of the constitution in the autumn of 1972 at which time 141 ringers became members. At that time there were 11 active towers in North America concentrated in the southwestern quadrant of Canada and the northeastern quadrant of the USA. Details of this history can be found in There Was Life Before NAG by J. Michael Simpson. [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Certificates Collection by Chris Ridley.]

founded 1972 [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]

1972https://www.nagcr.org/

Photo

Books in the Council Library

TitleAuthorDateNotesAcquisition Number
North American Guild of Change Ringers.The Official Journal of the North American Guild of Change Ringers 'The Clapper' Vol 1 No 1 (Dec 1973) - Vol 47 No 4 (Oct 2020) Vol 48, No 1 (Jan 2021) - Vol 50, No 3 (Summer 2023)1291
1980/1-1987, 1988-2016, 2017 - 20221356
Ringing elementary minor methods on handbellsFrank H King1974, Aug 1367
Ringing elementary minor methods on handbellsFrank H King1974, Aug 2788
There was Life before NAGJ. Michael Simpson (editor)1997illustrated 2409
Change Ringingn.d.Recruiting leaflets - Foolscap sheet folded to give eight sides 1354
Change Ringingn.d.Recruiting leaflets 1355
Letters relating to the formation of the North American Guild1966-70Photocopies: 1) R S Dirksen - circular letter to tower captains and masters in North America 27.x.1966 2) Newsletter from the Tower of Washington Cathedral Jan 1967 3) R S Dirksen to Frank (C Price) enclosing report for presentation to 1870 CC meeting 1324
Bells of North America Vol 1n.d.Fifteen towers plus one handbell track Explanatory leaflet 1084

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

NamePlace(s)Other societiesDate of death
Bruce N Butler Location mentioned in obituary: Cranbrook18/01/2022
William Hillyard Jackson Place of Birth: Tadcaster
Began ringing at: Hatfield, South Yorkshire
First peal tower: Campsall
Towers: Oxford towers while he was at the University, Kingston upon Thames, Cookham, Prestbury (Cheshire), Wilmslow and St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich.
Location mentioned in obituary: Norwich
13/04/2009
William Alfred Theobald Place of Birth: Islington
Began ringing at: Portsmouth Cathedral
First peal tower: St. Paul, Salisbury.
Towers: Subsequently he was attached to all four Salisbury towers, then to St. Mary's Holloway. Later he was unattached for at least 25 years.
Location mentioned in obituary: London
Ancient Society of College Youths
Antient Free and Accepted Masons of England
08/07/1992
Kathryn Elaine Tucker Place of Birth: Whittier, California
Began ringing at: Marietta
First peal tower: St. Martin in the Fields, Philadelphia
Towers: Washington 2012
Location mentioned in obituary: Marietta
24/08/2014
Professor George Walton Williams Place of Birth: Charlseston, South Carolina, USA
Began ringing at: Christ Church, Raleigh, North Carolina
25/02/2022

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

Records 1 to 5, of 9 
◁◁▶▶ 

Quebec Cathedral (Holy Trinity), Canada 07/10/1972

Details

Quebec Cathedral (Holy Trinity), Canada 08/10/1972

Details

Quebec (St Matthew's Bell Tower), Canada 29/06/1985

Details

Quebec (St Matthew's Bell Tower), Canada 03/10/1987

Details

Quebec (St Matthew's Bell Tower), Canada 28/08/2004

Details

Peals

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

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