The second session of the thirteenth Council (36th meeting) was held in St. Peter’s Church House on Tuesday, June 5th, 1928, at 11 a.m. The chair was taken by the president, Canon G. F. Coleridge, who opened the meeting with prayer. There were present 78 members, 36 Guilds and Associations being represented. The Bishop of Hereford welcomed the Council to that city, and expressed his appreciation of the excellent work being done by ringers in bringing the manhood of the country, and particularly of the country villages, into closer touch with the Church. On behalf of the diocese and City of Hereford, he bid them a hearty welcome and God-speed in their work.
The President then thanked the Bishop, and the Council proceeded to discuss the business on the agenda.
The minutes of the last meeting having been published, were taken as read and duly confirmed and signed.
Apologies for absence were received from the Rev. A. H. F. Boughey, Rev. E. W. Carpenter, Rev. C. C. Marshall, Canon H. J. Elsee, Messrs. W. J. Nevard, C. H. Howard, J. D. Matthews, C. J. Sedgley, H. Barton, J. W. Parker, W. Ayre, C. F. Johnston, C. Dean, T. R. Dennis, H. Walker, H. Argyle, W. Story, H. W. Wilde, W. Shepherd, A. L. Coleman, G. P. Burton, E. H. Lewis, W. Bolton and A. E. Sharman.
The hon. secretary and treasurer presented the financial statement, which showed that the year began with a balance at the bank of £45 3s. 10d., and that this balance, after the receipts and expenditure of the year had been dealt with, was £26 15s. 6d., and, in addition to the invested sum of £100 (nominal). The accounts were audited by Messrs. A. Paddon Smith and J. Griffin, and formally adopted.
The Hon. Secretary further stated that the new edition of the ‘Rules and Decisions’ of the Council was now published and was on the table. It contained much new matter, including actions of the Council and a short account of its history.
The hon. librarian, Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn, submitted his report and statement of accounts, which were duly adopted. In view of the revised edition of ‘Rules and Decisions’ placed upon the table that day, he proposed that the remainder of the old edition be scrapped, which was agreed to. Following Mr. P. J. Johnson’s suggestion to popularise the Council’s publications, the Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn agreed to send parcels, on sale or return, to the various secretaries of associations or any responsible person. The report and statement were then adopted.
The Hon. Secretary said that amongst the additional books now in the library were two ‘Copy’ peal books of the now defunct ‘Trinity Youths’ of Deptford, which had been presented to the Council by Mr. F. W. Thornton. On the motion of the hon. secretary, seconded by Rev. F. J. O. Helmore, it was agreed to accept the gift with many thanks.
Mr. E. W. Elwell then reported for the sub-committee revising ‘Model rules for a local company,’ their work being now completed. He proposed, and Mr. W. H. Hollier seconded, that they be now printed. This, subject to a rider proposed by Mr. A. Paddon Smith and seconded by Mr. J. George, limiting the cost to £5, was agreed to.
The retiring hon. members, Rev. A. H. F. Boughey, Rev. H. S. T. Richardson, and Mr. J. W. Parker, were re-elected, with the exception of Mr. Boughey, who had tendered his resignation owing to ill-health and advancing years. The standing committee recommended that the place rendered vacant should not be filled. This course was adopted on the motion of Rev. F. Ll. Edwards and seconded by Mr. W. A. Cave.
New members of the Council attending for the first time were then formally introduced to the president and welcomed by him.
The Council then dealt with the committee reports as follows:-
STANDING COMMITTEE.
The Hon. Secretary having referred to certain correspondence and conversations which had passed between Miss Heywood and the officers of the Midland Counties Association and the Lancashire Association in regard to a proposal to have a memorial bell at Pendleton, in memory of Sir Arthur Heywood, the President said the best course of action would be for an association formally to approach the Council. He also reminded the Council that, at the suggestion of Canon Elsee, a memorial tablet had just been erected to record Sir Arthur’s last peal, and said that Mr. Wilde, who kindly officiated during Canon Elsee’s absence abroad, had reported to the committee that morning there was a deficit of £2 7s. 11d., and that amount had been forthwith subscribed. Mr. Wilde was cordially thanked for the trouble he had taken in connection with the memorial tablet.
PEAL COLLECTION COMMITTEE.
The Rev. H. S. T. Richardson reported for the committee, and said that they now produced the typed results of their work, which was now nearly completed. Mrs. E. K. Fletcher suggested that the one-part peals of Treble Bob should be typed and bound in a similar manner as the first part of the collection had been done.
On the motion of the President, this was agreed to, and Mrs. Fletcher cordially thanked for what, he said, must have been a gigantic task
LITERATURE AND PRESS COMMITTEE.
The committee’s report, as given in ‘The Ringing World’ of June 1st, was moved by the Rev. F. Ll. Edwards, seconded by Mr. J. Griffin, and adopted.
METHODS COMMITTEE.
The Rev. H. Law James reported on behalf of the committee, and stated that they were now practically ready to publish the new edition of Minor Methods. Their recommendations as to the names proposed were as published in ‘The Ringing World.’ Mr. J. A. Trollope said that they had carefully revised the names and, as promised, had had them published. It would be seen that there had been no abuse of their powers, and that their list was practically that presented by the Analysis Committee at Salisbury; so, despite what has been said, the difference between the two committees was but small. As regards the previously proposed list of amendments, etc., their committee were perfectly neutral, their job being to settle the names in order of priority alone. Whilst there should be an opportunity given for discussing the wider point of view, the time was now past, he thought, for any general review of the names themselves.
After some discussion Mr. J. S. Goldsmith moved:-
‘That the following names be substituted in the Treble Bob methods for those contained in the committee’s list, viz.: No. 16 (for “Shamrock”) “Waterford”; No. 17 (for “Bluebell”) “Berwyn”; No. 20 (for “Daffodil”) “Cheviot”; No. 21 (for “Fuchsia”) “Chiltern”; No. 22 (for “Foxglove”) “Cotswold”; No. 23 (for “Hyacinth”) “Mendip”; No. 24 (for “Marigold”) “Pennine”; No. 27 (for “Dahlia”) “Quantock”; and No. 28 (for “Geranium”) “Snowdon.”’
The proposer said that the avoidance of flower names, as suggested, was more dignified as befitting a product of mathematical science, and that they were in substitution of names of recent origin only. Mr. P. J. Johnson, having seconded the motion, Mr. E. W. Elwell expressed the hope that the Council would still support the naming by ringers of a method which they were the first to ring, as had been the actual case with the Chester Guild. Alderman Pritchett and Rev. A. T. Beeston also spoke against the motion which, however, being supported by Messrs. Barker, Cave and others was eventually carried by 40 to 19.
Mr. J. S. Goldsmith then further proposed that the following alteration of names of methods should be made:-
‘That No. 5 of Treble Bob be renamed “London Treble Bob”; No. 4 of 4th’s-place Delight be renamed “Clarence”; No. 14 of 3rd’s-place Delight be renamed “Barham”; and No. 36 of 3rd’s-place Delight be renamed “Windsor.”’
The motion, upon being seconded by Mr. J. Hunt, was carried unanimously.
The Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn then moved the deletion of the words ‘Castle’ and ‘Abbey’ from the names of Delight methods, which was seconded by Mr. T. H. Beams, and, after some explanatory remarks by the Revs. H. Law James and H. Drake, the motion was carried.
Mr. J. S. Goldsmith, having called the attention of the Council to certain difficulties which arose in the ringing of some Double Surprise Minor methods, Mr. T. Faulkner also pointed out difficulties which appeared to have arisen in connection with the names ‘Primrose’ and ‘Canterbury,’ whereupon Mr. Trollope, for the committee, explained that the name ‘Canterbury’ had been given to the wrong method in the first edition of the Council’s Collection, and subsequently corrected by the Analysis Committee. And in regard to ‘Primrose,’ though the previous name was an older one, it was generally known in the Exercise to-day as ‘Primrose.’ He suggested the printing of an appendix of such dual names, which would solve any difficulty. Mr. T. J. Salter then proposed: ‘That “King’s Norton” should be substituted for “Primrose.”’ Mr. J. S. Pritchett seconded this, but, on its being put to the meeting, the motion was lost.
The Rev. H. Drake then called attention to the following two names, viz., No. 40 of 3rd’s-place Delight, ‘Bogedone,’ and No. 22 of the Surprise methods, ‘Immanuel,’ names which he deprecated. The President expressed some concurrence, and his suggestion that the committee should look into these points was accepted, and the committee’s statement received.
PEALS ANALYSIS COMMITTEE.
The report of this committee was moved by the Rev. A. T. Beeston. The report, he said, had been published in ‘The Ringing World,’ and he desired to correct one mistake in respect of the length of the record peal of Treble Bob, which was given as 17,284 instead of 17,824. The Rev. C. D. P. Davies seconded, and the report was adopted, and on the motion of the President a vote of thanks to the committee for their work was passed.
TOWERS AND BELFRIES COMMITTEE.
The Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn reported for this committee, and said the members had been fairly busy during the year. He called attention to the desirability of the following questions, viz., some agreed arrangement whereby the condition of old bells should be certified before they left the precincts of the church, in order to prevent contentious issues arising after their removal. Also the desirability of considering further the acoustic properties of towers, especially as regards the ringing room. He also thought much might be done to improve the ventilation of these rooms.- The Rev. F. Ll. Edwards seconded and supported the adoption of the report. After some favourable discussion of the honorary librarian’s suggestions it was, on the motion of the President, agreed that the committee be instructed to inquire into and report upon the acoustic difficulties referred to, which he declared carried.
Mr. E. M. Atkins, having asked what the committee were doing in respect to the welding of old bells, Major Hesse replied that he had known cases which were quite successful in regard to tone, but it was still questionable how long the bell would survive. After some remarks by Mr. A. A. Hughes and Mr. Hunt, on the stresses in bells, the Hon. Secretary, also replying for the committee, said that bells were likely to be subjected to such undue stresses, whether they were brazed or recast, and in regard to the former hope, he expressed the hope as a lover of mediæval bells, that the welding process should be used wherever practicable. The Rev. H. Drake, having referred to some successful cases of welding which had come under his notice and which had worked out very cheaply, the report of the committee was adopted, and the Council adjourned for lunch.
RECORDS COMMITTEE.
On the reassembling of the Council, the Rev. A. T. Beeston presented his report and read a list of first peals of new methods and progressive lengths in other methods rung during the present year. On the motion of the President, the report was adopted.
LEGAL COMMITTEE.
Mr. F. A. Milne, on behalf of the committee, desired to report progress, and expressed the hope that a formal report would be ready for next year’s meeting. On the motion of the President, the committee’s report was accepted.
BROADCASTING COMMITTEE.
The Rev. F. Ll. Edwards, being asked to report for this committee, he having been elected to give the ‘Talk,’ said that had had several interviews with the B.B.C., and they expected the ‘Talk’ with handbell demonstration to take place in the autumn.
The Hon. Secretary then detailed the work which had been done by himself and other members of the committee in establishing the situation. He seconded the report which, after some further discussion was adopted.
The Council then proceeded to discuss the motions on the agenda, and the Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn, speaking to his resolution, adjourned from the year before, in reference to issuing peal diplomas, said that during the past year he had found that opinion was almost unanimous in his own Guild in favour of these diplomas, and, having dealt with the motion in detail the previous year, he now again formally proposed it.
Mr. J. Hunt, in seconding, said that in the West the proposal found general support. It was further supported by Mr. F. Hopgood and Mr. C. Edwards, but was strongly condemned by Mr. James George.
It was thought by Mr. P. J. Johnson and others, that the proposed diploma should be issued by the affiliated Guilds and not by the Council.
After several other speakers had voiced their views for and against, on a vote being taken, the motion was declared lost.
The Rev. F. Ll. Edwards then moved his motion, ‘Deprecating the discontinuance of the curfew and other traditional bells and calling upon all those associated with the Council to endeavour to prevent such breaches with ancient usage.’ Mr. Edwards reviewed this subject historically, presenting many interesting facts for the consideration of the Council, and urged that the subject touched ringing very closely.
Mr. T. H. Beams, in seconding, drew attention to the unfortunate diversion of money left for such purposes and for the upkeep of bells. Several other speakers supported the motion, but Mr. A. Paddon Smith spoke strongly to the contrary, drawing a sharp line between bells in rural and those in urban areas. But he was the only dissentient when the motion was carried.
The Hon. Secretary then moved his motion in respect to placing memorial tablets to famous ringers of the past, instancing Annable, Holt, Shipway, etc. He pointed out that the authorities in London of late years were fixing plaques on buildings associated with famous citizens and others, and he thought that the Council and associations with the local Guilds, and at the latter’s expense, might arrange for Doulton’s to supply a suitably designed series of plaques, which would cost about £5 each. He instanced that the Council had just put up a tablet to the memory of Sir Arthur Heywood. Mr. A. A. Hughes seconded the motion. But, upon its being opposed by Mr. James George, Rev. C. A. Clements, Mr. J. S. Pritchett and others, it was defeated by a large majority.
SIX AND FIVE BELL PEALS.
Mr. J. S. Goldsmith then moved his resolution, as follows:-
‘That in the “Conditions required for peals,” laid down by the Central Council, the following be inserted: “ON FIVE BELLS: That peals of Doubles consist of at least 42 true and complete 120’s rung without interval and without ’rounds‘ or any other rows being included or rung more than once in any 120. A peal may be lengthened by the addition of any number of 120’s fulfilling the same conditions, with or without one touch of less than 120.” And the following be substituted for the present definition of a peal on six bells: “ON SIX BELLS: That peals of Minor consist of at least seven true and complete 720’s rung without interval and without ’rounds‘ or any other row being included or rung more than once in any 720. A peal may be lengthened by the addition of any number of 720’s fulfilling the same conditions, with or without one touch of less than 720.”’
Mr. Goldsmith explained the shortcomings of the present rule, and stated that the motion was to place peals of Doubles on parallel lines to peals of Minor. And, while it would not exclude Pitman’s spliced 240’s of Grandsire, it would rule out that practised by Mr. Morris where each 120 suffered from a repetition of no less than 40 changes. His aim was to raise the standard of peals. The Rev. H. Law James seconded, and explained the working of the proposed arrangement.
The Rev. E. S. Powell supported the motion, but moved a rider ‘that in a peal the calling should be as varied as the method or methods would permit.’
After some further remarks by Mr. Coles and Mr. E. M. Atkins, for and against, the motion was carried without dissent, and the rider, on being seconded and put separately, was lost by 13 to 9.
A motion which had been received from Mr. W. Ayre, as regards dealing with cases of sickness amongst members, not having been seconded, was ruled out of order, and the Council proceeded to consider the place for next year’s meeting. The President stated that the Standing Committee recommended Chelmsford for 1929, in respect of which they had had an invitation from the Essex Association.
Blackburn, as an alternative, having been proposed and seconded, a vote was taken, and Chelmsford was carried by a large majority.
The above concluded the formal business. But as the hour was not late, the Council gave permission, on the motion of the President, to discuss addenda motions which had been received too late for the agenda paper.
Mr. R. Whittington proposed that this Council invite its affiliated associations and Guilds to unite in a scheme for keeping touch with ringers who remove from one area to another. Mr. Whittington, having explained his scheme, it was seconded by Mr. A. H. Pulling, and received general support, including a word of praise from the President, and was carried unanimously. In connection with the motion, Mr. Goldsmith offered to publish in ‘The Ringing World,’ once a year, a complete list of the secretaries of the affiliated Guilds, in order to facilitate inter-communication.
There were two other motions on the addenda, and which had been considered by the Standing Committee, but the president ruled them out of order. It was also suggested that the motion standing in the name of Mr. Ayre (who was absent) might be brought forward by proxy and seconded, but the proposal to do so, being put by the president, was lost.
The President then referred to the loss the Council had sustained by the death of Mr. Pryce Taylor, who had been a valuable member of the Council and the Standing Committee. He asked those present to stand in silence as a mark of respect, which was done.
The President then said he had much pleasure in asking Mrs. Fletcher (Miss E. Parker) to accept a wedding present collected in the room that day in commemoration of her unselfish work for the Council. Mrs. Fletcher, in accepting the cheque for £6 10s., said she greatly appreciated the kindly thought which had prompted the gift. Her work for the Council had always been one of great pleasure.
A vote of thanks to the president, moved by the Rev. C. D. P. Davies, was carried with acclamation, and briefly responded to, and the meeting closed about 5 p.m.
The Ringing World, March 1st, 1929, pages 138 to 139
Canon G. F. Coleridge (Oxford Diocesan Guild) presided. There were also present Mr. E. Alex. Young (hon. secretary and treasurer), Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn (Oxford Diocesan Guild) (hon. librarian), and representatives of the following affiliated bodies:-
Ancient Society of College Youths: Messrs. A. A. Hughes and T. W. Faulkner.
Bath and Wells Diocesan Association: Messrs. J. Hunt and H. W. Brown.
Bedfordshire Association: Canon W. W. C. Baker.
Cambridge University Guild: Mr. E. M. Atkins.
Chester Diocesan Guild: Rev. C. A. Clements, Messrs. E. W. Elwell, R. D. Langford and R. Sperring.
Devon Guild: Rev. E. S. Powell and Mr. F. J. Davey.
Dudley and District Guild: Mr. S. J. Hughes.
Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Association: Mr. W. H. Barber.
East Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Association: Messrs. H. G. Fretwell and J. Lord.
Essex Association: Messrs. G. R. Pye and E. J. Butler.
Gloucester and Bristol Diocesan Association: Messrs. W. A. Cave and E. Guise.
Guildford Diocesan Guild: Messrs. A. H. Pulling and R. Whittington.
Hereford Diocesan Guild: Messrs. C. Edwards and J. Clark.
Hertford County Association: Rev. B. H. Tyrwhitt-Drake.
Kent County Association: Rev. F. J. O. Helmore, Messrs. T. Groombridge, sen., and E. Barnett, sen.
Ladies’ Guild: Mrs. G. W. Fletcher.
Lancashire Association: Messrs. W. H. Shuker and P. Crook.
Lincoln Diocesan Guild: Rev. H. Law James, Rev. H. T. Parry, Messrs. R. Richardson and G. W. Chester.
Llandaff and Monmouth Diocesan Association: Mr. J. W. Jones.
London County Association: Mr. A. D. Barker.
Middlesex County Association: Messrs. F. A. Milne, C. T. Coles and W. H. Hollier.
Midland Counties Association: Mr. J. H. Swinfield.
Oxford Diocesan Guild: Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn, Messrs. F. W. Hopgood and J. Evans.
Peterborough Diocesan Guild: Messrs. F. Wilford, R. G. Black, T. Tebbutt and F. Hopper.
St. Martin’s Guild, Birmingham: Mr. A. Paddon Smith.
Salisbury Diocesan Guild: Rev. F. Ll. Edwards, Messrs. T. H. Beams and S. Hillier.
Shropshire Association: Mr. W. Saunders.
Society for the Archdeaconry of Stafford: Messrs. H. Knight and T. J. Elton.
Suffolk Guild: Rev. H. Drake and Mr. C. Mee.
Surrey Association: Mr. J. D. Drewett.
Swansea and Brecon Guild: Mr. A. J. Pitman.
Truro Diocesan Guild: Mr. W. H. Southeard.
Warwickshire Guild: Mr. F. W. Perrens.
Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild: Mr. G. Williams.
Worcestershire and Districts Association: Messrs. T. J. Salter, R. G. Knowles and C. A. Binyon.
Yorkshire Association: Messrs. P. J. Johnson and J. Cotterell.
Hon. members: Revs. C. D. P. Davies, A. T. Beeston and H. S. T. Richardson, Messrs. J. S. Pritchett, J. Griffin, J. H. B. Hesse, J. A. Trollope, J. George, and J. S. Goldsmith.
The Ringing World, June 8th, 1928, page 361