The Eighth Annual Meeting of the Council was held in the Parish Hall of St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, on May 31st, the President, Sir Arthur P. Heywood, Bart. in the chair. Of representative members forty-three were present out of eighty, representing twenty-three out of thirty-one societies: and of honorary members three out of eleven.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
On the motion of Mr. Thornton, seconded by Mr. Attree, the retiring honorary members- Rev. A. H. F. Boughey, Mr. W. H. Thompson, and Mr. E. F. Strange were re-elected.
The Hon. Secretary read the statement of accounts showing a balance from the last year of £52 1s. 9½d.; receipts from subscriptions £10 2s. 6d.; sale of Appendix, 6d.; making a total of £62 4s. 9½d. Expenditure:- Reporting and Postage, £1 6s. 9½d.; hire of room at the Church House, £1 5s. 1d.; leaving a balance of £59 13s. 1d. The accounts having been previously audited by the Standing Committee, were accepted and passed.
The Rev. H. A. Cockey made a report as to the position of the negotiations with the Railway Companies for securing cheap rail fares for ringers, and suggested the drawing up of a petition to be signed by members of the different Associations.
On the motion of Mr. Attree, seconded by Mr. Story, it was resolved that the Committee on Rail Fares should draw up a form of petition and circulate it amongst the various societies; and that the Committee be empowered to incur such expense as might be necessary for this purpose.
The Hon. Secretary read a letter from Mr. Strange with reference to the work connected with the Bibliography.
The Rev. F. E. Robinson moved, Mr. Williams seconded, and it was carried, that the Hon. Secretary do write to Mr. Strange asking him to furnish the Council with the portion of the work completed, and the materials he possessed for continuing it.
The Hon. Secretary read the Report of the Peal Collection Committee. A doubt having been expressed whether all the collectors were accepting compositions of more than the usual length, the Rev. C. D. P. Davies moved, Mr. Craven seconded, and it was resolved, that it be an instruction to the Committee to include compositions of all lengths above 5000 in the collection.
The Hon. Secretary read an ad interim report of the Committee on Technical Terms, with reference to the progress of the Glossary, to complete which satisfactorily, some expenditure was necessary. Mr. Rees moved, Mr. Dains seconded, and it was carried, that the Committee be empowered to incur the necessary expense of collecting local terms.
The Hon. Secretary moved, and the Rev. G. F. Coleridge seconded the addition to the definition of a true peal of the words “in all cases starting from, and ending with, rounds.” The motion was carried.
Mr. Attree moved, and the Rev. G. F. Coleridge seconded, that the Report of the Peal Values Committee, as printed in “The Bell News” be adopted. Mr. Wakley proposed and Mr. Cockerill seconded as an amendment, that Superlative, New Cumberland, and Cambridge Surprise should be accorded 30 points each. The amendment was carried. Mr. Snowdon moved and Mr. O’Meara seconded, that it be an instruction to the Committee to arrange the schedule of points so as to give an increased value to peals rung on rings having a tenor of over 30 cwt. The motion was carried. Mr. Attree moved, Mr. Williams seconded, and it was carried, that the following Surprise methods, Gloucester, Westminster, Norfolk and Oxford be added to those which should receive 30 points, Mr. Attree moved, and the Rev. G. F. Coleridge seconded, that the value of Cambridge Surprise Royal should be reduced, in proportion to Major, to forty points. The Rev. E. B. James moved, and Mr. Ward seconded, that no reduction be made; this amendment was carried by a large majority, and the Report of the Committee, with the alterations, was adopted.
The Rev. C. D. P. Davies moved, and the Rev. W. W. C. Baker seconded the adoption of the Report of the Committee on Original Composition and Variation, as printed in “Bell News.” The motion was carried.
The President moved the adoption of the “Scheme of Procedure of the Committee on the condition of bells,” as printed in “Bell News”; the Rev. H. C. Courtney seconded.
The President invited the Council to suggest any rings of six, which might be considered of an historic character, for inclusion in the enquiry; and the following were mentioned: Westminster Abbey, Croyland Abbey, St. Mary the Great, Oxford, St. Benet’s, Cambridge, and Rochester Cathedral. The question being put, the scheme was adopted.
The President moved, the Rev. C. D. P. Davies seconded, and it was carried, that it is desirable that Thurstans’ well-known composition in Stedman Triples should be designated his “four-part”; and his other compositions his “five-part” and “one-part” respectively.
The Rev. H. J. Elsee moved, and Mr. Phillott seconded, that in the opinion of the Council, peal-ringing on Sundays is not advisable except on occasions when a special service in church would be equally appropriate. Mr. Pritchett moved the previous question, which was seconded by the Rev. T. L. Papillon and carried.
The Rev. F. E. Robinson introduced the question “how far and under what conditions any departure from the true and clear ringing of every change is permissible in the performance of a peal.” After some discussion the President invited the Council to take the subject into careful consideration with a view to bringing forward some definite resolution at a future meeting.
The President announced that the Standing Committee had suggested Cambridge and Norwich for selection of one of the two as the place for the next meeting. On the motion of Mr. Thornton, seconded by the Rev. C. D. P. Davies, Norwich was selected by a large majority.
The Rev. F. E. Robinson proposed a vote of thanks to the President and Secretary, which was carried by acclamation.
The Bell News and Ringers’ Record, July 2, 1898, page 37
| Societies | represented | 23 |
| " | unrepresented | 8 |
| Representatives | present | 43 |
| " | absent | 37 |
| Hon. Members | present | 3 |
| " | absent | 8 |
| Total members | present | 46 |
| " | absent | 45 |
The Bell News and Ringers’ Record, July 2, 1898, page 39