Striking Competitions: The National 12 Bell Striking Competition Final is always one of the biggest days in the ringing calendar. For many, it is the pinnacle in ringing with the nation’s top nine teams battling it out for the coveted Taylor Trophy, having already come through a preliminary round. For others it’s an excuse to catch up with old friends and make new ones over a few beers, generally speaking there’s something for everyone. Like a lot of these activities, it takes months to organise, even over a year or two. Being held mostly at one of our cathedrals housing at least 12 bells, dates have to be fitted into the church’s diary.

Tintinnabulum happened to be in London on the day of this year’s final and on a glorious warm sunny July afternoon, walked along the Thames footpath, over the once “wibberly, wobberly” footbridge linking the Tate Modern with St. Paul’s. With ice cream in hand and Mrs. T. at my side, I plonked myself down on the steps of the west front of the cathedral and listened to the ringing. Mulling around were various shapes and sizes of people wearing cardboard badges with “Ringer” inscribed on them. All the competitors had to be registered for access and security purposes, as entrance to the cathedral is normally on payment.

Ringing at St. Paul’s can be very intimidating and the nerves must have been well tested for a competition. Mr. T thought it sounded quite a jangle, but much better from Blackfriars Bridge. The ice cream was good though. By the way, the team from St. Paul’s won the competition - home advantage.

8 Bell Striking Competition This was held at Rothwell the week after the submission of Gossip, so the actual result will be listed in next month’s edition. St. Mary’s ringers formed the majority of the team representing the Wellingborough Branch. No ice creams this time!

Young Tom’s Quarter Tom is now quite well known amongst members of the congregation. He made himself most useful in aspects of the kitchen refurbishment and the recent holiday Club. He also loves working on the trains and track at the old Railway Station. One Sunday evening in August he successfully attempted another quarter peal of Plain Bob Doubles which involved changes on five bells. He rang well, although after 45 minutes, a little tired.

2009 Date Touch To celebrate Barbara and John’s Ruby and Pam and Paul’s Pearl Wedding, we successfully rang a “date” touch on the last Sunday in August. With no Evening Prayer, we started at 2 45pm and finished an hour and 12 minutes later. A date touch has more changes than the usual quarter peal (with between 1250 and 1330 changes) and therefore takes longer to ring. The number of changes corresponds to the year. To ring one method with exactly 2009 changes proved impossible and so we started off with a few changes of Crayford Little Court finishing with a method with another mouthful, Double Norwich Court Bob Major – commonly called Double Norwich. Congratulations to Barbara, John Pam and Paul.

University Ringing With many new students now settling into university life, the notice pages of the Ringing World have been full of adverts from the many university ringing societies, encouraging freshers to attend the various Fairs and sign up for the ringing activities. It’s a good way of getting to know fellow students from differing parts of the country and to continue and develop their ringing skills. Usually they are well-organised societies (as far as students go!) and as well as Sunday and practice night ringing, outings and plenty of social gatherings are on the calendar during term time.

Mrs. Douglas-Jones Many older members of the congregation will remember the Revd. Ian and Mrs. Douglas Jones who served at St. Mary’s in the late 50’s and early 60’s. As Rector, he rewrote and updated the history guide to the church and was instrumental in changing the choir cassocks from black to red. This was connected with past royal patronage. On a ringers’ outing many years ago we met them at Malvern where they were then living in retirement. Jean, one of their daughters is married to the Bishop of Huntingdon and recently visited Steve and Sue at the Rectory. The ringers and everyone who knew them send our love and greetings to Mrs Douglas Jones.

Visitors’ Peal Coinciding with the absence of some of our ringers, on holiday, and therefore unable to attempt the usual Sunday evening quarter, a team of ringers from various corners of the Diocese descended on St. Mary’s on the first Sunday in September and rang a good peal of Rushden Surprise Major – well done to them.

Tintinnabulum www.stmarysringers.org.uk