The 20 peals rung by Independent Societies were thus distributed: Derbyshire, 2; Essex, 1; Glamorganshire, 1; Gloucestershire, 5; Lancashire, 2; Leicestershire, 1; Middlesex, 1; Notts, 1; Rutland, 1; Staffordshire, 2; Ireland, 3.

The 161 peals of Treble Bob were rung as follows:- In the Kent variation: Maximus, 9; Royal, 12; Major, 113. In the Oxford variation: Maximus, 1; Royal, 2; Major, 24. There were also rung one peal of Surfleet Treble Bob Caters, one peal of Little Albion Treble Bob Royal, and one peal of Little Albion Treble Bob Major.

The 233 peals of Grandsire Triples may be sub-divided as follows: Holt’s, Original, 42; Holt’s 10-part and variations, 49; Holt’s 6-part, 2; Parker’s 1-part, 1; Parker’s 4-part, 1; Parker’s 5-part, 1; Parker’s 6-part, 10; Parker’s 12-part, 59; other peals by Mr. J. J. Parker, 2; Carter’s 12-part and variations, 7; Taylor’s peals, 21; Hollis’ 5-part, 6; Rev. C. D. P. Davies’ peals, 7; Whittle’s peals, 4; Thurston’s peals, 4; Day’s peals, 3; Vicar’s peals, 3; Aspinwall’s peals. 2; Rev. E. B. James’ peals, 2; and other peals (including 3 unnamed), 7.

The 130 peals in Plain methods comprise: Bob Maximus, 1; Bob Royal, 14; Bob Caters, 1; Bob Major, 109; College Single Major, 1; Oxford Bob Triples, 4.

The 180 peals of Stedman Triples comprised: Thurstans’ 1-part, 2; Thurstans’ 4-part and variations, 158; Washbrook’s peals, 7; Sir A. P. Heywood’s peals, 3; Lindoff’s peals, 3; Carter’s peals, 2; other peals (including 2 unnamed), 5.

The 86 peals of Doubles are shown in the following statement:-

The greatest number of changes in one peal, viz.: 14,000, of Kent Treble Bob Royal, rung by members of the Lancashire Association at Ashton-under-Lyne on April 13th, 1914, constitutes a record, by beating, after an interval of 130 years, the previous record of 12,000 changes in this method, accomplished by the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths on March 27th, 1784, at St. Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch. Other long peals rung in 1914 were: 7777 Stedman Caters by the Ancient Society of College Youths, 7008 (on handbells) of Kent Treble Bob Major by members of the Norwich Diocesan Association, 6356, 6048, and 6000. There were 1409 peals of under 6000 changes.

The number of peals rung on church bells was 1253, on handbells, 162; making a total of 1415.

Among the noteworthy performances of the year, we must not omit to mention the four Surprise peals of Bristol, London, Cambridge and Superlative, rung on April 13th, by members of the Middlesex County Association and London Diocesan Guild.

Owing to the war, there has been a considerable fall in the number of peals rung during 1914; the total being 1415, as compared with 2359 rung in 1913: but if the comparison were confined to the first six months of the year, it would be found that there was a steady increase, the figures for 1913 being 1077, and for 1914, 1129. In order to facilitate comparison, the peals rung month by month in the two years are given side by side:-

THE CONDUCTORS.

The conductors of five peals and upwards are shown in the following table. A figure in brackets added to a name denotes the number of handbell peals conducted:-

In addition to the above, 40 persons conducted four peals; 52, three peals; 100, two peals; and 286, one peal. There was a peal of Doubles, in which two conductors took part. Two ladies appear as conductors of peals in the year 1914, viz.: Miss Parker, who conducted a peal of Stedman Cinques for the Royal Cumberland Youths, and a peal of Stedman Caters and another of Stedman Triples for the Middlesex County Association; and Miss E. M. Johnson, who conducted a. peal of Doubles in five methods on handbells for the Worcestershire and Districts Association.

HANDBELL PEALS.

The 162 peals on hand bells were rung as follows: Treble Bob Maximus, 1; Stedman Cinques, 11; Grandsire Cinques, 1; Treble Bob Royal, 3; Little Bob Royal, 1; Bob Royal, 9; Stedman Caters, 14; Grandsire Caters, 6; Double Norwich Major, 1; Treble Bob Major, 9; Little Bob Major, 3; Bob Major, 30; Stedman Triples, 25; Grandsire Triples, 26; in seven Minor methods, 1; in five Minor methods, 1; in four Minor methods, 2; in three Minor methods, 3; in one Minor method, 7; one peal of Doubles was rung in six methods; one in 5 and 6 in one method, for the following Associations:-

The total number of peals, whether on tower bells or on handbells, rung year by year since 1881, is as follows:-

The following tables give the first twenty Societies and their positions since 1903:-

Note: In the Analysis for 1912 the Societies were placed in alphabetical order, owing to changes in the classification of peals.

REPORT OF THE ANALYSIS COMMITTEE.

The war has made the work of the Analysis Committee easier than it would have otherwise have been. There was every appearance that the figures of 1913, huge as they were, would be left behind, and a new record set up. The first seven months showed an increase of 49 peals on the figures of 1913. Then came the war, and after the August Bank Holiday, peals on tower bells practically ceased, except for muffled peals and a few special occasions. The figures which appear under the last five months of the year, omitting the early August peals, are made up of 51 muffled peals, 12 peals on special occasions and 61 handbell peals. Only five peals were rung for which no reasons were given.

The committee have been able to reduce the size of the analysis table by the use of footnotes. Fourteen methods were represented by one peal only, and by including Plain methods with Grandsire Triples they have been able to cut out no less than fifteen columns.

The scale of points for peals of Minor appears to have met with the approval of the Exercise. The committee have not received or heard of any objections.

Reports of peals seem, on the whole, to be sent to the papers fairly soon after performance; one peal, however, which was rung on May 23rd was not published until September 18th. But this example of dilatoriness was eclipsed by the case of two peals published on January 15th, 1915, which were rung on January 19th and February 13th, 1914. A peal rung in the latter half of the year, and not published for twelve months would not be included in the Analysis, and the committee would be glad of some instruction from the Council as to whether there should be a limit of time between the ringing of a peal and the publication of a report. Formerly complaints were sometimes made that peals sent for publication were not printed, but we are sure that there is no foundation for a similar complaint at the present time.

WHAT PEAL FOOTNOTES REVEAL.

The footnotes to the peals give, as usual, a good deal of interesting information; but, unfortunately, the figures we are able to give are only approximate, as the footnotes are often vague, and cannot always be depended on. As an example, one who appeared in the list of clerical peal ringers in 1913 is stated to have rung his first peal in 1914. Possibly “in the method” was intended to be added in this and in other cases. It would make the results more interesting if greater care were exercised by those who send in reports. That care is often taken we are glad to see; e.g., on more than one occasion we find the note “This is believed to be the first peal on the bells.” The following may be taken as approximate figures: Peals rung for Church Festivals, 32; welcome to Bishops and Incumbents, 11; King’s Accession, Royal birthdays and visits 18; Empire Day, 11; Dorchester Missionary College, C.E.M.S., George Peal (on St. George’s Day), Thomas peal, Navy and Army, Three Towns Amalgamation, Market Gardeners, and four Quarterly Association peals; Welcome and Farewell, 31; Muffled peals, 105 (including five on Good Friday and 28 for those fallen in the war, and for Field-Marshal Earl Roberts). Other muffled peals for the war were rung in January, 1915.

First peals were said to have been rung by 438; first away from the tenor, 16; first with a bob bell, 49; first by local band, 11; first as conductor, 58; first on the bells, 54; first after augmentation, 13; after restoration, 16; and first on handbells, 35.

We find a number of ringers of 14, 15 and 16. One peal of Oxford Treble Bob Major was rung at Saxlingham Nethergate, of which the ringers were from 14 to 20 years of age, giving an average of only 18½. On the other hand a peal of Grandsire Triples was rung at Deptford by ringers of the age of 76 downwards, with a total of 480, or an average of 60, and a peal of Grandsire Caters at Aston, the total ages of the ringers being 653, or an average of over 65! One gentleman rang his first peal at the age of 68, and another conducted a peal at the age of 69. Other ringers of 70 and 76 appear, but the most remarkable achievement is that of Mr. Joseph Bates, who rang the 7th in a peal of Grandsire Caters at Wednesbury, which was his first peal for nearly 50 years, on his 83rd birthday!

The 58 peals which are reported as having new conductors were as follows: Kent Treble Bob Major, 2; Bob Major, 9 (2 on handbells); Stedman Triples, 3; Grandsire Triples, 13; Seven Minor Methods, 3; Five Minor Methods, 1; Four Methods, 1; Three Methods, 2; Two Methods, 2; One Method, 7 (1 on handbells); Doubles in five Methods, 1; in three Methods, 3; in one Method, 11. In 1913 there were 104 new conductors, and if ringing had not been stopped by the war, this total would probably have been surpassed. Only two of these peals were rung after the declaration of war, one being a muffled peal for a former ringer, and the other a handbell peal.

CLERICAL AND LADY PEAL RINGERS.

One clerical peal was rung in 1914, Stedman Triples at Lydney, and 30 clergy appear as ringing in 94 peals, six of whom were conductors. The Methods rung were Maximus, Kent Treble Bob, 1 on handbells; Cinques, Stedman 3 (H.B. 2); Royal, Kent Treble Bob 2 (H.B. 1), Little Albion 1; Caters, Stedman, Surfleet and Grandsire 7 (H.B. 2); Major, London, Cambridge, Superlative; Double Norwich, Reddish Court, Kent and Oxford Treble Bob, Little Albion, Little Bob and Plain Bob 30 (H.B. 7); Triples, Stedman and Grandsire 32 (H.B. 3); Minor 16, and Doubles 2; total 94, of which 78 were rung on tower bells and 16 on handbells. The Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn rang in 16 peals, of which he conducted 4; Rev. A. T. Beeston, 14 (conducted 5); Rev. A. H. F. Boughey, 10 (H.B. 9); Revs. E. B. James (H.B. 7, cond. 2), H. L. James (H.B. 3, cond. 6), and W.C. Pearson, 9; Rev. R. P. Farrow, 7; Revs. H. S. T. Richardson (H.B. 4, cond. 2), and C. J. Sturton, 5; Revs. G. F. Coleridge, E. V. Cox, V. A. Creswell, F. J. O. Helmore, B. H. Tyrwhitt Drake (H.B. 2) and H. B. Wolley, 3; Revs. H. A. Cockey, C. C. Cox (cond. 1), C. D. P. Davies, R. L. B. Oliver, E. S. Powell and E. J. Teesdale, 2; Revs. W. W. C. Baker, R. Bond, C. A. Clements, H. J. Elsee, C. B. D. Farrow, F. G. Hume, A. Rust, W. S. Willett and W. P. Wright, 1 peal.

We find the names of 25 ladies in the records of 61 successful peals in the past year, compared with 30 ladies and 114 peals in the year before. We miss, alas! the name of Miss Margery Sampson, who, in 1913, earned the distinction of ringing her first peal of Stedman Cinques on tower bells. She has been cut off in the flower of her youth; but she has left behind, as a ringer, a glorious record of which the Ladies’ Guild may well be proud. Miss Edith Parker has continued her distinguished career as a ringer by conducting three peals, Stedman Cinques, Caters and Triples, and by ringing in a peal of Superlative Surprise. Miss Elsie Bennett has rung seven peals on handbells, three of Stedman Caters, two of Bob Major, and one each of Stedman and Grandsire Triples. Miss Kate Holifield has rung seven peals on tower bells, one of Grandsire Caters, four of Grandsire Triples, and two of Stedman Triples. Miss Winifred Hague has rung eight peals, five on handbells and three on tower bells, comprising one peal of Stedman Caters, two of Grandsire Caters, one of Bob Major, three of Stedman Triples, and one of Grandsire Triples. Miss. Evelyn Steel has rung twelve peals in all, a very fine record, comprising four peals of Minor, two of Surprise Minor, two of Stedman Triples, two of Superlative Surprise, one of Double Norwich, and one of Yorkshire Surprise. Mrs. Hazelden, Mrs. Whittington the Misses W. Carden, D. Coles, E. Goodship, E. M. Hole, M. E. M. Jukes, R. Johnson, S. Martin, B. L. Mitchell, H. Willson and L. Willson rang one peal; the Misses M. Chillingworth, N. Gillingham, E. A. Jones, O. Lumley, E. Matthews (on handbells), rang two peals; Miss D. D. Steel, three peals; the Misses E. K. Parker, and S. Piggott, four peals; Miss E. M. Johnson, five peals; the Misses E. Bennett and K. Holifield, seven peals; Miss W. Hague, eight peals; and Miss E. Steel, twelve peals. The methods rung were: Cinques, 1; Caters, 9; Major, 16; Triples, 24; Minor, 9; and Doubles, 2. It is interesting to note that no fewer than five ladies took part in a peal of Grandsire Triples rung for the Bath and Wells Association.

The Ringing World, May 14th, 1915, pages 244 to 246

THE CENTRAL COUNCIL.

TUESDAY’S MEETING IN LONDON.

The Central Council met on Tuesday for the twenty-fifth time, the assembly being the first session of the ninth Council. As is customary when a new Council meets for the first time, the gathering took place at the Church House, Westminster, and despite the claims which the war is making upon the time of a number of the members, the attendance was quite a good one, there being 74 present during the day. The record of attendance was as follows:-

College Youths.- Present: Messrs. W. T. Cockerill, T. Faulkner, A. A. Hughes and A. Hughes.
Royal Cumberlands.- Present: Messrs. H. Dains, J. D. Matthews, J. Parker and F. Smith.
Bath and Wells.- Present: Rev. C. C. Parker. Absent: Messrs. E. E. Burgess, A. E. Coles and J. Maddock.
Bedfordshire.- Present: Rev. Canon Baker.
Birmingham, St. Martin’s.- Absent: Mr. W. H. Godden.
Cambridge University.- Present: Mr. E. H. Lewis.
Chester Diocesan.- Present: Rev. A. T. Beeston, Messrs. J. Ashmole and J. Morgan.
Cleveland and N. Yorks.- Absent: Rev. W. P. Wright and Mr. T. Metcalfe.
Devon.- Present: Rev. M. Kelly and Rev. E. S. Powell. Absent: Mr. A. W. Searle.
Dudley and District: Mr. W. R. Small.
Durham and Newcastle.- Absent: Messrs. G. T. Potter, C. L. Routledge and W. Story.
Ely Diocesan.- Absent: Mr. T. R. Dennis.
Essex.- Present: Messrs. G. A. Black, G. Dent and W. J. Nevard. Absent: Mr. C. H. Howard.
Gloucester and Bristol.- Present: Mr. J. Austin.
Hereford Diocesan.- Present: Mr. J. Clark. Absent: Mr. R. Marston.
Hertfordshire.- Present: Pte Bertram Prewett.
Kent.- Present: Messrs. E. Barnett, T. Groombridge, senr., and W. Haigh. Absent: Rev. F. J. O. Helmore.
Ladies’ Guild.- Present: Miss E. K. Parker.
Lancashire.- Present: Rev. H. J. Elsee, Messrs. H. Chapman and S. Wood. Absent: Mr. J. H. Banks.
Leeds and District.- Present: Mr. P. J. Johnson.
Lincoln.- Present: Mr. R. Richardson. Absent: Rev. H. Law James, Messrs. G. Chester and J. W. Seamer.
Liverpool Diocesan.- Absent: Mr. W. Bentham.
Llandaff Diocesan.- Present: Mr. J. W. Jones.
London County.- Present: Messrs. E. A. Young and T. H. Taffender.
Middlesex County.- Present: Messrs. W. Pye and J. R. Sharman. Absent: Lieut. J. H. B. Hesse and Mr. A. T. King.
Midland Counties.- Present: Sir Arthur Heywood, and Messrs. J. Griffin, J. W. Taylor and W. E. White.
Central Northants.- Present: Messrs. W. Perkins and F. Wilford.
North Notts.- Present: Mr. H. Haigh.
North Wales.- Absent: Rev. T. Lewis Jones.
Norwich Diocesan.- Present: Mr. G. P. Burton. Absent : Messrs. C. E. Borrett, W. L. Catchpole and J. Motts.
Oxford Diocesan.- Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn, Rev. G. F. Coleridge, and Messrs. J. Evans and F. W. Hopgood.
Peterborough and District.- Absent: Mr. R. Narborough.
Salisbury Diocesan.- Present: Rev. F. Ll. Edwards, and Messrs. T. H. Beams and W. Hughes D’Aeth. Absent: Mr. A. F. Martin Stewart.
Salop Archidiaconal.- Absent: Mr. J. Bradney.
Staffs Archidiaconal.- Present: Mr. H. Knight. Absent: Rev. E. V. Cox.
Surrey.- Present: Mr. C. Dean. Absent: Lieut. C. F. Johnston.
Sussex.- Present: Messrs. G. Howse, R. Stredwick and G. Watson. Absent: Mr. E. H. Lindup.
Towcester and District.- Present: Mr. J. Slarke.
Warwickshire.- Present: Mr. H. Argyle. Absent: Mr. A. Roberts.
Winchester Diocesan.- Present: Mr. H. White. Absent: Rev. C. E. Matthews, and Messrs. A. H. Pulling and J. W. Whiting.
Worcestershire.- Present: Messrs. A. E. Parsons, T. J. Salter and W. Short.
Yorkshire.- Present: Rev. C. C. Marshall and Mr. C. H. Hattersley. Absent: Messrs. G. Bolland and C. Glenn.
Hon. Members.- Present: Revs. A. H. F. Boughey, E. W. Carpenter, H. A. Cockey, C. D. P. Davies, and Canon Papillon, and Messrs. R. A. Daniell, J. A. Trollope, H. W. Wilde and G. Williams. Absent: Rev. H. S. T. Richardson, and Messrs. J. Carter, J. W. Parker, J. S. Pritchett and W. Snowdon.

PRESIDENT RE-ELECTED.

The Hon. Secretary temporarily took the chair, and said they had only one nomination for the office of President, and that was Sir Arthur Heywood. They all knew what an excellent President they had had in Sir Arthur who had been President since the Council began.

The Rev. G. F. Coleridge said as he had the privilege of nominating Sir Arthur as President, he had pleasure in formally proposing that he take the chair for the ensuing three years.- The Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn seconded the motion, which was carried with applause.

On taking the chair Sir Arthur Heywood said it was with mixed feelings that he responded to their invitation for the ninth time. He confessed that he felt it a very great honour to be elected to be President again, and at the same time he felt that he was getting considerably older, and he kept looking round to see who, by-and-by, before he became incapable, there would be to take his place, because when they got, as he was, nearer 70 than 60, one began to think the time was not very far off when, if one was to retire from one’s work with honour, there might, perhaps, not be many more years before him in office. But it was an extreme pleasure and satisfaction to have the honour of again presiding over the Council. He thought they would all admit, and he thought the Associations they represented would admit that the Council had entirely answered to what was hoped of it 25 years ago, when it was founded. He believed by careful attention to every point in connection with ringing and of interest to ringers that had been brought before them they had gradually built up a sense of confidence amongst the ringers of the country, and he would like to take the opportunity of saying how much of that success was due to their being very careful to keep their discussions and their resolutions within the proper confines of the work of that Council. He would solemnly impress on the Council the desirability of remembering that they simply expressed through the various delegates the views of the various societies and associations. They had always been careful in no way to assume the roll of legislators on behalf of the majority of the associations as against the minority. The majority of the associations had no right whatever to impose their wishes or desires upon the rest of the associations because every association had a perfect right in its own district to make its own rules and proceed in the way its members consider best, and for the Council to attempt to legislate and to override by an opinion of the majority of the associations the wishes of the minority of the associations, would be, in his opinion, a mistake. What they wanted there was to try and focus the opinion of the Exercise at large, and so far as they found it to be in agreement to put forward propositions which might be carried for the benefit of the Exercise.

THE HON. SECRETARY.

The President, proceeding, said they had next to elect an hon. secretary, and there had been only one nomination, that of his friend, Mr. Davies (hear, hear). He could only say that no President and no body who had the business they had to transact, involving a large amount of pen and ink work, and work requiring a considerable amount of time, could by any possibility have had a man who had been more keen and more active or more successful in the work than their friend Mr. Davis.

Mr. Griffin proposed the re-election of Mr. Davis.- Canon Baker seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously.

In acknowledging his re-election, the Rev. C. D. P. Davies said he was deeply conscious of the honour that they had done him, and the trust they placed in him in re-electing him to the position. Although the office entailed a certain amount of work it had been a pleasure from first to last.

FINANCIAL.

The accounts presented, which had been audited by the Standing Committee that had met earlier in the day, showed that the year began with a balance in hand of £42 15s. 2d.; affiliation fees received amounted to £12 17s. 6d.; sale of publications to £1 15s. 10d.; interest, £1 0s. 7d., making a total of £58 9s. 1d. The expenditure had been £4 7s. 10d., leaving a balance in hand of £54 1s. 3d.

The Hon. Librarian (the Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn) reported that since he made his return to the Hon. Secretary, before he left home six weeks ago, a sum of 16s. 5d. had been received from the secretary of the Chester Guild for the sale of publications, making a total from that source of £12 12s. 3d.- The accounts were passed, on the motion of the Rev. G. F. Coleridge, seconded by Mr. J. Griffin.

HON. MEMBERS.

It was decided to re-elect the retiring hon. members: Mr. W. Snowdon, Mr. R. A. Daniell, Canon Papillon, Rev. H. A. Cockey, Mr. G. Williams, Mr. John Carter, the Rev. C. D. P. Davies, Mr. J. S. Pritchett and Mr. J. A. Trollope.

SEVENTY-FOUR YEARS A RINGER.

After the introduction of new members to the President, Sir Arthur drew attention to the fact that they had with them the grandfather, or the great-grandfather of ringing, in the person of Mr. William Banister (applause). They all knew what he had done for the Exercise, and on behalf of the Council he congratulated him on being with them that day as he was three years ago, and in apparently as good health (applause).

Mr. Banister thanked the members for their kind reception. He was pleased to meet them again. He was, he thought, the oldest member of the College Youths, for he had been a member for 74 years (applause). He was an old man, being in his 92nd year, but he hoped he might meet them again on a future occasion.

Mr. C. H. Hattersley spoke of meeting Mr. Banister at Woolwich as long ago as 1863, and gave reminiscences of his trip to London at that time. Mr. Banister was now the oldest member of the Exercise who had had any theoretical knowledge of ringing, and in proof they only had to look at his records in 1854, and they would see what he knew then about London Surprise (applause).

ABSENCES.

The Hon. Secretary said apologies for absence had been received from the Revs. E. V. Cox, F. J. O. Helmore, H. S. T. Richardson and W. P. Wright, Messrs. C. E. Borrett, J. Carter, W. H. Godden, A. T. King, J. W. Parker, J. S. Pritchett, C. L. Routledge, and W. Snowdon. The following were absent serving their King and country, and their absence needed no apology: Sapper T. R. Dennis, Royal Engineers; Lieut. J. H. B. Hesse, Army Service Corps; Rev. C. E. Matthews, Chaplain of Forces; Pte R. Narborough, Cambridgeshire Regiment; and Lieut. C. F. Johnston, Royal Fusiliers. These, with the Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn, Chaplain of Forces, and Pte B. Prewett, London Rifles, who were present, completed the Council’s roll of honour.

The Standing Committee were re-elected as follows: The President, the Hon. Secretary, the Rev. G. F. Coleridge, the Rev. H. Law James, Mr. W. T. Cockerill, Mr. H. Dains, Mr. J. Griffin, Mr. C. H. Hattersley, the Rev. H. A. Cockey, Mr. R. A. Daniell and Mr. W. Snowdon. The Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn, as hon. librarian, was added.

A full report of the remainder of the Council’s proceedings will appear in subsequent issues, but the following is a summary of the rest of the business.

The Council discussed at length the question of advertising their publications, and decided to issue slips to the associations for circulation among members, giving particulars of the publications.

The report of the Peal Collection Committee was presented by Mr. J. A. Trollope, and the committee were re-elected with the exception of the Rev. C. D. P. Davies, who expressed a wish to retire.

Mr. Lewis reported progress for the Legitimate Methods Committee, which was re-elected.

The Peals Analysis Committee’s report was adopted on the motion of the Rev. E. W. Carpenter, and it was decided that no peal published more than eight weeks after it had been rung should be included in the analysis. The committee was re-elected with thanks for its services.

Mr. R. A. Daniell reported for the Literature Committee, which was re-elected.

Progress was reported by the Towers and Belfries Committee, which was re-elected.

The resolution: “That the Central Council approve and issue a National Badge for ringers,” adjourned from last year, found no proposer, and consequently dropped.

The Hon. Secretary moved: “That it is desirable to reconsider some of the conditions laid down for the Legitimacy of Methods as stated on page 18 of ‘Rules and Decisions,’ 1904.” Mr. Davies spoke at great length, and eventually the matter was referred to the Legitimate Methods Committee for consideration and report.

The Rev. F. Ll. Edwards proposed: “That this Council recognises with emphatic approval the good judgment and consideration shown by ringers throughout the United Kingdom in their spontaneous abstinence from peal ringing since the outbreak of war: but that at the same time (the Council) regards it as the privilege and sacred duty of ringers, wherever circumstances permit, to continue, alike in time of war and of peace, to honour with the music of the bells the Lord’s Day and other Feasts of the Church, as also on Royal and National Anniversaries, to give expression to the thankfulness of the British people to Almighty God for the many blessings vouchsafed to this Empire and for the preservation of His Most Gracious Majesty to preside over its momentous destinies.”- The motion was carried.

By consent the following motion was postponed until next year: “That the Council desires to draw the attention of the Exercise to the increasing abandonment of raising and falling bells in peal, as a result of which a large proportion of ringers do not acquire the necessary skill to enable them to take part in this ancient and musical practice.”

Plymouth was decided upon as the place for the next meeting.

A vote of thanks to the President concluded the meeting.

In the evening members visited St. Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch, for ringing, and there was a largely attended social gathering at “The Coffee Pot,” the headquarters of the College Youths.

The Ringing World, May 28th, 1915, pages 271 to 272

THE CENTRAL COUNCIL.

SPECIAL REPORT BY “THE RINGING WORLD” REPRESENTATIVE.

We continue on this page the report of the proceedings of the Central Council at the meeting in London on Whitsun Tuesday. It is reported by our own representative, “The Ringing World” being the only paper represented by a member of its own staff. As mentioned in our summary of the meeting last week, the Council discussed at length the question of advertising their publications, the matter being brought up by the President at the request of the Standing Committee, who had had before them a quotation from “The Ringing World” for advertising. The President pointed out that the income of the Council was not a large one, and the Standing Committee did not feel justified, without the consent of the Council, in undertaking this additional annual expenditure.

Mr. E. H. Lewis proposed that the terms offered be not accepted, and pointed out that association secretaries might follow the course taken by the hon. secretary of the Chester Guild, which had been found an effective way of disposing of the Council’s publications, as was shown by the fact that 16s. had been received from the Chester Guild, against £1 15s. 10d. from the whole of the other associations.- Mr. George Williams seconded. He thought the secretaries were the best men to push the publications.

Mr. G. P. Burton thought they might try a new field of advertising, and proposed that the existing advertisement should be transferred to “The Ringing World.”- Mr. B. Prewett seconded.

Replying to Mr. P. J. Johnson, the Rev. A. T. Beeston said the course which had been followed by the Chester Guild was that the Council’s librarian had entrusted him with a supply of publications on his own responsibility. These he (the speaker) took to the meetings he attended and, in the main, the result was satisfactory.

Mr. G. Watson said the publications were not placed in the hands of other secretaries in the same way, and that was where Mr. Beeston had the advantage over the rest of them.

The Rev. A. T. Beeston said he wrote to the librarian and asked him if he could supply him with a stock.

The Hon. Secretary suggested that the Council might have slips printed, giving the list of the Council’s publications and their price, these might be supplied to secretaries for distribution, and each secretary might have, perhaps, one copy of each publication to show as a specimen. He might take orders and send to the librarian for the books. He (the hon. secretary) knew that ringers would not write for their own copies. He thought the Associations might pay for the specimen copies.

Mr. H. Dains suggested lending a few copies to each of the secretaries throughout the country, but the President said the hon. librarian could hardly, on his own responsibility, distribute stock all over the country, because in case of the death or removal of a secretary they might have a difficulty in getting the books back again. This was not the first time that secretaries had been urged to do more to push the Council’s publications. A lot of the work which had been put into print was not necessarily food for the general public. It was a tabulation of inquiries that it was desirable to have for a record, and they did not offer any special attraction to other than experts in that particular line, but they were none the less valuable.

Mr. Burton said he knew one secretary who would decline to undertake it. He had heard over and over again that secretaries were over-worked, and could not, without difficulty, get through what they already had to do. He thought the suggested slip would not be of much use whereas an advertisement would be seen week after week.

Mr. T. Faulkner suggested, amid laughter, that as Mr. Beeston had been so successful, they might appoint him traveller.

The amendment moved by Mr. Burton was lost, and the suggestion that slips would be provided for distribution was carried, on the motion of the Rev. H. J. Elsee, seconded by Mr. P. J. Johnson, the President incorporating the amendment into the original motion, moved by Mr. Lewis, that an advertisement in “The Ringing World” be not entertained. A further amendment, moved by Mr. Burton, and seconded by Mr. J. W. Jones, that the existing advertisement be discontinued, was defeated.

READY TO PRINT.

Mr. J. A. Trollope, reporting on behalf of the Peal Collection Committee, said the section on Treble Bob, which they intended to print and which they were authorised at the last meeting to print, was ready, and would have been in print months ago had it not been for the war, which had given them other things to think about, and had greatly curtailed the time at his disposal. If the Council re-appointed the committee he might make arrangements for the Rev. H. S. T. Richardson to see the final stages through.

The Hon. Secretary said the Peal Collection Committee consisted of Messrs. H. Dains, J. A. Trollope and H. W. Wilde, the Rev. H. S. T. Richardson, and the hon. secretary. The Standing Committee were anxious to add Mr. Lewis’s name to that committee. He (the hon. secretary) would like to retire. He had been a member of it since the committee was first appointed at the second meeting of the Council, and he was really the one who did the Grandsire Triples section of the first volume. Since then the collection had gone on to Major methods, in which other members of the committee had had far greater experience and practice, and he thought the Council had better accept his resignation and put Mr. Lewis in his place.

Mr. Lewis said that was the first he had heard of the matter, and if he was to go on to the committee he must ask to be released from one of the others on which he was serving, as he had not now much leisure. He supposed he had finished practical ringing for some years to come, and he might have time for theory, but at present he had other work which was pressing, and there was still a great deal to be done on the other committees.

The Hon. Secretary said in the year which was just coming to a close Mr. Lewis had been doing some of the work, and that was the reason why they had singled him out.

The committee were thereupon re-elected with the exception of the Rev. C. D. P. Davies.

LEGITIMATE METHODS COMMITTEE.

In the absence of the Rev. H. Law James, who, it was stated, was unfortunately unable to be present owing to Church services which he could not possibly forgo, Mr. Lewis reported for the Legitimate Methods Committee. He said that at Winchester the Council decided that they should proceed with the printing of the Collection, which was already considered complete, but he spoke to Mr. James and refused to allow his name to be put on the front page of the Collection until he had had time to check the work which had been done, and make sure of the figures. He proceeded with the work up to the beginning of August, and to mention the sort of work he had been doing he might say he went through 21,834 separate operations three times over to make sure that no methods had been missed. The result had been the addition of between 100 and 150 methods missed previously and the cutting out of some that were already in, so that the work was not wasted. He had brought with him the book, containing 828 methods, which he was satisfied was as nearly perfect as possible. It would be necessary to send it round once more to the committee, but, as they already had authority to print, it was not necessary to ask for that authority again.

The President said the Council were greatly indebted to the committee, and especially to Mr. Lewis for the great amount of work he had done.

Mr. J. Griffin proposed the re-election of the committee: The Rev. H. Law James, Mr. H. Dains, Mr. J. A. Trollope and Mr. E. H. Lewis.- The Rev. E. W. Carpenter seconded, and made an appeal to the committee to consider whether it would not be possible to alter the word which dominated the title, “Legitimate.” If they could get rid of that wretched word it would get rid of a great deal of difficulty.

Mr. Trollope: It is the Council’s word, not our word.

The Rev. E. W. Carpenter said the idea in the mind of a great many ringers was that when the Council said a method was legitimate they might ring it, and when they said it was illegitimate they might not ring it; they seemed to think there was something quite immoral in ringing such methods. Methods were constructed according to certain rules which the Council had formulated, and, therefore, they might call them “regular” methods, but there was nothing legitimate about it at all; they were rules and not laws.

Mr. Trollope said he did not think it would make any difference whether they used the term “legitimate” or “regular,” but it was a question of laws, and, therefore, it was a question of legitimacy.

Mr. Lewis said he was very much in sympathy with what Mr. Carpenter had said, and thought it was a question that might come up later in the day when a certain other question on the agenda had been settled.

The motion re-appointing the committee was then put and carried.

PEALS ANALYSIS COMMITTEE.

The Rev. E. W. Carpenter moved that the report of the Peals Analysis Committee, which has already been published in these columns, be accepted. He called attention to the committee’s request for a ruling as to whether there should be a limit of time between the ringing of a peal and the publication of a report in order to ensure its inclusion in the Analysis. It was perfectly absurd, he said, that a peal should be reported close upon a year after it had been rung, and then should be included in the Analysis. If the peal had happened to be rung in the middle of the year and then published a year after, it would not have come in. If a peal was worth publishing at all it was worth publishing within a month of its being rung.- Mr. J. Griffin seconded.

The President said, as he had done before, he desired to return on behalf of the Council, their thanks to the committee for the very great labour they had expended. Whatever the opinion might be about the desirability or non-desirability of estimating the value of peals, it was perfectly certain that the Analysis was immensely interesting to the great majority of ringers, and contained an amount of information which if they were going to try to digest it would take hours to do so properly.

A TIME LIMIT.

The Rev. F. Ll. Edwards moved that in order to obtain recognition by the Peals Analysis Committee, a peal should be published within two calendar months of the date when it was rung.- Mr. J. Taylor seconded.

While the members of the Analysis Committee who were present were considering the suggestion, the re-election of the committee - the Rev. E. W. Carpenter and Messrs. A. T. King, J. Griffin and G. Williams - was proposed by Mr. C. Dean, seconded by Mr. H. White, and carried, with the best thanks of the Council to the committee for their services.

Mr. Griffin said the Analysis Committee thanked the Council for their re-election. They thought a period of two months was quite sufficient time to allow for the publication of a peal. This would enable the committee to finish the Analysis in good time. They would certainly allow no further limit at the end of the year.

The Rev. A. T. Beeston inquired whether it was not a fact that a resolution already existed requiring peals to be published not later than the end of February if rung during the preceding year.

Mr. Griffin replied that that was so, but the Analysis Committee wanted to keep the work up to date, and they could not do it if it were all thrown on to them at the end of the year.

The Rev. A. H. F. Boughey said although the motion was made with the best of intentions, he thought it would entail extra labour on the committee. Under the present arrangement they need not look at any dates until after the end of February, but under the resolution they would have to examine all the dates.

The Rev. E. W. Carpenter said the committee compared notes at the end of the various months, and it was only by keeping the work up to date in that way that it was possible to do it at all. It was very trying, to say the least, when they got the whole of the first six months complete to find, say, in September, a peal published that had been rung in January, for they had to take all their figures and mix them up again. People who held back the publication of their peals like this could not think much of their performances, and in addition it opened the door to unscrupulous people to “fake up” peals, because at that length of time it might be very difficult to dispute them, and the Council ought not to give any chance for that kind of thing.

At the suggestion of the President, the period in the resolution was altered to eight weeks, and in this form the motion was carried unanimously.

THE LITERATURE COMMITTEE.

After the adjournment for the luncheon interval, Mr. R. A. Daniell reported upon the work of the Literature Committee. He said his report was really in the nature of a personal explanation. Ill-health had prevented him doing anything for himself or anybody else. For a long time he had suffered from a malady which had absolutely incapacitated him from concentrating upon anything at all, and as a result the work of the committee had been at a standstill. He had, however, got a great deal of information by him, and he would have his notes typewritten and send them to the secretary. If he could work further on his own notes he would do so, but if not they would all be at the disposal of the Council.

The President asked Mr. Daniell if he could give the Council an idea as to how far he had got, and Mr. Daniell replied that the catalogue of rings of bells was, he believed, complete. Most of the notes about other ringing books were fairly complete, but they wanted verification, and he had not been able to do this.

The President: The Council will sympathise to the full with you. Would it not be better in the circumstances, however, if you submitted your papers to the hon. secretary and allowed him to deal with them?

Mr. Daniell: That is what I propose to do and to keep my own draft and work upon it myself if possible.

On the motion of Mr. J. Griffin, seconded by Canon Baker, the Literature Committee was re-elected as follows: Canon Papillon, Rev. H. A. Cockey, Mr. R. A. Daniell and Mr. H. Dains

SPRING FRAME EFFECTS.