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THE CENTRAL COUNCIL.

OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING.

The second Annual Meeting of the Council was held at the Colonnade Hotel, Birmingham, on Tuesday, April 19th, 1892. Of the whole number of eighty-four members, forty-five were present, representing twenty-four out of thirty-three societies. The President (A. Percival Heywood, Esq.,) took the chair. The minutes of the meeting of 1891 were read and confirmed. Letters of regret for unavoidable absence from several members were read. It was announced that one society, the Eastern Counties’ Guild, had withdrawn its representative from the Council, and that a new society, the St. Peter’s Guild, Wolverhampton, had joined.

A letter was read from Mr. F. E. Dawe resigning the hon. secretaryship. The resignation was accepted with regret. On nomination by Messrs. Dains, Newson, and others, it was proposed and carried unanimously that the Rev. H. Earle Bulwer be elected hon. secretary.

It was moved and carried unanimously that the following be elected honorary members of the Council:- Captain Acland-Troyte, Rev. A. H. F. Boughey, W. H. Thompson.

The accounts for the past year were submitted and passed, having been previously audited by the Standing Committee. The receipts were £9 5s., and the expenditure £1 1s., leaving a balance in the bank of £8 4s. The subscriptions for the present year amounting to £9 2s. 6d. bring the total balance up to £17 6s. 6d.

The following resolutions were then passed:-

It was moved by the President, seconded by Mr. Attree, and carried, that the part of rule x. relating to the number of members required to form a quorum be amended as follows:- that “twenty” be substituted for “one third the whole number of members.”

On a motion by Rev. H. A. Cockey that the rules be printed an amendment was moved by the President, seconded by Mr. Howard, and carried, “that the Standing Committee be requested to take into consideration how the rules may best be brought under the notice of the members.”

The Committee appointed to obtain adequate recognition of the Exercise from the Church Congress, reported that after deciding that it was desirable to try to obtain a hearing at the Folkestone Congress this year, they had addressed a letter to the Subjects Committee, and had received in reply a form on which they placed the names of several gentlemen whom they thought would speak or read a paper before the Congress. Since returning the paper no further communication had been received.

On consideration of the report presented by the Committee appointed to draw up a body of advice, &c., to Church Authorities on bells and ringers, the Rev. T. L. Papillon moved, Mr. Barnett seconded, and it was carried, “That the draft report be accepted as a whole, subject to the reconsideration by the committee of special details upon which suggestions may be offered, the said suggestions to be sent to the Honorary Secretary in writing on or before April 30th.” Mr. Attree moved, Mr. Williams seconded, and it was carried, “that the section of the report dealing with prices of bells and fittings be submitted to two or three bell-founders for verification.”

The Rev. F. E. Robinson moved, Mr. Griffin seconded, and it was carried, “That the various associations be asked to take a number of copies in proportion to their numbers and their areas.” The Rev. T. L. Papillon moved, Mr. Barnett seconded, and it was carried, “that the Standing Committee be empowered to pay the expenses of the report, adding thereto an index.”

The Rev. T. L. Papillon moved, the Rev. C. D. P. Davies seconded, and it was carried with but few dissentients, that the following conditions are essential to the validity of the peal:-

On five bells, without the addition of a covering bell, not less than 5040 changes, rung without interval in true six-scores, and in not less than three methods.

On six bells, not less than 5040 changes rung without interval in true 720s, of which no two in the same method shall be called alike.

On seven bells, with or without the addition of a covering bell, 5040 true changes rung without interval in any one method.

On eight, ten, and twelve bells, not less than 5000 true changes, rung without interval in any one method.

On nine and eleven bells, in each case with the addition of a covering bell, not less than 5000 true changes rung without interval in any one method.

The Rev. H. E. Bulwer gave notice that he would move at the next meeting an addition to the definition of a peal on seven bells, with a view of discountenancing such peals without a covering bell.

Mr. Snowdon moved, Mr. Lucas seconded, and it was carried, “That it was expedient to publish a catalogue of books relating to bells and ringing, and that the matter be referred to the Standing Committee with an instruction that, in basing their list upon that of the Rev. H. T. Ellacombe, they should insert an acknowledgement of the labour bestowed by him upon the subject.”

The Rev. H. A. Cockey moved, “That a committee be appointed to receive and classify all compositions of 5,000 changes and upwards, and to issue an annual report in which all peals composed in the previous twelve months shall be published.”

Mr. Copley moved and Mr. Howard seconded, and it was carried “That the Rev. C. D. P. Davies, Mr. C. H. Hattersley, and Mr. Washbrook be appointed a committee to consider the matter.”

The Rev. C. D. P. Davies moved, and Mr. Catchpole seconded, and it was carried “That the question of deciding as to the proper call or calls in each method be referred to the same Committee.”

Mr. Attree moved, and Mr. Washbrook seconded, and it was carried “That the Hon. Secretary be instructed to write to the Editors of ringing papers asking them only to publish such peals as are rung in conformity with the definitions put forth by the Council.”

On the President expressing a hope that Mr. Attree would see his way, in compiling his valuable analysis of peals, to insert none under the name of more than one society; Mr. Attree consented to give notice in “The Bell News” to that effect. He also said that, at the next meeting he should call attention to the unsatisfactory way in which members were elected to Associations previous to starting for a peal, and would move one or more resolutions thereon.

Mr. Phillott moved, and Mr. Taylor seconded, “That Oxford be the place of meeting for next year.”

Mr. Snowdon moved, and Mr. Hattersley seconded, “Leeds for the same meeting.” Oxford was decided on by 27 votes to 13.

On the motion of the President it was seconded and carried unanimously “That, to obviate any objection that might be taken under rule XI. to the results of the voting on the various resolutions and amendments, the Council do now confirm the whole of these as passed.”

The Rev. T. L. Papillon moved, and the Rev. F. E. Robinson seconded, “A vote of thanks to the President for presiding.”

This was carried unanimously.

The Bell News and Ringers’ Record, May 7, 1892, pages 66 to 67