The Sixth Annual Meeting of the Council was held in the Pavilion, at Brighton, on Tuesday, April 7th, the President, Mr. Percival Heywood, in the chair. Of representative members forty were present out of seventy-seven, representing twenty-two out of thirty-one societies; and of Honorary members two out eight. The minutes of the meeting of 1895 were read by the Hon. Secretary and confirmed.
The Hon. Secretary presented the accounts for the past year, which shewed an initial balance of £41 6s. 2½d.; subscriptions received £8 12s. 6d.; sale of Peal Appendix £4 2s. 6d.; total £54 1s. 2½d.; Expenditure, Printing £10 17s. 0d.; Postages, 12s. 7½d.; total £11 9s. 7½d.; balance in hand £42 11s. 7d.
On the motion of Mr. W. D. Smith, seconded by the Rev. G. F. Coleridge, the accounts were passed.
Mr. Tom Lockwood was elected an Hon. Member, to sit next year, on the motion of Mr. R. S. Story, seconded by Mr. F. G. Newman.
The Rev. H. A. Cockey presented the Report of the Committee on Rail Fares; action upon which was subsequently taken in connection with a motion made by Mr. Attree.
The Hon. Secretary moved, and Mr. J. Griffin seconded, the adoption of the Preliminary Report of the Committee on Technical Terms. With an amendment to clause 5, substituting the words “plain course” for “rounds,” this was agreed to.
Mr. G. F. Attree presented the report of the Committee on Peal Values. The experimental adoption of the Schedule of points, recommended by the Committee, was moved by the Rev. F. E. Robinson, seconded by the Rev. E. W. Carpenter, and agreed to.
The Rev. F. E. Robinson proposed, and the Rev. G. F. Coleridge seconded, and it was carried, that “Any length over 5000 should be valued at an increasing ratio.”
Mr. G. F. Attree proposed, the Rev. M. Kelly seconded, and it was carried, “That the Annual Meeting be in future held at Whitsuntide, instead of in Easter week.”
Mr. B. Foskett read a paper and moved, on behalf of Mr. H. Dains, who was unavoidably absent, “That it is desirable to augment the members of the Committee for the classification of peals, in order that, as far as possible, each method may be dealt with by a separate member of the Committee; that to ensure uniformity of procedure it is desirable that the whole committee should be under the guidance of a chairman, and that it be an instruction to the enlarged Committee to furnish to the Council a definition of the points constituting ‘original authorship,’ and of those which determine ‘variation.’” This was seconded by Mr. G. Williams.
The President moved an amendment to appoint a small committee consisting of the Rev. C. D. P. Davies, Dr. Carpenter, Mr. H. Dains, and the Hon. Secretary, to find suitable persons to undertake the collection, examination, and arrangement of compositions, each to deal with one method. This, with the addition of the latter part of the original motion, was accepted by Messrs. Foskett and Williams, and agreed to.
Mr. Tom Lockwood moved to add a rider to the definition of a peal on six bells: “It shall be sufficient to constitute a peal on six bells, if, the full 720 changes in any one method having been rung, the 5040 changes are completed by half-extents, or 360 changes, no two half-extents to be rung in the same method.” Mr. W. Walmsley seconded.
The Rev. E. W. Carpenter moved, as an amendment, “That all records of peals be classified, and performances on the various numbers of bells kept distinct.” Seconded by Mr. J. Parker and lost. The original motion was also lost by a majority of twenty-two to nine.
Mr. C. E. D. Boutflower moved, and the Rev. H. A. Cockey seconded, “That is desirable that at all quarterly and district meetings of any Association or Guild of Church Bell Ringers, as well as at their annual meetings, arrangements should be made, wherever possible, for holding a short service in the parish church, at which the Incumbent should be asked to address the ringers present.” An amendment moved by the Rev. C. D. P. Davies and seconded by the Hon. Secretary, “That the Council views with satisfaction the increase in the number of services held in connection with ringers’ meetings,” was withdrawn in favour of one suggested by the President, seconded by Mr. R. T. Holding, accepted by Mr. Boutflower, and adopted, “That it is desirable, wherever convenient, at all important ringing meetings of church bell ringers that arrangements should be made for holding a short service in the church.”
Mr. G. F. Attree moved, and the Rev. F. J. O. Helmore seconded, and it was carried, “that a deputation wait upon the Railway Clearing House Committee on the subject of cheap fares for ringers.”
The Hon. Secretary moved, and Mr. S. Reeves seconded, and it was carried, “that Mr. G. F. Attree’s name should be added to the former Committee on Railway Fares, and that the Committee have power to select the deputation.”
Mr. G. F. Attree proposed, and the Rev. C. D. P. Davies seconded, “that it is desirable, when members are elected other, wise than at recognised Association meetings, that some uniform regulation relating thereto should be adopted by all ringing societies; and that the following be suggested by the Council to the Societies:- that it shall be permissible for any band of ringers to elect one member in the tower prior to starting for a peal, provided, before the attempt is made, either the proposer or seconder shall have received the candidate’s subscription, and notified to the Secretary of the Association his name and address.” The motion was lost by 15 to 13.
The President made an offer to draw up a Report for presentation to the Council on the titles to be applied to Thurstans’ compositions in Stedman Triples, which was cordially accepted.
The discussion on the claims of the Burton, or Thackrah’s, variation of Cambridge Surprise to be considered as the Standard method, was deferred, the President undertaking to publish a statement of the case in the meantime.
A vote of thanks to Mr. Attree for his hospitality to the members of the Council was proposed by the President, seconded by the Hon. Secretary, and carried with acclamation. Votes of thanks to the President and Hon. Secretary concluded the meeting.
| Societies | represented | 22 |
| " | unrepresented | 9 |
| Representatives | present | 40 |
| " | absent | 37 |
| Hon. Members | present | 2 |
| " | absent | 6 |
| Total members | present | 42 |
| " | absent | 43 |
The Bell News and Ringers’ Record, May 16, 1896, pages 22 to 23