NOMENCLATURE OF MINOR METHODS.

CENTRAL COUNCIL COMMITTEE’S REPORT.

As instructed by the Central Council at Lincoln last May, we have given this matter our careful consideration, and beg to submit our report.

We have been guided in our work by the principles we made known at the Lincoln meeting, viz., by priority of use, and by the advisability of retaining as much as possible, consistent with our present definitions, all that has been in use in the past. We have also had in mind the decision of the Council at London in 1921, that all claims to give names to unnamed methods in the collection should be sent to the librarian within six months.

The result of our effort is, we believe, quite in accordance with these conditions. To secure this we have been obliged to set aside a number of claims which were sent in at shorter or longer intervals after the lapse of the time allowed. Under such treatment some of these may be described as ‘hard cases,’ and we have real sympathy with all who are concerned in them in their disappointment. But we realised that to have dealt with them otherwise we should have been obliged to draw a dividing line between claims, all which, nevertheless, share in a common feature, viz., being too late. We were not willing to attempt the settlement of a question so justly open to a diversity of opinion, nor did we feel our terms of reference required us to do so.

It is, of course, open to the Council to modify or reject our decisions. This, we think, will afford the necessary opportunity for any claimant, who considers himself aggrieved, to renew his claim.

The following is the complete list of the names of all the regular Minor methods included in the C.C. Collection, and also of those not included. For the latter, see ‘Bell News,’ June 6th, 1914, p. 160, and ‘Ringing World,’ March 7th, 1913, p. 166.

In the case of methods to which more than one name had been given before the Council considered the question of Nomenclature, we have attributed those which our researches showed to be the first given to each method.

REVISED LIST OF NAMES OF ALL REGULAR MINOR METHODS.

PLAIN METHODS.- 1 Plain Bob, 2 Double Bob, 3 Oxford Bob, 4 Double Oxford Bob, 5 London Bob Reverse, 6 London Bob, 7 St. Clement’s, 8 St. James’ Youths’ Exercise, 9 Bala, 10 Frodsham, 11 Stepney, 12 Canterbury Pleasure Reverse, 13 Fulbeck, 14 Lytham Pleasure, 15 Thelwall, 16 Killarney, 17 Horsmonden, 18 Loch Lomond, 19 Roydon, 20 Ennerdale, 21 Cumberland, 22 Windermere, 23 Brentford Single, 24 Court, 25 Double Court, 26 College Single Reverse, 27 Stedman Slow Course, 28 Childwall, 29 Wavertree.

TREBLE BOB METHODS.- 1 Oxford, 2 Sandal, 3 Grandsire Treble Bob, 4 Burton, 5 Rochester, 6 Morning Star, 7 London Scholar’s Pleasure, 8 College Exercise, 9 Nelson, 10 Chadkirk, 11 Woodcock’s Victory, 12 British Scholar’s Pleasure, 13 Kent, 14 Killamarsh, 15 Trinity Sunday, 16 Shamrock, 17 Bluebell, 18 Kingston, 19 Norbury, 20 Daffodil, 21 Fuchsia, 22 Foxglove, 23 Hyacinth, 24 Marigold, 25 Trowell, 26 Overton, 27 Dahlia, 28 Geranium, 29 Norton-le-Moors.

FOURTH’S PLACE DELIGHT.- 1 Evesham Abbey, 2 Tewkesbury Abbey, 3 Abbeyville, 4 St. Werburgh, 5 Canterbury, 6 Crowland, 7 Combermere, 8 Southwark, 9 Vale Royal, 10 Braintree, 11 Marple, 12 Wragby, 13 Willesden, 14 Hull, 15 Taxal, 16 Neasden, 17 Old Oxford Modernised, 18 Merton, 19 Bedford, 20 St. Albans Abbey, 21 College Bob IV., 22 Waltham Abbey, 23 Burslem, 24 Duke of Clarence, 25 Elstow Abbey, 26 Burnaby, 27 London Victory, 28 Kirkstall Abbey, 29 Glastonbury Abbey, 30 Tintern Abbey, 31 Sherborne Abbey, 32 Fountains Abbey, 33 Melrose Abbey, 34 Pointon 35, Grove.

THIRD’S PLACE DELIGHT.- 1 Carisbrooke Castle, 2 Dunottar Castle, 3 Conway Castle, 4 Caernarvon Castle, 5 Ludlow Castle, 6 Warwick Castle, 7 Kentish Delight, 8 Berkeley Castle, 9 Edinboro’ Castle, 10 Pembroke Castle, 11 Wath, 12 Pontefract Castle, 13 Oswald, 14 Kent Delight, 15 Melandra Castle, 16 Bucknall, 17 Castleton, 18 Beeston Castle, 19 Chelsea, 20 Peveril Castle, 21 Stirling Castle, 22 Leasowe Castle, 23 Richborough Castle, 24 Conisboro’ Castle, 25 Coventry, 26 Evening Star, 27 Disley, 28 Chepstow Castle, 29 Rostherne, 30 Skipton Castle, 31 Knutsford, 32 Belvoir Castle, 33 Pevensey Castle, 34 Dunedin, 35 Ely, 36 Queen Victoria, 37 Wilmslow, 38 Cambridge Delight, 39 Francis Genius, 40 Bogedone, 41 Fotheringhay Castle, 42 Dover Castle.

SURPRISE METHODS.- 1 Munden, 2 Canterbury, 3 Alnwick, 4 Morpeth, 5 Newcastle, 6 Chester, 7 Whitley, 8 Northumberland, 9 Carlisle, 10 Wooler, 11 Sandiacre, 12 Coldstream, 13 Kelso, 14 London, 15 Wells, 16 Southwell, 17 Cunecastre, 18 Allendale, 19 Bacup, 20 Bamborough, 21 Warkworth, 22 Immanuel, 23 Lightfoot, 24 Stamford, 25 Wearmouth, 26 Westminster, 27 Annable’s London, 28 Netherseale, 29 Norwich, 30 Hexham, 31 Surfleet, 32 York, 33 Durham, 34 Berwick, 35 Beverley, 36 Norfolk, 37 Ipswich, 38 Ringers’ Surprise, 39 Cambridge, 40 Hull, 41 Bourne.

The Ringing World, March 30th, 1923, page 201

REPORT OF THE ANALYSIS COMMITTEE.

In presenting the report for another year, the committee consider it a matter for congratulation that it shows the Exercise to be in such a progressive condition. While the recovery from the effects of the war is gradual, such a condition is well in view. Each year the number of peals rung steadily increases, and as there is every indication of this growth being maintained, it should not be long before the big totals of immediate pre-war years are surpassed.

The analysis for 1922 shows that 253 more peals have been rung than in the previous year. The increase in tower bell peals exceeds this number, being 265, while peals on handbells have decreased by 12. The totals for the year are as follows:-

A grand total of 1,885 peals, this being only 474 short of the record number.

The Norwich and Ipswich Diocesan Association retain their position at the head of the list for both peals and points, their total being 204 peals, including 23 on handbells, and 3,476 points. This is an increase over last year of 15 peals and 140 points. The number of other Societies which rang over 100 peals has increased by one being three as against two, as follows:-

Midland Counties Association, 149 tower bell peals and 2,754 points; Kent County Association, 128 peals (including 3 on hand bells) and 1,799 points; and the Lancashire Association, 102 tower bell peals and 1,646 points. It may be noted that while the last-named association has rung exactly the same number of peals as last year, the points value has increased by 197. The Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Association again have the highest average points per peal, 30.77 for 22 peals (including 1 on handbells) and 677 points. They are run very closely by the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths with 28.18 for 11 tower bell peals and 310 points, St. Martin’s Guild being third with 27.69 points for 36 peals (including 15 on handbells), and 997 points.

The total number of Surprise peals, excluding Minor, is 232, an increase of 44 over 1921, clearly showing the advance in quality as well as in quantity. Cambridge continues to advance in favour, showing an increase of 2 peals of Maximus, 2 of Royal, and 17 of Major; it is also much preferred by Minor ringers. London Major has advanced considerably, 37 against 24 peals; while Superlative Major shows a small increase of 5 peals; Bristol has only held its own with 15 peals. Other Surprise methods rung are: 2 peals each of Clifton and Middlesex Royal, 2 of Premier Major, and 1 each of Norfolk, Suffolk, Dublin and Lancashire Major. Grandsire and Stedman run a close race as the favourite method, there being 347 peals of the former and 332 of the latter, excluding Doubles.

Of Major methods, while Kent and Oxford Treble Bob show 172 peals, a decrease of 17, Double Norwich continues to ascend, showing 148 peals against 112 for 1921. Triples have increased by exactly 100 peals to a total of 505. Minor and Doubles have also gained ground, showing 433 peals against 368 last year.

The records show that 690 have joined the ranks of peal ringers, and in addition 7 have rung their first peal on tower bells, 12 their first away from the tenor, 73 the first inside, and 52 their first on handbells; 18 first peals have been rung by local bands, first on the bells 51, after rehanging, addition, etc., 28, and in the method on the bells 199; 85 made their debut as conductors. First pealers of Doubles numbered 18, Minor 88, Triples 34, Major 104, Caters 57, Royal 51, Cinques 31, Maximus 12. First peals ‘in the method’ were rung in Doubles by 17, Minor 170, Triples 209, Major 627, Caters 120, Royal 94, Cinques 33 and Maximus 13. The number of muffled peals was 84, and there were 19 farewell peals; 74 peals were rung in honour of the Royal Wedding, 58 being on the day of the ceremony.

Performances worthy of special mention are: The first peal on 14 handbells, the method being Stedman Sextuples by the St. Martin’s Guild; the first peal of Real Double Superlative by the Durham and Newcastle Association, and the record length, 21,363 changes of Stedman Caters by the Oxford Diocesan Guild.

A pleasing feature of the year’s work is the number of new methods: Clifton and Middlesex Surprise Royal; Dublin, Premier and Lancashire Surprise Major, Cambridge Court Bob Major on handbells, and in addition the Granta Variation of Treble Bob Royal for the first time on tower bells.

A rather unusual feature is the peals on 7 bells, two omitting the 2nd, and one without the tenor. The novelty of the year was a peal on handbells rung in bed.

The recording of the peals shows that much more care is taken by those sending them in for publication. The committee, however, are still troubled by slight errors. For instance, the name of the same conductor sometimes appears with different initials or with them reversed, and it is difficult to decide without inquiry whether it is the same person or not. If such errors are not corrected by those responsible, the committee will be compelled in future to record them as published.

The conductors of five peals and upwards are shown on the following list. The figures in brackets show the number of handbell peals conducted: 64 peals, A. H. Pulling (43); 36 peals, G. H. Cross (2); 30 peals, W. Pye (2); 28 peals, C. F. Bailey (9); 26 peals, E. Jenkins; 25 peals, K. Hart; 22 peals, W. H. J. Hooton (18); 21 peals, E. Morris; 20 peals, G. Williams; 18 peals, F. Bennett, H. J. Poole; 17 peals, H. Langdon, J. Thomas (4); 16 peals, J. T. Dyke, A. Wright; 15 peals, T. Groombridge, senr. (1), R. Richardson (4); 14 peals, C. Camm, R. Matthews, R. Sperring, G. E. Symonds, A. Tomlinson; 13 peals, F. Cotton, F. H. Dexter, G. R. Newton, W. Poston, T. Price, T. H. Taffender, A. Walker (6); 12 peals, J. H. Cheeeman, T. Groombridge, junr. (2), A. E. Lock, F. W. Naunton (2), O. Sippetts; 11 peals, N. R. Bailey (3), H. Knight, S. H. Symonds (5); 10 peals, C. W. Clarke, W. Nye, W. Page; 9 peals, W. H. Barber (1), F. R. Borrett, C. T. Coles, A. E. Edwards, C. Edwards, W. Keeble (1), J. D. Matthews, E. Whiting; 8 peals, E. M. Atkins (3), F. Chamberlain, A. Harman, B. A. Knights, C. R. Lilley (1), W. Welling; 7 peals, J. Austin, H. M. Day, J. Flint, R. G. Rice, C. H. Sone, J. Sparrow (7), G. F. Swann (2), A. H. Ward; 6 peals, E. Barnett, senr., G. Cattermole, F. W. Dixon, M. F. R. Hibbert, E. G. Hibbens, J. Houldsworth, Rev. H. L. James (1), J. D. Johnson (5), W. Large, F. J. Lewis, R. C. Loveday, H. Ludkin, J. Oldham, G. R. Pye, W. C. Rumsey, W. Saunders (3), T. Tebbutt, B. Thorpe, J. A. Trollope (5), C. Wallater, C. F. Winney (3); 5 peals, W. Ayre G. Billenness, W. B. Cartwright, G. T. Croft, E. C. Gobey, J. A. Gofton, J. E. Groves (2), S. T. Holt, P. J. Johnson (1), W. T. Last, J. Lord, G. Martin (2), W. Miller, A. E. Norman (3), F. W. Perrens (4), F. Pervin, C. Platt, J. Potter, Rev. A. Simpson, D. G. Wightman, B. W. Witchell.

There were also 29 conductors or four peals (2), 52 of three peals (3), 109 of two peals (7), and 297 of one peal (8). In addition all the band took part in conducting two peals of Minor, and one handbell peal of Grandsire Doubles was non-conducted. Three lady conductors are included in these figures, Miss E. K. Parker having conducted two peals, and Miss A. Brown and Miss C. Hepburn one each. Six reverend gentlemen have conducted peals during the year.

In lighter vein it may be remarked that while the greatest number of peals have been conducted by the P’s, the Q’s are not represented.

Five peals of over 7,000 changes have been rung, viz., 13,440 of Bob Major and 10,400 of Superlative Surprise Major (the record length), with bobs behind and in front, by the Midland Counties Association; 8,096 and 10,176 Kent Treble Bob Major by the Lancashire Association; and the record length in any method being 21,363 of Stedman Caters, by the Oxford Diocesan Guild.

The Ringing World, May 11th, 1923, page 299

THE CENTRAL COUNCIL.

TUESDAY’S MEETING AT SALISBURY.

The third session of the eleventh Council was held at Salisbury on Whit Tuesday. Excellent arrangements for the visitors had been made by a committee of the Salisbury Diocesan Guild, and many of the members spent an enjoyable holiday in the Wiltshire capital. On each day, from Saturday to Tuesday at the various churches, the bells were available, and on Sunday, by special permission of the Earl of Pembroke, a party visited Milton House, where they spent an interesting time.

On Monday a party of over thirty had a delightful charabanc trip through the New Forest, and were able to ring at Fordingbridge, Ringwood, Wimborne and Cranborne. A social gathering took place in the evening at the headquarters at the Cathedral, where accommodation was placed at the disposal of the ringers.

The meeting on Tuesday was held in the Chapter House at the Cathedral, the chair being taken by the President (the Rev. Canon Coleridge). There were also present the Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn (hon. librarian), Mr. E. Alex. Young (hon. secretary and treasurer), and 58 members.

The proceedings having opened with prayer, a welcome was extended to the Council by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese, who was accompanied by the Dean and Archdeacon Carpenter, and the Bishop was afterwards thanked by the President.

The minutes having been passed, the Hon. Treasurer presented the accounts, which showed that the year began with a balance at the bank of £74 10s. 8d., affiliation fees amounted to £12 10s., interest on stock to £4 8s. 2d., and there was cash in hand 15s., and a balance of 3s. due to the hon. secretary. The expenditure included: Books and stationery, 17s. 6d.; notices and printing, £4 5s. 3d.; postage and petty expenses, £7 10s. 6d., and loss on sales of publications, £2 15s. The balance at bank was £76 18s. 7d.

The accounts, together with the librarian’s report and balance sheet, were adopted.

The following hon. members whose term of office had expired were re-elected: Rev. E. W. Carpenter, Mrs. Edwards, Mr. J. George and Mr. H. W. Wilde.

Messrs. E. Bishop (Gloucester and Bristol), J. Hughes (Dudley Guild), new members, were presented to the President.

The Hon. Librarian reported that between 1,100 and 1,200 names had been received for the Roll of Honour, and it was agreed that it be written in copper plate writing on the best paper, with the best ink suggested by the authorities of the British Museum, the leaves being afterwards bound, the title page only to be illuminated; the words from the King’s Scroll are to appear on first page, with the words, ‘Their name liveth for evermore,’ on the last page; the names to appear in alphabetical order, followed by the initials, the town at which the man was a ringer, and the name of the Association or Guild in which he resided, written in abbreviated form.

It was resolved that the Council’s expenditure on the roll should not exceed £20, but a suggestion by Alderman Pritchett that if there was any additional expense it should be raised by subscription, met with warm approval, Alderman Pritchett urging that they should be loath to limit the cost, and that many of them would be glad to subscribe to make the roll worthy of that Council.

The Peal Collection Committee had nothing to report, except that the remainder of the collection of peals of Treble Bob was in the hands of the Rev. H. S. T. Richardson. It was hoped a definite report as to the position would be available at the next meeting.

Mr. W. Willson presented the report of the Literature and Press Committee, in which special reference was made to the action taken to prevent the long peal attempt at Evesham.- The Rev. C. E. Matthews seconded the motion, which was carried.

The Rev. H. Law James for the Methods Committee reported that the work was in the hands of Mr. Lewis, and as soon as he could complete it the collection of Plain Major methods would be printed.

The Rev. A. T. Beeston presented the Peals Analysis Committee’s report, the essential particulars of which have already been published, and the committee were thanked for the labour exercised on the report.

The Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn moved the adoption of the report of the Towers and Belfries Committee, which included the findings of the Conference between the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and the committee upon the question of preservation of towers and bells. The summary of the findings has already been published in these columns.

The report was adopted, after a short discussion, and a motion was subsequently passed that ‘this Council does not desire to exercise any rights of copyright on the report of the conference.’

The Analysis Committee’s report upon the nomenclature of methods came up for consideration, and was adopted, but a discussion arose as to the alteration made by the committee in the names of College Single and Canterbury Pleasure. Eventually it was decided by 28 votes to 20, to proceed to the next business.

The Rev. A. T. Beeston presented the report of the Records Committee, which was adopted, and it was agreed to have the schedule typed and put into the library for circulation.

The Hon. Secretary reported for the Museum Exhibit Committee, who have had the promise of Mr. John Carter’s machine for five years, and also the promise of bell exhibits from various founders, while he (Mr. Young) had had made a model of a ring of six for the purpose. It was also suggested that there should be a wall exhibit of diagrams. The report was adopted, the diagrams to be those in use in Snowdon’s ‘Standard Methods.’

Mr. Cave offered to print courses of methods in large figures for the exhibit, and his offer was accepted with thanks.

The Rev. F. Ll. Edwards proposed, ‘That this Council, meeting in the Diocese of Salisbury, in which Sir Christopher Wren was born and baptized, expresses the fervent hope that no sanction will be given to any further demolition of the churches, with which he adorned the City of London, and which bear such a valuable witness to the Christian religion in the world’s busiest centre of secular activities.’

After a short discussion, in which opinion was expressed that the subject was outside the scope of the Council’s business, ‘the previous question’ was moved and carried.

The Rev. H. Drake, with assent to an alteration in the form of the motion of which he had given notice, moved a resolution as follows: ‘That this Council recommends that first or record peals should if possible be rung for a society within the limits of that society’s area.’-The motion was held to be impracticable, and on being put to the meeting was lost.

The Rev. H. Drake also moved, ‘That the Peals Analysis Committee be asked if they can add a column showing the ratio between the number of members and the points gained by each society.’- This, however, found no seconder, and was accordingly dropped.

The following resolution, moved by the Rev. C. D. P. Davies, and seconded by the Rev. E. S. Powell, was carried nem. con.: ‘That in compositions of 5,000 changes or upwards on seven or any higher number of bells in which the plan of splicing various methods is adopted, it is essential that there should be no repetition of a row throughout - that is to say, that the whole composition shall be “true” in the universally accepted sense of that word.’

A card of instructions on the care and use of bells suitable for hanging in a tower was considered in detail, and adopted, and the Rev. H. Drake offered to bear the cost of printing up to £5. He was heartily thanked for his offer.

It was decided to approach the Dean of Westminster with a view to holding next year’s meeting in the Jerusalem Chamber at Westminster Abbey.

A vote of congratulation was passed on the motion of Mr. C. T. Coles, to the Ancient Society of College Youths upon their record performance on Monday.

Votes of thanks were accorded to the Dean and Chapter for the use of the Chapter House, and to the Salisbury Guild for their excellent arrangements, especially to Major Hughes D’Aeth (Master), the Rev. F. Ll. Edwards (hon. secretary), Mr. T. H. Beams, who was in charge of headquarters, and Mr. Martin Stewart.

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the President.

Afterwards a party of over 60 partook of tea in the Church House, at the invitation of Archdeacon Carpenter and many of the visitors joined in a ‘conducted’ visit to the Cathedral. In the evening a reception by the officers of the Salisbury Guild took place at the Cathedral Hotel

The Ringing World, May 25th, 1923, pages 329 and 331

THE CENTRAL COUNCIL.

BISHOP OF SALISBURY’S WELCOME.

The 30th Annual Meeting of the Central Council was held in the Chapter House at Salisbury Cathedral on Whit-Tuesday.

A summary of the proceedings appeared in our last issue.

The attendance included the following: Rev. Canon G. F. Coleridge (Oxford Diocesan Guild), president; Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn, M.C. (Oxford Diocesan Guild), hon. librarian; Mr. E. Alex. Young (London County Association), hon. secretary.

Hon. members: Rev. C. D. P. Davies, Major J. H. B. Hesse, Messrs. J. S. Pritchett, J. Armiger Trollope, J. George and J. W. Parker.
Ancient Society of College Youths: Mr. A. A. Hughes.
Bath and Wells Diocesan: Mr. A. E. Coles.
Bedfordshire: Canon W. W. C. Baker and Mr. A. E. Sharman.
Central Northants: Messrs. D. J. Nichols, F. Wilford, T. Law and E. M. Atkins.
Chester Diocesan: Rev. A. T. Beeston, Messrs. J. Norbury and W. Bibby.
Devon: Rev. Maitland Kelly and Rev. E. S. Powell.
Dudley and District: Mr. J. Hughes.
Ely Diocesan: Mr. T. R. Dennis.
Essex County: Messrs. G. R. Pye and W. J. Nevard.
Gloucester and Bristol Diocesan: Messrs. W. A. Cave and E. Bishop.
Herts County: Rev. B. H. Tyrwhitt Drake.
Kent County: Rev. F. J. O. Helmore, Messrs. T. Groombridge and E. Barnett, senr.
Ladies’ Guild: Miss E. K. Parker.
Lancashire Association: Canon H. J. Elsee and Mr. W. E. Wilson.
Llandaff and Monmouth Diocesan: Mr. J. W. Jones.
Lincoln Diocesan: Rev. H. Law James and Mr. R. Richardson.
Midland Counties: Alderman R. B. Chambers, J.P., Messrs. W. Willson and Pryce Taylor.
Middlesex County and London Diocesan: Mr. C. T. Coles.
Norwich Diocesan: Messrs. A. L. Coleman and G. P. Burton.
Oxford Diocesan: Messrs. F. W. Hopgood and J. Evans.
Royal Cumberland Youths: Mr. J. Parker.
Salisbury Diocesan: Major W. Hughes D’Aeth, Rev. F. Ll. Edwards, Messrs. T. H. Beams and A. F. Martin Stewart.
Stafford Archdeaconry: Mr. H. Knight.
Suffolk: Rev. H. Drake and Mr. C. Mee.
Surrey: Mr. C. Dean.
Warwickshire: Messrs. H. Argyle and A. Roberts.
Winchester Diocesan: Rev. C. E. Matthews, Messrs. G. Williams and A. H. Pulling.
Worcestershire: Mr. A. E. Parsons.
Yorkshire: Mr. J. Cotterell.
Apologies for absence were received from Rev. A. H. F. Boughey, Messrs. J. H. Cheesman, J. Carter, E. Lewis, T. Metcalfe, Rev. W. T. Wright, Messrs. W. T. Cockerill, C. H. Howard, W. Lawrence, Rev. E. W. Carpenter, Rev. H. S. T. Richardson, Messrs. A. Paddon Smith, W. Storey, H. W. Wilde, J. R. Sharman, J. D. Matthews, P. Johnson, G. Bolland, H. Haigh, J. Hunt and R. Narborough.

The Bishop of Salisbury, the Dean and the Archdeacon of Sarum attended the meeting to welcome the Council.

The welcome extended to the Council by the Bishop of Salisbury was a very hearty one. He said they had done wisely in choosing that city as a place of meeting, for he felt sure they would admire it and fall in love with it, as everyone did who came there. He welcomed them as Bishop of that Diocese, because he wanted to do all he could to encourage the work they did. He had the greatest possible opinion of the whole work of bell ringing, and he claimed to know a little about it, because he had lived in a country for seventeen years where there were hardly any bells, and coming back to the sound of the bells made a real difference. There were two peals of bells in his diocese of Brisbane, and when he went there one peal was in abeyance. He remembered what a tremendous effort was made by a few old Englishmen to get the bells rehung. They struggled until they got them done, and they were now hung as the Cathedral bells of Brisbane. Continuing, the Bishop said from the point of view of history he felt the bells were a real and eloquent link with the past. Bells had been associated with the main episodes of the life of the nation, they expressed the people’s joy and sorrow, they had expressed the people’s warlike spirit. As a citizen he felt that bell ringing, especially in the country places, provided an agreeable and delightful occupation for their young men, and he wondered why young men had not taken it up more freely, because it combined so many things - skill, and interest and good exercise. As a clergyman, he felt the connection between the young men, who rang the bells, and the clergy of the parish churches generally ought to be a very real one (applause), and he was sure it could be made a very real one. It did not follow that the clergy need know how to ring, but it certainly was his desire that the clergy should take the greatest interest in the belfry (applause). When he had a church where there was a peal of bells, he was frequently up in the belfry, and those ringers were most faithful not only in their ringing, but in their attendance at church (applause). As between the clergy and the bell ringers there was a real link, which should be kept up. In conclusion, the Bishop added that although they welcomed that Council to Salisbury, the most beautiful city in England, they also felt honoured by their coming there representing as they did such a wide interest (applause).

The President, on behalf of the Council, thanked the Bishop most warmly for his kindness in coming to their meeting, and for his inspiring and helpful address. It was a matter not only of interest, but of very great benefit to them, to know that the head of that diocese came to welcome them as loyal church workers in England (applause). Although the Council had met for 30 years, it was only within the last two years or so that they had been honoured by the presence of any cathedral dignitary to welcome them. They were welcomed at Gloucester by the Dean, and at Lincoln by the Dean, but that was the first time they had had a Bishop to address them (applause). They had also had the Dean with them, and the Archdeacon of Sarum. They were glad to be welcomed by those who held such high office in that diocese, and thanked them for their kindness (applause).

The Bishop briefly replied, and then left the meeting with the Dean and Archdeacon.

The audited accounts, a summary of which we gave last week, were passed, on the motion of the Rev. H. Law James, seconded by Canon Elsee.

ADVERSE BALANCE ON PUBLICATIONS.

The Hon. Librarian, in presenting his accounts reported that contrary to custom he had to declare an adverse balance on the year’s working, and had to ask the Council to refund to him the sum of £2 15s. Quite accurately, the balance on the year’s working was only adverse to the amount of 15s. It would be remembered that at Lincoln it was voted that a sum of 5s. per volume should be allowed to him for binding copies of ‘Bell News’ for the library. He had had eight volumes bound which thus accounted for the £2. There is now for the purpose of reference a complete historical record of ringing from 1871 to the present date. The thanks of the Exercise were due to those members who had contributed towards this. With regard to the 15s., he had realised by sales of publications an amount within 9s. of last year, but the contribution from the ‘on sale or return’ source was short of last year to the amount of over £3. Accordingly, between them they had only realised £9 16s. 8d., which did little more than cover the cost of advertising. However, the books were finding their way among ringers. During the year he had bought in 30 copies of ‘On the Preservation of Bells,’ and had sold them nearly all. He had no more copies of ‘Rules for an Association,’ and only a very few of ‘Rules for a Company,’ while the ‘Collection of Minor Methods’ would at the present rate hardly last for two years. There had been a fair demand for the loan of the ‘Treble Bob Peals Collection.’ The Librarian added ‘I should like to put on record that I am constantly being asked for a book for beginners. There is not, I believe, on the market such a book at anything like the price of even the most expensive of the Council’s publications, which are chiefly for the more advanced, and I venture to suggest that the Council should bear this in mind.’

FALSE COMPOSITIONS.

Mr. G. P. Burton pointed out that a great many peals in the ‘Collection of Peals’ were false compositions. Ringers purchased these books thinking that the compositions were true; they chose one and rang it, and perhaps found it was false. He suggested that the librarian, before issuing further copies, should stamp in the books that these peals were false, and that there was no guarantee that any of them were true. The worst feature was that they sold the books as official publications of the Council, and it was a very bad thing for them to let them go out with false compositions in them.

The Librarian said he had written to the Rev. H. S. T. Richardson that the Peal Collection Committee should take in hand the proving of all peals in the collection. Mr. Richardson had replied that he thought it was a good idea, and asking to be supplied with copies of the collection. These had been sent to him. He (the librarian) thought he had better be authorised to stamp each volume with a notice that the truth of the peals was not guaranteed.

Mr. W. A. Cave said he did not like either of the suggestions. To indicate that the compositions were not guaranteed would render the book almost valueless to those ringers who did not trouble about proving. He considered it would be best to find out the peals that were false and issue a slip.

Mr. J. A. Trollope said so far as the Bob Major Collection, for which he was responsible was concerned he believed there was only one false peal; but he would undertake to let the librarian know which was false, and also to go through the peals of Double Oxford and certify them.

The Rev. H. Law James undertook to go through the Double Norwich collection in the same way.

Mr. A. H. Pulling suggested that when the false compositions had been ascertained they should be advertised in ‘The Ringing World’ for the benefit of those ringers who had already purchased these books.

The suggestion that each of the false compositions should be stamped was agreed to, and the librarian’s report was adopted, an offer by the Rev. F. J. O. Helmore to present a copy of ‘Campanology’ to the library, being accepted with thanks.

RINGERS’ ROLL OF HONOUR.

The Hon. Librarian reported that at the last Council meeting he was instructed to prepare a Ringers’ Roll of Honour. Immediately afterwards he wrote to all secretaries of associations, enclosing their lists (which he had been keeping since the Northampton meeting) for revision. He asked especially for ringers’ names, initials, towers and information as to their membership in other associations in order to avoid repetition. He received the last of these returns on the previous Saturday. He dealt with them as they were returned and he had each man’s name clearly written on a separate card, together with his initials and his tower, and Guild or association. There would be between 1,100 and 1,200 names. It was for the Council now to say in what manner they should be preserved. When the matter was brought up at Lincoln an offer was made to write the names free of charge in a book to be provided, but in view of the number of names (nearly double what was anticipated) he hardly liked to mention the offer. He suggested that a small committee be appointed to deal with the matter, the Council naming an approximate sum to be expended. The librarian added that the Standing Committee had had the matter under consideration, and suggested that the names be written in good ‘copper-plate’ writing upon leaves of good paper, these leaves to be afterwards bound into a book. Illumination should be on the title page only, which should contain these words:

• ‘Church Bell Ringers’ Memorial Book of the Great War, 1914-1918.

  ‘They whom this work commemorates were numbered among those who, at the call of King and country, left all that was dear to them, endured hardness, faced danger, and finally passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others might live in freedom.’

Then should follow the list of names with initials, the town to which the man belonged, and, in brief form, his Guild or association. The Standing Committee suggested that this should be done at a cost not exceeding £20. That cost might be very much less if they could have the same or a similar offer as that made last year. It was for the Council to accept these suggestions, or to propose a sub-committee to act with him.

Alderman J. S. Pritchett said he would be loath to limit the cost to £20, although he agreed that not more than £20 should be taken from the funds of the Council. If, however it cost more than £20 to do it properly, he suggested they might raise the balance by means of subscriptions among themselves, for many of them would gladly subscribe to make this list worthy of the Council (applause).

The proposals made by the librarian were adopted, and the matter was left in his hands, the suggestion being added that the question of the most suitable paper and most durable ink to be employed, should be left to authorities at the British Museum to decide.

PEAL COLLECTION.

It was reported that the remainder of the collection of the Peals of Treble Bob were in the hands of the Rev. H. S. T. Richardson, and it was left with him to carry on, a desire being expressed that the committee would present a definite report upon the position to the next Council meeting.

The Ringing World, June 1st, 1923, pages 345 and 347

LITERATURE AND PRESS COMMITTEE.

Mr. W. Willson presented the following report on behalf of this committee, many of the quotations from newspapers in reference to bells and ringing, causing the members of the Council considerable amusement: ‘During the past year, numerous comments upon bells and bell ringing have found their way into the public Press. A strike or “lock-out” of a band of ringers in the North was sufficient to cause the Sunday newspapers to broadcast the information that the ringers’ “Trade Union” had withdrawn its men for a “living wage.” On behalf of the committee, it was pointed out to the various Editors that the statement was absurd, that no such union existed, nor was likely to exist, that the ringers on strike were outside the pale of the Exercise of change ringing, and that their status was that of the itinerant organ grinder compared to a church organist. The coming of the carillon has also helped to bring the bell question before the public. An article in the “Daily Mirror” of March 27th, on “Chimes,” remarked: “On the Continent especially in Flanders, bells have a much mellower and more stirring ring than in England, and church carillons, although melancholy, are wonderfully soothing. Cromwell and his Puritans were responsible for the melting down of ancient and beautiful toned bells, but those now being manufactured have a dry and sharp sound. Are some secrets of bell founding lost? or is there no demand for perfect chimes ?” Also in the “Morning Post” of April 16th, a “leaderette” dealt in a most interesting manner with the same subject. The writer was obviously well versed in bells and ringing. The article was headed “Singing Towers.” After describing the high state of efficiency in the ringing of to-day, the writer proceeded: “The music they provide is a noble accompaniment to the people’s emotions; it decorates the passing time with arabesqueries of stately sound which, according as the mood of the listeners colours them, may be far-flung litanies of lamentation, or, on joyous occasions, the veritable ‘laughter of music.’ We shall never cease to take delight in the intricate sequences of ‘change ringing,’ even though we welcome a higher form of bell music - that which is possible only where a keyboard carillon, such as exists in every tower of Belgium and Holland, has been installed … We are now on the eve of a new and significant development - the creation of a school of carillon players and composers under the auspices of the University of Birmingham.” Now, while every one with an ear for music will appreciate tune-playing and its recognition, it would be unfortunate for our art if carillons were to be preferred to bells hung for ringing. The carillon has come to stay, and we must adapt ourselves to what it may entail. Your committee suggest that when a carillon is about to be installed, influence should be brought to bear, so that out of the many bells a ring of eight or ten be hung for ringing on the ground that a carillon cannot express public or national sorrow or rejoicing as does a ring of bells hung for ringing. Thus provision would be made for both forms of bell music. The question of ringing defence has cropped up in a new guise. A mixed band from various parts of the country, arranged to attempt a long peal and permission was granted by the authorities concerned. When the “Ringing World” announced it, other ringers took umbrage, wrote letters to the local Press and induced the authorities to cancel the permission on the ground of possible damage to the tower and bells! While it is admitted that there may be reasonable and just objections to long peals, and the public have a right to be considered it is scarcely “playing the game” for ringers within the ranks to incite a protest and thus bring about an embargo. Any “backdoor” influence to suppress the legitimate aspirations of a band - whether local or not - is to be deplored. Such objections should be made through the Ringing Press and weighed for what they are worth.’

Mr. Willson emphasised the feeling of the committee with regard to the action taken to prevent the long peal attempt at Evesham, and pointed out that while objection was taken to this peal attempt, another band rang a peal in the same tower the next week.

Rev. C. E. Matthews seconded the report.

Rev. F. Ll. Edwards pointed out, with regard to carillons, that it was a mistake to suppose that carillons abroad took the place of church bells for ringing. They did nothing of the kind, they were only a supplement.

Mr. G. P. Burton, who is a member of the committee, said they ought to be glad that the Press was showing greater sympathy if not greater intelligence as regards bell ringing. The ‘Daily Mail,’ in connection with the Stedman Cinques record at Southwark on the previous day, had announced to the world the amazing news that ringers preferred to ring in their shirt sleeves (laughter). He suggested that some member of the Council or committee should be asked just to leave the official ‘card’ of the Council so to speak, at the editorial office of one or two of the important papers. They had a friend at court at the office of the ‘Morning Post,’ who was most friendly to ringing generally, and he suggested they might with advantage get into touch with some of the other papers.

Alderman Pritchett said he wanted to remove one misapprehension. They had no professor of carillon music at Birmingham University, and he did not think it was likely they would have one.

Mr. Pryce Taylor said he believed money had been left for the purpose of instructing students at Birmingham University in carillon music.

The report was adopted.

METHODS COMMITTEE.

The Rev. H. Law James, on behalf of the Methods Committee, said they were authorised last year to print the collection of Plain Major Methods. His part of the business was done, and so was Mr. Trollope’s part, and the papers were at the present moment in the hands of Mr. E. H. Lewis, who was an extremely busy person. He had been carrying them about with him from one hotel to another all over the country, dealing with them piecemeal as he could, and Mr. Lewis had suggested that he should give it up and resign from the committee. That, said Mr. James, was the very last thing they wanted. Mr. Lewis was one of the best members of their committee, and doing good work. It was work that was of importance, and he suggested that the Council should have patience and let them get it done as soon as they could. They could not hurry Mr. Lewis, who was up to his eyes in work.

The Council agreed.

THE PEALS ANALYSIS.

The report of the Analysis Committee was read by the Rev. A. T. Beeston. Practically the whole of it had previously appeared in ‘The Ringing World,’ and the members got rather tired of the repetition of a mass of statistics, but when questioned as to the necessity of going through already published details, Mr. Beeston said he was merely carrying out the request of the chairman of the committee, who was not present at the meeting.

When the report had been read, the Rev. B. H. T. Drake humorously suggested, amid laughter, that it be referred back for further details.

The President said they were greatly indebted to the committee for the enormous labour they had expended upon the report. All he could say was that they had infinitely more leisure than he had (laughter).

Mr. W. A. Cave called attention to the inclusion in the Analysis of peals of Triples rung on seven bells, and said he understood that the Council had decided that these should not be recognised.

The Rev. A. T. Beeston said the decision of the Council was that they should not be ‘countenanced.’

Canon Baker asked how the Council could discountenance them except by omitting them from the records.

METHOD NOMENCLATURE.

The report was adopted, and later the same committee’s report on method nomenclature was brought up by the Rev. A. T. Beeston, who moved its adoption. This report has already been published in these columns.- The motion was seconded by Alderman Chambers, and had been declared carried, when the Rev. H. Law James intervened to point out that the committee had taken upon itself to change the names of methods which had been applied by the Methods Committee, and published in 1907. He mentioned as instances College Single and Canterbury Pleasure, and added that by their action the Analysis Committee wanted to say that a reverse method was a single method - in other words, that black was white. He moved that the matter be referred back.- Mr. J. A. Trollope seconded, and added that he would also like to see a revision of some of the names. The only safe plan in naming methods was to name them after towns.

Mr. J. W. Parker said the committee had the highest respect for the opinions of Mr. James, and they recognised what he had done with regard to the publication of methods, but in this matter they could not agree with him. The object of the committee was to indicate as clearly as possible what the method in the collection really was. The method of College Single Minor had been rung for over 200 years. It was the method in which, when the treble got down into 3rd’s place, the bells from the front made 4th’s, and went back to lead. The method in the collection was that method reversed, and as the old method was that rung as College Single the committee thought by putting it down as College Single Reverse they were indicating to the Exercise what exactly the method was. Continuing, Mr. Parker said the committee either wished the report to go through as it stood or that the matter should be placed in the hands of some other committee.

The Rev. H. Law James said this matter was not a question of opinion; it was a question of what was right and what was wrong.

Mr. G. P. Burton said some ringers were much concerned about the absurd names the committee had given to some of the methods. They did not want to make the Exercise a laughing-stock.

The Rev. E. S. Powell asked if the committee had not gone beyond their powers, in renaming these methods. He understood they were asked only to find names for the unnamed methods.

PRIORITY OF USE.

The Rev. A. T. Beeston said the question arose out of the difficulty experienced by the Analysis Committee. When methods were rung bearing two names, they were not aware which method had been rung, and it was to get rid of that confusion that it was decided that any claim to the name of a method should be sent in to the librarian within a certain period. At the Council’s last meeting it was decided that the Analysis Committee should take up the work of clearing up this confusion. That being the case, it was necessary to go back and find out what names had been given to methods that were being rung, and in the search they had to make they came across methods bearing certain names which were in the collection, bearing other names. In dealing with the matter they found it necessary to go, as they stated they should do, on priority of use. Acting on that principle they embodied these changes in their report and they stood by it.

Mr. Trollope said the names of the two methods referred to by Mr. James were put into the collection deliberately by the Methods Committee. There was a principle behind the action. The method to which the Methods Committee gave the original name of College Single was being rung as such in many places, and the name of College Single as applied to the old method would die out. If there was any point in the argument about confusion, he believed it was only a question of a few years before it would be eliminated entirely. What the Analysis Committee were now doing was setting back a matter that had long been going steadily forward and which had been entirely approved by the Exercise.

Referring to the point raised by the Rev. E. S. Powell, the President read the minute of the meeting by which it was decided that the committee should after a certain date name the unnamed methods.

The Rev. E. S. Powell: Does that give them power to give a new name to a method which already had a name printed in the collection?

The Rev. A. T. Beeston said the Methods Committee, when they published the collection gave the name of Stedman Slow Course to a method which they acknowledged to be a mistake. Had the Methods Committee power to take the name given to a recognised method and give it to one of their own?

The Rev. H. Law James said if they accepted the Analysis Committee’s recommendation, the Council, to be consistent, would have to say that Cambridge Surprise must lose its name, and that Double Norwich Major should be Norwich Court Bob.

Mr. C. T. Coles said the committee seemed to have gone beyond the terms of the reference.

The Rev. A. T. Beeston said the Council, at their last meeting, accepted the principle on which the committee had acted, namely, the question of priority of use.

The Rev. H. Law James said the subject was a technical one which should have been settled. He had been trying his best for the last month or six weeks to bring the committee to see it in its true light, and that was why he was prepared to fight (laughter).

Mr. Cave pointed out that members might refrain from voting for the amendment because the committee had threatened to resign. It would be a great regret to many of them if the question was not decided on its merits.

The Rev. F. Ll. Edwards moved that the matter be adjourned until next year’s Council meeting.

Mr. A. F. M. Stewart seconded.

Mr. W. Willson moved, and Mr. J. Parker seconded, that the Council proceed to the next business.

On being put to the meeting this was carried by 28 votes to 20.

The Ringing World, June 8th, 1923, pages 361 and 363

A VALUABLE REPORT.

The Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn moved that the Council adopt the report issued by the joint conference of the Towers and Belfries Committee and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. This report, upon the preservation of ancient towers and bells and advice as to bell restoration was the outcome of conferences between the two bodies and a summary has already appeared in our columns. Mr. Jenkyn said the outstanding personality at these conferences was Mr. E. H. Lewis.- Major J. H. B. Hesse seconded the adoption of the report.

The President said it was the most valuable report they had ever issued, and would do immense good from the ringers’ as well as architects’ point of view. It was a happy augury for the future that architects and ringers had come to agree upon such an important subject.

Canon Elsee said it would be remembered that there was recently a case where ancient bells had been mutilated by having the cannons removed. It was at a tower with only three bells, but there was a great deal of indignation expressed by authorities in the diocese concerned that this mutilation had been done without proper authority, and it was sometimes assumed that ringers, as such, cared only about the ‘go,’ and, to some extent the tone of their bells, and nothing about the history or preservation of ancient bells. He was, therefore, especially glad to see this report signed by representatives of the Council as well as by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. It emphasised the need for care for their old bells. Modern bells were far more musical in nearly every case than ancient bells. Old bells were, however, priceless, as evidence of the bell founders’ work in the past, and ringers as a rule knew too little about the history of the bells in their tower. Every care should be taken to preserve any ancient bells that they still had. The difficulty was that many were in towers which scarcely came under that Council, but he was glad that it should be distinctly recognised by that Council that ancient bells should be treated with the greatest possible care (hear, hear).

Mr. T. H. Beams asked if the report had been submitted to the Royal Institute of Architects. If they could be got to agree to it, it would be of still greater weight.

The President said the architects had been largely circularised with this report.

BALL BEARINGS FOR BELLS.

The Rev. H. Drake pointed out that since the report was drawn up Major Hesse (one of the Council’s signatories) had publicly stated that he had changed his mind with regard to ball bearings for bells, and asked what his position now was.

The Rev. C. D. P. Davies said the report merely said that the advantages of ball bearings was doubtful. Personally he was very much against ball bearings.

Major Hesse said his opinion was that they were cheaper and better both for the user and bell hanger. To renew them every ten years even would be cheaper than renewing plain bearings every forty years.

The Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn said the conference was careful not to overstate facts, and, if they were not sure, they would not pretend that they were. They all felt, and Major Hesse felt, at the time the report was drawn up, that nobody could be quite certain about ball bearings. He thought Major Hesse had been more convinced as to their utility since, and it was quite possible that everybody’s opinions might change as time went on. Continuing, the Librarian said, with regard to the distribution of the report, he thought they ought to play up to the society who were selling it where they could to cover the cost of printing and giving it away in cases where it might be given with advantage. That Council had provided £5 towards the cost of printing, and he suggested that copies of the report should be sold at 4d. each. He thought, however, that if associations or diocesan authorities desired to print it they should be allowed to do so but he was most anxious that if it were printed it should be printed in full.

The report was adopted, and on the motion of the Librarian, it was also resolved: ‘That this Council does not desire to exercise any rights of copyright on the report of the conference between representatives of this Council and the S.P.A.B.’

THE YEAR’S NEW RECORDS.

The Rev. A. T. Beeston presented the report of the Records Committee, and submitted a list of the records of first peals in new methods and of progressive lengths rung since the last Council meeting. He said they were glad to notice that the new methods, both of Major and Royal, were of the highest order. The list included the first peal of (1) Kent Treble Bob Royal in the ‘Ilkeston’ Variation by the Midland Counties Association; (2) Kent Treble Bob Royal, in the ‘Granta’ Variation by the Middlesex Association; (3) Stedman Sextuples (in hand) by the St. Martin’s Guild; (4) Lancashire Surprise Major by the Lancashire Association; (5) Cambridge Court Bob Major (in hand) by the Cambridge University Guild; (6) Middlesex Surprise Royal by the Middlesex Association; (7) three spliced Major methods (in hand) by the Cambridge University Guild; (8) Princess Mary Surprise Royal by the Midland Counties Association; (9) Double Oxford Bob Major (in hand) by the Ely Association. Progressive lengths have been rung as follows: 21,363 Stedman Caters by the Oxford Diocesan Guild; 5,376 and 5,408 Yorkshire Surprise Major by the Chester Diocesan Guild; 5,040 Clifton Surprise Royal by the Gloucester and Bristol Diocesan Association; 7,008 and 12,896 Cambridge Surprise Major by the Midland Counties Association. The committee thought it advisable to direct the attention of the Exercise to the necessity of adding a claim by footnote or otherwise to the announcement of any performance which was known or believed to be a record. No claim, for instance, was attached to the 7,000 Cambridge Surprise Major rung during the year. Such omissions increased the likelihood of these performances being overlooked. The committee awaited the Council’s instructions respecting the publication of the schedule they had prepared of first and record performances in all methods. Mr. Beeston added the committee were of opinion that it would be unwise to print it until it had been subjected to examination by the Exercise and any mistakes pointed out.

The report was adopted, and on the suggestion of the hon. secretary it was decided to have typed copies of the schedule placed in the library for circulation among ringers.

SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM EXHIBIT.

The Hon. Secretary, reporting for the Museum Exhibit Committee, said the committee had not achieved very much so far, but they had broken a lot of ground, and come to one or two tangible points. The committee had had an interesting meeting with the authorities of South Kensington Museum, and they were unanimous as to the lines which they should follow. The authorities were not spending any money on them, but they would give them the use of a glass case and a certain amount of wall space. When they considered what they should put into the case, the great thing focussed upon everyone’s attention, especially the experts’, was Mr. John Carter’s famous machine, with which the authorities were very much impressed. Without that machine the exhibit would lose 90 per cent. of its value. Mr. Carter had expressed his willingness to loan the machine for a period of five years. With the machine they wanted some auxiliary exhibits, and he (the hon. secretary) had himself had made a model, showing a ring of six bells hung in a teak frame. That was at the museum, but Mr. Carter’s machine was not. Then, they had had very kind offers on the part of one or two of the founders to see what they could do, in the way of putting in one or two models of bells. If and when they got these, they would be making a start, but until they had Mr. Carter’s machine they could not fully represent the science of ringing in the splendid case which had been placed at their disposal. The reason why the machine was not yet there was that before Mr. Carter deposited it, he wished to ring, officially and in a proper manner, a peal on it, and also desired a certain gentleman to call that peal. As to the wall space, the committee agreed it would be wisest to utilise it by having diagrams printed and framed. Then came the question whether the Council was prepared to pay for the printing and framing, or were they to fall back on the private munificence of their members, or to make a collective effort. He was tempted to suggest that they should have some diagrams printed and sell them to towers, where they might be very useful, to defray the cost.

The Rev. C. D. P. Davies said it was exceedingly important that they should have something to show at the South Kensington Museum as soon as they could. They had been in conference for something like two years, and it was time they did something, however little.

Mr. James George said he should deplore printing diagrams for belfries, because they had plenty of lazy ringers now. The place to learn methods was at home, but if these cards were used in belfries the lazy ones would come to the belfry to learn the methods.

The Rev. H. Law James suggested that they should use the diagrams from Snowdon’s ‘Standard Methods’ for the purposes of the exhibit.

Mr. A. Hughes said the great idea of having the cards, and having them large, was in order that they could be easily seen. If they put up the small diagrams on the big wall space they would be too small to be seen by anyone passing through the museum.

The proposal to use ‘Standard Method’ diagrams was carried by 27 votes to 17.

The Rev. H. Drake then moved that both the large and small diagrams should be used. He believed the large boards would be of use in a belfry.

The Hon. Secretary said if the diagrams were to be in scale with the exhibit they must be large. If they had the cards and the small diagrams, any person whose interest was aroused by the large diagrams would be able to look at the smaller ones and they would have the whole thing.

Mr. W. A. Cave offered to print the large diagrams for the Council, and this offer was accepted with thanks.

This concluded the business of the committees.

The Ringing World, June 15th, 1923, page 377

PROPOSED DEMOLITION OF CITY CHURCHES.

The Rev. F. Ll. Edwards then moved the first of the motions on the agenda: ‘That this Council, meeting in the Diocese of Salisbury, in which Sir Christopher Wren was born and baptized, expresses the fervent hope that no sanction will be given to any further demolition of the churches, with which he adorned the City of London, and which bear such a valuable witness to the Christian religion in the world’s busiest centre of secular activities.’ The mover said he considered the motion was appropriate in point of time and of place. In point of place it was appropriate because Wren was born in the diocese of Salisbury. As to it being appropriate in point of time, he mentioned that two or three years ago, a motion, not on similar lines but the same in principle, was passed at a meeting of the Council, but missfired because it was sent to the secretary of a committee which it was subsequently discovered had ceased to exist. The same question of the demolition of churches in the city was to be brought forward again by another committee appointed by the Bishop of London.- Major Hughes D’Aeth seconded.

Mr. J. A. Trollope opposed the motion, remarking that the majority of the churches it was proposed to demolish were worth nothing at all and were a dead weight on the London diocese. For the site of one of the churches at the back of Lombard Street Barclays Bank were prepared to give a quarter of a million. The committee that recommended the removal of these churches consisted of eminent Churchmen who knew a good deal more about the churches than did those who agitated against their removal from a craze for preserving things because they were old.

Mr. G. P. Burton, who supported the motion, protested against Mr. Trollope’s statement that these churches were worth nothing. Every time he (the speaker) went into St. Michael’s, Cornhill, it was an inspiration to him. All Hallows’, Lombard Street, was a beautiful church. If from a business point of view these churches were worth so much money, were they not worth ten thousand times more to the country? It would be a scandal if that Council did not let it go forth that they protested against the demolition.

Canon Baker said he felt the motion was out of place there. They were Churchmen met for a special purpose, to discuss matters relating to bell ringing, and if they discussed matters outside the scope for which they were met it seemed to him there was no limit to the subjects they might put down on the agenda. Next year they might have a resolution on the question of Prayer-Book revision and fancy that Assembly passing a resolution about Vestments or Reservation, or that sort of thing. He thought the question of the city churches was an architectural one or an artistic question, and not one that was within the scope of their proceedings. He proposed ‘the previous question.’

The Rev. C. E. Matthews said this was largely a motion of sentiment, and to bring it down to a point where that Council was concerned with it directly, it ought to be stated in the resolution what churches containing peals of bells it was proposed to demolish.

The Rev. C. D. P. Davies said he partly agreed with Canon Baker, but not altogether. He thought they might pass some resolution on the towers that contain bells, which was what they did at Northampton. There, it was held that it was outside their province to express opinions about churches which had no bells, but as a congress of ringers they might express their opinion about churches which had peals of bells.

Alderman Pritchett said he did not think they could logically distinguish between churches with bells and churches without. They were equally sacred, and if they preserved one, they should preserve the other, but he thought the Council was going outside its functions in debating a question of that kind.

The motion of ‘the previous question’ having been seconded, was put to the meeting, amid some protests against this method of closuring discussion, and carried.

FIRST AND RECORD PEALS.

The Rev. H. Drake had given notice to move ‘That this Council recommends that first or record peals should not be rung for a society outside the limits of that society’s area.’ He said the objection raised to it in ‘The Ringing World’ was not one which that resolution was intended to meet, and he, therefore, suggested that he should be allowed to amend it so that it was in positive instead of negative form, viz., ‘That this Council recommends that first or record peal should be rung for a society within the limits of that society’s area.’

The President: Are you going to alter that now?

The Rev. H. Drake: I am going to ask the meeting to allow it to be put in the positive form.

The alteration having been agreed to, the Hon. Secretary seconded the motion pro forma.

The President: Does anyone wish to speak on it?

The Rev. H. Law James: Yes. I will move ‘the previous question’ (laughter).

Mr. W. Willson opposed the resolution, and pointed out the difficulties of applying it. Suppose, he said, eight men travelled from one county to the next for a peal, who was going to elect them as members of that association, when there was no one else in the belfry? They were not competent to elect themselves, therefore they would be bound to ring the peal for their own association.

The Rev. H. Drake: The resolution only recommends.

Mr. James George said he agreed with Mr. Willson, and, although he belonged to pretty well every society in the kingdom, and the resolution would not make much difference to him, why should he be compelled to join a society when he went into some other area for a peal, and who would elect visiting ringers unless there was a majority of the band belonging to the society?

The Rev. F. J. O. Helmore pointed out that the resolution did not refer to all peals, but only to first and record peals.

Alderman Pritchett put his opposition to the resolution very concisely. ‘In the first place,’ he said, ‘it is unnecessary, in the second place it is unreasonable; in the third place unworkable, and in the fourth place unintelligible, and I am going to vote against it’ (laughter).

Mr. E. M. Atkins: What is the ‘area’ of a society like the Cambridge University Guild?

A Member: Or the College Youths?

The Rev. H. Drake said he had discussed the resolution with Mr. Willson, and altered it to meet his objection, but it did not seem to have done so (laughter). As it stood, the resolution was simply an expression of pious opinion that ringers should not go out and ring first or record peals in the area of other societies, but that they should preferably ring them at home.

The motion, on being put, was lost by a large majority.

MORE DETAILS NOT REQUIRED.

The next motion was also in the name of the Rev. H. Drake: ‘That the Peals Analysis Committee be asked if they can add a column showing the ratio between the number of members and the points gained by each society.’ He said that after the very heavy report which they had heard that morning he was unwilling to add to the committee’s labours but if they were to have anything said as to which was the first society there should be some account taken of the number of members. It seemed rather absurd, for instance, for the Salisbury Guild, which was in fairly low place in the analysis, to be contrasted with an association like the Norwich or Midland Counties - there was not a fair chance of comparing the two. If they could have another column showing the ratio between the number of members and the points gained they would be able to get some further value out of the analysis than they had at present.

The motion found no seconder, and, therefore, was declared lost.

SPLICED-METHOD PEALS.

The Rev. C. D. P. Davies proposed ‘That in compositions of 5,000 changes or upwards on seven or any higher number of bells in which the plan of splicing various methods is adopted it is essential that there should be no repetition of any row throughout - that is to say, that the whole composition shall be “true” in the universally accepted sense of that word.’ He said that years ago, when he was young, it was a great thing, not very often accomplished, for a peal of 42 six-scores of Grandsire Doubles, or seven 720’s of Minor to be rung. Then the practice grew of ringing six bell peals in seven different methods, and those things, he thought, were most laudable. It was a great thing for those who had only got six bells to make the utmost use of what bells they had got, but when it came to the question of eight-bell towers, where they could ring peals of Triples or Major, the question assumed a different aspect. He was led to put this motion down on the agenda by a letter which he received a little time ago, in which his opinion was asked upon a proposal to ring a quarter-peal each of London, Bristol, Cambridge and Superlative Surprise, each coming round at back stroke and going off into the next method at hand. To his mind that was a very different question from that of the six bell ringers whom he had mentioned. All honour and credit to them for making the best use of the bells they had. They had only 720 changes to work upon, and could not help repeating them. But when they had got eight bells, if they permitted repetition, they would be striking at the root of what had always been the main object in every peal ever composed from the beginning of change ringing, namely, that it should be true. He was rather old-fashioned, and he could not say that he ‘cottoned’ very warmely to splicing at all, but if they wished to have splicing let them have, on eight or more bells, a true peal.

The Rev. E. S. Powell seconded the resolution.

The Rev. H. Law James asked if the resolution was necessary. The rules of the Council already laid it down that every peal on seven bells and upwards must be true, and therefore, he thought, the motion was needless.

Mr. J. A. Trollope said he believed the original suggestion was made between himself and Mr. Davies in the course of correspondence. His feeling at the time was that it was a thing worth doing and if they did not like to call it a ‘peal’ they could call it a ‘performance.’ The band that could ring four quarter-peals in this way would be doing something worth doing. They could not splice the methods together, so they would have to ring it in quarter-peals.

Mr. J. Parker said he should not think anyone would attempt to ring four quarter-peals that were not true. He was not so sure it was impossible to get a true composition. It was not necessary to change from one method to the other at a lead end.

Mr. W. Willson asked if one of the rules of the Council did not already provide that in peals on 8, 10 or 12 bells there should be not less than 5,000 true changes rung without interval in anyone method.

The President: The motion is absolutely in order.

Mr. E. M. Atkins: The effect of the motion is simply to enlarge that rule, to cover a number of methods spliced together in one true peal.

The resolution, on being put, was carried nem. con.

The Ringing World, June 22nd, 1923, pages 393 and 395

CARE AND USE OF BELLS.

The Hon. Secretary presented a draft copy of a proposed card of instructions on the care and use of bells suitable for hanging in a tower. This had been based upon cards issued by founders, and also upon a set of ‘instructions’ and a circular of ‘advice’ which had been supplied by the Rev. H. Drake. The paragraphs were considered seriatim, and when the Council had expressed their views on each, the whole was provisionally adopted, and the hon. secretary asked for instructions as to the printing, which he estimated would cost about £5.

Mr. T. R. Beams suggested the printing should be deferred until the funds of the Council permitted the ‘instructions’ being published.

Replying to the Rev. M. Kelly, the Librarian said the Council’s publication on ‘the care and use of church bells’ was out of print. The idea of this card was to bring the matter up to date and put it into a simple and short form. He proposed that the hon. secretary be authorised to have the cards printed so far as the instructions related solely to the care of bells.

Canon Elsee seconded, and it would be really valuable to have such a card in many belfries, where perhaps no work had been done to the bells for some time.

The Rev. H. Law James said that in every steeple where there was a real live band, the card was not necessary, and where there was not a real live band they might just as well not have the card, because nobody would take any notice of it.

Major Hesse asked if the bell founders did not issue a card which covered all the instructions which they had heard upon the mechanical side.

The Hon. Secretary: I have taken these instructions from their cards.

Major Hesse: Then is it necessary to have the card at all?

The President said the founders’ cards were only placed in towers where they had recently done work. One tower in fifty might have a card; the Council wanted to get the card into the other forty-nine.

Canon Baker said he knew a tower where they had a set of 57 rules (laughter). He asked if the rules were observed, and was told the ringers never looked at them (laughter). If the ‘instructions’ read by Mr. Young could be condensed and boiled down to something short, he thought it might be useful, but it would require a great deal of condensation from what they had heard.

The Rev. H. Drake thought they should print the card and circulate it as a sort of missionary propaganda, where bells were not properly looked after. The reason why it seemed so long was because two different cards were read, and, therefore, a good deal appeared twice over; when they were boiled down he did not think the card would be found at all long. Since the last meeting of the Council several cases had come before his notice where bells had been clocked, and some destroyed as a result. They ought to let people know that that sort of thing was wrong. It ought to be known in every tower in the kingdom, and, therefore, they should make reference to it on the card. They ought also to have a reference to the local association so that people might know to whom to refer when bells needed overhauling, or when it was proposed to add to them. He was willing to defray the cost of the card if it would go forward in the way suggested (applause).

The proposal to adopt the ‘instructions’ as the basis of a card for hanging in the belfry was carried, and the Rev. H. Drake’s offer was accepted with thanks.

THE NEXT MEETING.

The next meeting of the Council will be held in London, and it was resolved to apply to the Dean of Westminster for the use of the Jerusalem Chamber at the Abbey.

MULTI-METHOD PEALS.

Mr. W. A. Cave called attention to the decision of the Council that peals on eight bells and over should consist of one method. Last year, he said, there was a peal rung, consisting of Little Bob and Plain Bob spliced, and it had been included in the Analysis. He contended that it should not be recognised by the Council as a peal.

The Rev. H. Law James urged that the motion by the Rev. C. D. P. Davies, which they had already carried, covered the point.

No action was taken.

THE RECORD PEAL OF STEDMAN CINQUES.

Mr. C. T. Coles said before the Council separated he thought they should pass a vote of congratulation to the College Youths upon the masterful performance on the preceding day at Southwark, As one of the listeners, he could say it was most excellent ringing and he thought they could say it was the most wonderful performance ever accomplished in Stedman Cinques.

Mr. W. Willson said he had great pleasure in seconding. He had never heard such striking on twelve bells in his life. It was a gigantic undertaking, and commanded the admiration of all men (hear, hear).

The motion was carried by acclamation.

The President proposed a vote of thanks to the Dean and Chapter for permitting the Council to meet in the Chapter House, and he was sure he was voicing the views of the Council when he said that at no place during the last 30 years of their meetings had they ever received such a welcome, and had such excellent arrangements made for them as had been made by the Salisbury Diocesan Guild (applause). The remembrance of the drive they had on the previous day, the ringing they had, and the nice fellowship would remain a memory with them all their lives. For these excellent arrangements they had specially to thank Major D’Aeth, the Rev. F. Ll. Edwards, Mr. Harvey Beams and Mr. Stewart.

The motion having been carried, Major D’Aeth replied, and said it had been a great privilege to have the meetings of the Central Council in that beautiful cathedral. He believed it would do a great deal for the art of ringing in that large and scattered diocese. It would show the clergy, who did not visit them very often, that the church bell ringers were a body of churchmen before they were ringers.

Mr. Beams, who also replied, said Mr. Edwards and Major D’Aeth did most of the work, he (Mr. Beams) had only been the ‘ginger.’ He saw that they did it (laughter).

The Rev. F. Ll. Edwards also responded, and the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the president for presiding, proposed by Canon Baker.

SOCIAL GATHERING.

The members were entertained to tea at the Church House by Archdeacon and Mrs. Carpenter, to whom the President proposed a cordial vote of thanks.

A party was afterwards conducted round the Cathedral, and later in the evening a social gathering was held at the Cathedral Hotel, a company of about 70 being present. In addition to being welcomed by the officers of the Salisbury Diocesan Guild, their patron, the Earl of Shaftesbury, was also present. The Rev F. Ll. Edwards, presented the president, the honorary secretary, and one or two of the leading ringers, to his lordship, who then extended his good wishes and a hearty welcome to the visitors. He said that he feared he knew little of the actual science of ringing, to which consequently he would not refer, but he knew that many famous ringers were present, and he offered all a hearty welcome. He pointed out that change ringing was both an art and a science, and it was important for good ringing that there should be knowledge and enthusiasm. He felt that it was an excellent thing (from many points of view) for lads and young men to take up, including as it did the rudiments and discipline of good citizenship. He referred to the importance of experienced ringers going from parish to parish to help those affiliated to the Guild. In reference to their meeting in the Chapter House, he said that he felt they must have been deeply impressed by the beauty of the Cathedral. He hoped they had all enjoyed their sojourn, and would carry away a lasting and happy impression of their visit.

Canon Coleridge, in reply, said they had never had extended to them such a wonderful reception as that which they had met with at Salisbury. He referred to the very kind way in which they had been received at other meetings in previous years, and particularly to the last meeting in London, when the Dean of Westminster received them on the occasion of service at the grave of the Unknown Warrior. Though they had thus in the past been received by high dignitaries of the church, never before had they been welcomed as here in Salisbury, where they found the Dean, the Archdeacon of Sarum and the Bishop, who had each addressed words of welcome to the Council that morning. But in addition to the Lords Spiritual, they had that evening the special distinction also of being welcomed by a representative of the Lords Temporal. He assured the Earl of Shaftesbury, upon behalf of the 40,000 ringers of England, of whom they had many of the elite present, of their sincere appreciation of his kindness in coming there, to grace by his presence their meeting that evening, and in their name he thanked him most heartily for welcoming them.

During the evening a course of Grandsire Caters was rung on handbells, and his lordship, who was found to have an excellent tenor voice, sang some charming ballads. The Rev. C. W. O. Jenkyn also gave a humorous song, and in response to a general request the president gave one of his humorous tales. The evening will be long remembered by all present as a very happy and enjoyable one.

The Ringing World, June 29th, 1923, page 409