Belfry Gossip
January 2003
As we enter 2003, our congratulations are extended to Leslie Sanders, who celebrates his 102nd birthday at the beginning of January. We also have some 90+ year olds belonging to St. Mary’s – Cecil Metcalfe, Daisy White and not forgetting Cliff Martin, now living at the Shrubbery in Higham Ferrers. We send our New Year’s Greetings to them.
But who is the oldest active ringer – not at St. Mary’s but in the world? Reg Bray is a 100 year old gentleman living in Devon and Meg Boatright communicates with his daughter, who at one time was her neighbour at RAF Brize Norton. Meg has received newspaper cuttings and photographs from the various Devon Chronicles depicting this gentleman ringing a bell, together with some of his ringing achievements.
It was good to see the weather cock back in its exalted position. At the time of writing Gossip, the four lower vanes are not in position, for obvious reasons. With scaffolding still in place, the temptation to obtain a glistening momento would be too great.
For the first time in 50years, we were unable to ring half muffled for the annual Service of Remembrance at the War Memorial. The solemnity of the sound of muffled ringing adds to the dignity of that particular celebration.
The beginning of 2003 sees our Tower Captain qualify for his certificate commemorating 50 years membership of the Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers. As a member of the church youth group, he joined other teenagers to learn the skill of handling a bell rope. Because the Rushden bells were out of action, being overhauled, recast and augmented by Taylors, the bell founders at Loughborough, the learners attended the weekly Higham Ferrers practice night. He can still recall this quite vividly but just now forgets more mundane things! Several adults from St. Mary’s were also trained there and by 1953, when the bells were back in action, the Rushden ringers were able to form their own band and the rest is history. However, support and encouragement was still needed. We do send our greetings to Ivy Hodgkins, another 90+ member and now living in Leamington Spa, whose late husband, Stan, played a prominent part in this newly formed team.
Despite Tintinnabulum’s up-beat tone in last month’s Gossip re-the possibility of some Christmas ringing, sadly, for the first time in 50years, this now seems most unlikely. Delay upon delay has dogged the restoration work, but a sincere thank you to all the members of the congregation who have enquired when ringing will re-commence. The answer is still, "We can’t say".
At the end of November we held a short meeting at the home of Jim and Sarah to up-date everyone on the tower and spire restoration, together with items for the new ringing room which needed further thought and discussion. Seating, heating, lighting, ventilation etc. were all discussed and mostly agreed upon, but some aspects of the work will be dealt with once the main construction is complete. Work is due to start some time in the New Year.
The New Ringing Chamber:
The PCC is launching an appeal on Sunday January 12th to raise the £4,400 still required towards the total cost of £15,000 for this project. If you would like to support this venture in any way, further details may be found in a separate item in this month’s Grapevine.Do please look at the plans at the back of the church and ask the ringers any questions about the work.
Congratulations to one of our ringers, Jim Hedgcock, who rang his 1000th peal at Daventry at the beginning of December. Jim has rung peals in churches all over the country and overseas, travelling thousands of miles. A tremendous achievement and he becomes the second Rushden ringer to have accomplished this.