Central Council of Church Bellringers

Annual Report for 1998

1. The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (“the Council”) was founded in 1891 and is a registered charity, no 270036. Its address is that of its Honorary Secretary for the time being, namely 50 Cramhurst Lane, Witley, Godalming, Surrey GU8 5QZ. The constitution and conduct of the Council is governed by its Rules.

2. The Council’s Trustees during 1998 were as follows:

   President	Mrs P. M. Wilkinson
   Vice-President	Mr J. A. Anderson
   Hon. Secretary	Mr C. H. Rogers
   Hon. Treasurer	Mr E. G. H. Godfrey

3. The Council’s bankers are Lloyds Bank, Westminster House Branch, Dean Stanley Street, London SW1P 3HU. Its independent examiners are Mr S. J. Coleman and Mr A. G. Smith.

4. At the close of the Annual General Meeting on 25th May 1998 the Council’s membership comprised 10 Life Members, 19 Honorary Members and 200 Representative Members representing 68 affiliated societies. At the end of the year under Rule 4(iii)(b) the Midland Counties Guild ceased to be affiliated. A report on membership for the new triennium is set out in the appendix to this report.

5. The Aims and Objects of the Council are as follows:

   (i) To promote and foster the ringing of bells for Christian worship and on other appropriate occasions;

   (ii) To represent all ringers to national bodies and the world at large;

   (iii) To make available advice, assistance and information to ringers and ringing societies on all matters concerned with bells and bell ringing;

   (iv) To bring together ringers to discuss matters of common interest;

   (v) To recommend standards in change ringing and maintain such records as may be necessary to uphold these standards;

   (vi) To assist in the provision, maintenance and transfer of church bells.

6. The work of the Council in pursuing these aims and objects is for the most part carried out by its 15 committees and by working groups appointed by them. Summaries of their activities during 1998 are given in the committee reports, which appear elsewhere on the Council’s agenda and are being published in the April 1999 issues of The Ringing World. The approach of the year 2000 has meant that the “Ring in 2000” campaign to recruit and train a large number of new ringers in time to ring in the new millennium has continued apace; and the allocation to individual churches of the Millennium Commission’s grant of £3 million for the restoration and augmentation of rings of bells is almost complete.

7. The Accounts for 1998 show total funds at the year end of £229,596, of which £87,211 is in restricted funds. The funds increased by a total of £64,616 during the year, largely due to a decision to include an actual, rather than nominal, value for the Library Collection following its revaluation. The income for the year totalled £32,360, compared with £33,685 in 1997. The Trustees have the power to invest money and adopt such measures as seem to them necessary in the interest of the Council. They do not have any power to borrow money.

8. It is confirmed that the Council’s assets, together with the expected income for 1999, are available and are likely to be adequate to fulfil the objects of the Council in that year.

C. H. ROGERS
Honorary Secretary

APPENDIX

Membership of the Council 1999-2001

Since the 1998 Council meeting, one Life Member, Mr F. E. Dukes, has died, and three Honorary Members, Messrs A. J. Frost, D. J. Roberts and J. R. Taylor, have been elected Representative Members. Arising from the triennial elections of Representative Members by the affiliated societies, six societies have each increased their representation by one, namely the Carlisle DG, the Derby DA, the Essex A, the North American Guild, the North Staffordshire A and the Shropshire A, and two societies, the Peterborough DG and the Veronese A, have each chosen to decrease their representation by one. Subject to any further changes, at the start of the 1999 Council meeting there will be nine Life Members, 16 Honorary Members and 204 Representative Members representing 67 affiliated societies.

Of the 204 Representative Members, 165 (81%) were members of the previous Council (of whom three were Honorary Members and one is representing a different society) and 39 are new members (of whom three have been members at some time in the past).

Of the 38 members of the previous Council who are not returning, special mention should be made of nine who have been members for 15 or more years: Anthony H. Smith (Bedfordshire A) elected 1981; Peter Border (Coventry DG) 1972; Michael Mears (G Devonshire R) 1984; Norman Johnson (Durham & Newcastle DA) 1984; Donald Niblett (Kent CA) 1978; John Mulvey (Lichfield & Walsall AS) 1981; Geoffrey Pick (Lichfield & Walsall AS) 1980; Christopher Groome (Peterborough DG) 1972; and Derek Jackson (Winchester & Portsmouth DG) 1980. Thanks are due to these and all others not returning for their services to the Council and for the contributions they have made as members of committees or in debate at Council meetings.

CENTRAL COUNCIL OF CHURCH BELL RINGERS

Registered Charity Number 270036

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31st December 1998

CENTRAL COUNCIL OF CHURCH BELL RINGERS

Registered Charity Number 270036

Balance Sheet as at 31st December 1998

Eric Godfrey
Hon Treasurer March 1999

Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st December 1998

1. Accounting Policies

   The accounts have been drawn up in accordance with the “Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting for Charities” known as the Charities SORP, issued by the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales, dated October 1995.

2. Fundamental Accounting Concepts

   The accounts have been drawn up in accordance with the going concern, accruals, consistency and prudence concepts as stated in Appendix 2 of the SORP.

3. Interest Receivable arises from investments in National Savings Income Bonds, Central Board of Finance of the Church of England Deposit Fund and bank deposit and current accounts.

4. Funds

   The General Fund is unrestricted. The Capital Fund is a designated fund. All other funds have been set up and maintained for restricted purposes.

5. Transfers between Funds

   1. £250 has been transferred as a grant from the General Fund to the Friends of the Library.

   2. £1,380 has been transferred from the General Fund to the Capital Reserve in line with inflation.

6. Tangible Assets

   The major tangible assets of the Council are the Investments in National Savings Income Bonds and the Library Collection. The Library is valued at replacement cost of £54,000. The revaluation was undertaken by J. M. Farringdon in December 1998. The library collection is being depreciated for accounting purposes over 50 years. The depreciation charge from the date of the valuation to 31st December 1998 is £41, leaving a written down value of £53,959 in the Balance Sheet at 31st December 1998. The Council also owns two Ringing Simulators, two Microfiche readers and a 486 Personal Computer with printer. It has been the Council’s policy to treat these other tangible assets as fully depreciated in the year of purchase.

7. Emoluments of Employees

   The Council had no employees during the year.

8. Charitable Commitments

   There were no unfulfilled charitable commitments at 31st December 1998.

9. General Fund Committee Expenses

   These were as follows:	1998	1997
   	£	£
   Administrative	430	408
   Bell Restoration Funds	683	940
   Computer Co-ordination	176	346
   Education	794	1128
   Peals Analysis	15	29
   Public Relations	734	1342
   Ringing Centres	0	137
   Towers & Belfries	287	782
   Ring in 2000	25	494
   Millennium	0	595
   Total	3144	6201

10. Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (Millennium Grants) Limited was formed in January 1997 to receive and distribute grants to bell projects from the Millennium Commission. The company is run by the officers of the Council in their capacity as trustees. Copies of the Annual Report are available from the Secretary.

The Ringing World, May 7, 1999, pages 435 to 438

Computer Co-ordination Committee

In addition to the work on specific projects described below, the Committee continues to provide informal advice and support to other committees and to individual ringers. Kit Kilgour stood down as chairman during the year, and the Committee thanks him for his work in this capacity. We continue to depend heavily on our team of advisors and helpers, and again thank Simon Feather, William Hall, Ian McCallion and Philip Saddleton for the time that they have spent on Committee work.

Felstead conversion project

Work has continued throughout the year on transferring peal records from the Felstead cards onto computer files. Peal records for 5,028 towers, originally published in The Bell News and The Ringing World have now been transferred. There are still a small number of towers to be completed. On behalf of the Exercise, we would like to thank the 102 volunteers who have keyed in and checked these 200,144 towerbell peal records. In particular, William J. Hall of Lichfield has keyed in details from The Ringing World of the 18,284 towerbell peals published between 1990 and 1993 inclusive. We are also very grateful to The Ringing World for providing computerised records of the 23,510 towerbell peals published between 1994 and 1998. Pre-Bell News peals are still being entered and it is anticipated that this work will have been completed before the 1999 Council meeting.

It is inevitable that with so much historical data that there will be errors and omissions and we will depend heavily on feedback from ringers everywhere who have evidence of details that need changing. The checking of the data for inaccuracies and the addition of new peal records will be an ongoing task. However, we anticipate that the database will become an increasingly useful tool for researchers or those with only a passing interest in peal ringing. We hope that the first versions of the computerised Felstead database will be made available during 1999 using computer diskette, CD-ROM and the World Wide Web as publishing media. Our intention is to make the data available, at a reasonable cost, to as a wide an audience as possible.

Ideas for enhancing the value of the Felstead data (e.g. by including The Ringing World page references) are under consideration for future implementation.

Desk-Top Publishing Survey

The data collected from participating Associations has been analysed and the report will have been submitted to The Ringing World for publication before the 1999 Council meeting.

Software Catalogue

The Software Catalogue continues to be updated periodically. The most current edition will be available at The Ringing World Roadshow and at the 1999 Council meeting. It is now accessible on the Committee’s Web pages

(http://ds.dial.pipex.com/fred.bone/CC-CCC/Software-Catalogue.html)

in addition to hard-copy (A5 stamped addressed envelope to Peter Trotman, 57 Blanch Croft, Melbourne, Derby DE73 1GG) or via email from

PeterTrotman@compuserve.com.

Ringers’ Bulletin Board

After more than six years of service to the Exercise, the Ringers’ Bulletin Board ceased to operate on 31st October 1998. Its pioneering role in providing electronic communication within the Exercise had been overtaken by the pervasive access to email and to the World Wide Web at local phone call rates. The Committee is grateful to Ian McCallion for establishing, running and providing houseroom for the Bulletin Board.

Publications Committee

Five new publications were produced during the year. They were The Tower Handbook, Teaching Beyond Bell Handling, Giants of the Exercise, CC Rules and Decisions (1998) and Rung Surprise Supplement (to end 1997). Two of these warrant particular mention. Giants of the Exercise is an illustrated collection of biographies of famous ringers. Using recently introduced technology it proved possible to include high quality illustrations in a short print run paperback at an acceptable price. The Tower Handbook is a major work of nearly 400 pages. It covers all aspects of ringing in an easily readable form suitable for reference or browsing. We were able to offer it at a competitive price and it has sold very well. John Harrison and the Education Committee are to be congratulated on producing an excellent book which is likely to be popular for many years.

Eight publications were reprinted: Beginners’ Handbook, Towards Better Striking, Ringing Jargon Made Easy, Listen to Ringing Cassette 1, Listen to Ringing Cassette 2, Beginners’ Guide to Change Ringing on Handbells, Will You Call a Touch Please Bob and Rung Surprise Supplement (to end 1996).

We have continued to help with distribution and sales of the CC Video. Special discounts were offered for bulk orders in March and on the three volumes of Change Ringing History before Christmas. By agreement with the CC Treasurer the price of the History of the Central Council has been reduced in an attempt to move the remaining stock.

Sales of most titles were slightly lower than in 1997. However, the income from sales, at nearly £17,000, was about £3,500 more than in 1997 due to the success of The Tower Handbook. The gross profit on sales rose to £6,000 and expenses returned to their normal level after the large stock writeoff in 1997. The stock value at 31st December was steady at £10,700 and the disposable cash balance rose sharply by £4,000 to £16,500 as a result of first year sales of The Tower Handbook.

The Ringing World, April 9, 1999, page 339

Peals Analysis Committee

We have recorded a total of 4,797 peals rung in 1998, of which 4,246 were on tower bells and 551 on handbells. This is the lowest total since 1989 when 4,736 were rung, and has been surpassed in 12 previous years. There was a reduction of 522 compared with the revised total for 1997. The change is caused by a decrease at almost all stages on tower and handbells, except for Triples which was virtually unchanged and an increase of 35 for Minor on handbells. Full details are included in the methods table which accompanies this report. The Oxford Diocesan Guild have regained their more customary position at the leading society with 403 peals. This was 40 less than their total last year which had gained them, second place behind the Cumberlands who have slipped to fourth, behind Lancashire Association and Bath & Wells Diocesan Association. Most of the leading societies show little change or a reduction in totals with the notable exception of Chester. See separate table for details.

The Committee met once during the year, to finalise records for 1998 and to agree the format of the report. We are grateful for the continuing work done by Andrew Craddock collating, editing and correcting the current peal data extracted from The Ringing World input system, which is being used to check our figures. Andrew has also provided the leading tower list from this data. We also thank William Hall, working as a technical advisor to the Computer Co-ordination Committee, for his work in checking peal data and those other peal secretaries who have compared figures.

As requested by The Council we have taken note of peals rung during 1998 which would not have been accepted by The Council previous to recent rule changes. There was one peal of Stedman Variable Cover Triples rung at East Molesey on 31st January by the Guildford D.G. There were also two even bell peals rung with a cover bell; Newton Valence 7th March, Plain Bob Minimus by Winchester & Portsmouth D.G. and Basingstoke 10th October, Bristol Surprise Major by the Hertford C.A.

Peals not complying with the Decisions on Peal Ringing

There are no particular peals which the Committee wish to bring to the notice of Council this year, but the number of peals which are incorrectly or incompletely reported continues to give cause for concern and the Committee would like to remind conductors of their responsibilities. In addition to the errors which contravene Council Decisions, there continue to be many errors relating to the names of ringers, which cause endless corrections taking up valuable The Ringing World space. There were also 20 peals which appeared twice, all of which need notification to assist record keepers.

Methods and change on year

The accompanying table incorporates a summary of the more popular methods with an analysis of the year on year change in the numbers of peals rung on each number of bells. “Single Surprise” means the total rung in single Surprise methods other than those listed specifically. There are no methods in this category rung more than 20 times. An “Other” category is included for completeness.

The Committee would like to take this opportunity to particularly thank Don Niblett who has been one of the compilers of this data, for his meticulous work on this Committee during the last 15 years, six of them as Chairman. Don is retiring from the Council at the end of this triennium.

Towers

The following 65 towers had 10 or more peals in 1998:

The top 18 towers (more than 22 peals last year) are still in the top 20 except for London (St Mary le Bow). The highest new entry is Newmarket (Mindinho-le-Tower) straight in at number 8. Other new towers in the top 20 are Burton Latimer with 22 peals and Leicester St Mary de Castro with 20 peals, after 19 and 11 respectively in 1997.

The leading societies

The following societies rang 150 or more peals:

Yorkshire, Ely and Kent drop off the list being replaced by the Chester Diocesan Guild which also becomes the leading society for handbell peals. These seven societies rang 30% of the tower bell peals, but 59% of the handbell peals. A total of 16 societies rang more than 100 peals in 1998 (19 in 1997).

First pealers and firsts as conductor

There were 253 first pealers in 1998 (277 in 1997) and 28 first as conductor (39 in 1997). We congratulate all those who have contributed to these statistics, particularly where several firsts were included in one peal. There has been a continuing decline since the early 1990’s with 400+ first pealers and 50+ new conductors in the years 1989-1991.

Corrections to the 1997 Analysis

There are several alterations to the 1997 analysis as detailed below, primarily caused by late submission. To meet our deadlines, we have to report on the data as received by The Ringing World at the end of February. Any changes notified later are included in the following year.

All corrections relate to tower bells except where handbell is specified.

Revised totals for 1997 are: tower bells 4,776, handbells 543, total 5,319.

Details of the adjustments are available from the Chairman.

The Felstead Project (joint with the Computer Co-ordination Committee)

At the time of writing, the first phase of this project is virtually complete. More than 200,000 peals for 5,000 plus towers are now in the database which, together with the 40,000 rung since Canon Felstead’s record cards were photocopied in 1990, suggest that almost 250,000 tower bell peals have been rung to date. The Peals Analysis Committee now propose that additional resource should be allocated to the project to enable further work to be undertaken to increase the usefulness of the data.

Library Committee

We are saddened by the death of Fred Dukes. He was the proposer of the Friends of the Library scheme and has encouraged and supported the work of the Library Committee. Cyril Wratten has had to resign from the Committee, and his knowledge and enthusiasm cannot be replaced. Both of them will be greatly missed.

Bill Butler produced a booklet of the proceedings of the Seminar held the previous September and it has been very successful. A profit has been made and only a few copies are left. The new logo for the Library will be used as new stationery is needed. Chris Ridley has continued to keep our accounts and has achieved a long-held ambition: to have the insured value of the holdings shown in the accounts instead of a nominal £10. The Library has been revalued and we thank Michael Farringdon for his time and expertise. Chris Ridley has continued his efforts to find out more about badges and certificates, and we are grateful for examples, even a photograph or photocopy, to extend our knowledge and holdings. Fred Bone will not be standing for the Library Committee at the elections due in Lincoln. We are looking for someone to take responsibility for the Library Catalogue and build on what Fred has already done. Fred will help with the handover. The union catalogue will be considered when we have our own catalogue, but in the meantime ask John Eisel for help.

There were 49 loans from the Library and a wide range of enquiries. A few can be answered fairly quickly from personal knowledge or published material, or by photocopies; others require some time and research. The most difficult are those along the lines of: “Please send me information on bells and bell ringing.” This year the stocktaking was of both British and foreign bell archaeology; none was missing. The staples used for many of the Annual Reports are rusty, and some of the paper is very fragile. A larger number than usual has been bound from seven Guilds/Associations. We still want Annual Reports, both current and to fill gaps, and appreciate Newsletters. These are often thought to be trivial and ephemeral, but form a valuable archive. We are grateful to those authors who kindly donated a copy of their work, or who allowed us to buy a copy at a discount.

80 individual Friends and 34 corporate Friends paid in 1998, but 18 and nine respectively were behind. In the past when the Newsletter was just one or two pages members who had not paid were not cut off until three years had passed. Now the Newsletter is more substantial and accompanied by the Essay those who have not paid for two years will be removed from the list.

The Trollope Manuscript is a major history of change ringing in the 17th and 18th centuries, about 6,000 pages which include drawings, prints and photographs. For archival reasons the Committee has been looking into the feasibility of microfilming, but there is also a substantial demand for CD-ROM. Both options cost a lot and the Committee will be giving them careful consideration.

Bell Restoration Funds Committee

The Committee met three times during 1998, in February at New Maiden, in May at Dublin and in November at Coventry.

Dissemination of Information Our work with parishes has continued during the year and several appreciative letters have been received. As well as giving advice by telephone and mailing our information pack, we also have videos and appeal leaflets. Occasionally we visit a parish to encourage local fundraisers and, when appropriate, put people in touch with successful fundraisers elsewhere. We always inform the local Territorial Society of an initial contact from a parish in its area. For anyone interested in helping bell restoration we have produced a “Guide to Giving” pack which deals with ways to make donations and advice on leaving legacies.

Grants Our provision of administrative support to the Manifold Trust has continued. In 1998 the Trust offered £52,250 to 21 parishes; however, in the early part of the year, Millennium Commission awards were still under consideration and where these awards were made the Trust’s grant was reduced, to a final figure of £42,750 over 20 parishes, an average of nearly £2,140 each. As with any substantial donation this represents a tremendous boost to the morale of the fundraisers in the recipient parishes and is much appreciated.

Fundraising We have become aware that some parishes are seeking grants from the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme and we are investigating this source of funding. With the help of Simon Cottrell of Parham, Suffolk, we are also looking at the possibility of obtaining European Union funding for bell restoration and augmentation.

Funder Finder It has been a busy year with many enquiries, especially in the earlier part of the year when the setting up of the parish Millennium schemes was at its height. The value of Funder Finder has been demonstrated by the success of the Keltek Trust in receiving over £5,000 from trusts identified in this way. Several thousand pounds, often in quite small, individual sums was raised by a number of parishes from grant making trusts identified by Funder Finder. As many trusts give grants on condition that they remain anonymous, it is difficult to quantify successes.

Millennium Working Party. The Chairman has attended the seven meetings held during the year and has undertaken work arising from them.

The CC Bell Restoration Fund. As expected the fund still has very little money - £871.35 at the end of January. There was a small response to the two advertisements in The Ringing World, but we intend to continue raising awareness of the fund and particularly encouraging people to leave legacies. It will be a slow process building it up, but the Committee does not see its key role as a fundraiser - more a facilitator when affiliated societies and local parishes need to raise money, as well as keeping ringers aware of the possibility of giving or leaving money to the Central Council fund. As agreed at the Council meetings in 1997 and 1998 the criteria for allocating grants and loans are attached to this report, but there are no recommendations for changes as no grants or loans have yet been made, because there are insufficient funds at this date.

Triennial Survey of Bell Restoration Funds 1994-96. The Committee once again carried out a survey of the funds operated by the affiliated societies for Bell Restoration. The purpose of the survey was to establish the level of activity in raising funds for and making grants towards bell restoration, to provide information on sources of income, including fundraising methods and the investment of funds, and to assist the committee in its work on bell restoration funds and related activities. Survey forms were mailed to 48 affiliated societies in September 1997, with a return deadline of 30th November. Although approximately 75% of the forms had been received by the end of December 1997 it was not until 20th June 1998 that the final form came in. Whilst it was thought to be worth waiting for the last few forms in order to achieve a 100% response once again, it is regretted that the lateness of those forms put back the planned survey publication date by at least six months. The questions on Charitable status produced some unexpected results. The total number of “whole Societies” declaring themselves to be fully registered as a Charity had increased by one; from 15 in 1993 to 16 in 1996. Puzzlingly, however, the “16” did not include all the original “15” societies and therefore the exact charitable status of all is under investigation.

The Ringing World No 4578 - Special Fundraising Issue. This issue of the Journal was published on 22nd January, following extensive groundwork carried out in the weeks prior to Christmas 1998. Most members of the committee were involved in the preparation of articles, or in asking other ringers for contributions. Ultimately the Editor had more material than she could accommodate in the space allotted.

Future Work. Investigations continue on the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme and on EU sources of finance. We will improve the pack we send to parishes and create more awareness of the importance of legacies to bell restoration funds of all types. Our assistance to The Manifold Trust will continue throughout 1999. We shall also consider undertaking our periodic survey of unringable bells. The committee intends, to take full advantage of the dissemination of information by electronic means.

Norman Johnson. We were sorry to learn that Norman no longer wished to seek re-election as one of the Representatives for the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Association. He has been a member of the Bell Restoration Funds Committee for a number of years, and his valuable contributions to the work of the Committee have been much appreciated. His assistance and wise advice, especially regarding the latest developments concerning Charitable Giving, will be greatly missed.

Criteria for allocating CCBRF grants and loans

1.0 Applications will be considered for the following:

1.1 Restoration or augmentation work to existing bell installations, or the provision of new bell installations, in any country in the world where the bells are, or are to be, hung for full circle ringing.

1.2 Costs of structural and other ancillary work integral to the bell installation will be considered when these are in addition to work on the bell installation.

1.3 Loans or guarantees (when funds allow) to the bell restoration funds (BRFs) of societies affiliated to the Central Council, where the trustees may wish to make offers or promises of future grants in excess of the money currently available in their funds.

2.0 Offers of grants, loans or guarantees will normally be made from the Fund only if:

2.1 Support and approval for the project are to be given by the local ringing society, and

2.2 Support and approval for the project are given by the PCC or other appropriate authority, and

2.3 There is in place an existing band of ringers or the project plans include a firm commitment to recruit and train a band, and

2.4 Consideration has been given to the need to include any form of sound control within the project specification.

Priorities

3.0 Priority will normally be given to applications as follows:

3.1 Highest priority applications will be for churches ineligible for grants from the Manifold Trust.

3.2 High priority will be given where there is an existing band of ringers and the bells are in imminent danger of becoming unringable.

3.3 For augmentations priority will be given to projects to restore or provide a ring of five or six bells.

3.4 Projects with a total cost of less than £5,000 will have low priority.

Administration and Operation

4.0 The Bell Restoration Funds Committee (BRFC) will be responsible for administering the Fund. It will normally operate as follows:

4.1 Grants, loans and guarantees will be allocated after advertising in The Ringing World, and elsewhere if appropriate, for applications to be made. Offers will be made and will remain open for two years and then lapse. No payment of a grant will be made until the work has been carried out satisfactorily and the bill presented. The intention is for money in the fund to be used rather than accumulated, but no offers of grants, loans or guarantees will be made if no suitable applications are received.

4.2 As far as possible a balance will be struck so that grants, loans and guarantees are spread geographically and socially, and in proportion to the types of applications received, spread of centres of ringing and any other relevant factors. Also a balance will be struck among grants, loans and guarantees in approximate proportion to the requests received, but with each batch of applications assessed on their own merits.

4.3 Loans or guarantees will be subject to written agreements, with repayments unlikely to be over a greater period than two years, although shorter periods will be encouraged. The BRFs’ ability to repay will be assessed before any loans or guarantees are offered. It is not intended that interest will be charged.

4.4 The BRFC may consult as necessary before offering any grant, loan or guarantee, including inviting comment from other parties, such as the local society affiliated to the Central Council.

4.5 Appeals against decisions of the Bell Restoration Funds Committee will be determined by the Trustees of the Central Council. Such appeals must be made in writing to the Secretary of the Central Council within three months of the initial decision being made and the Trustees will then consider the application afresh.

Education Committee

There have been four committee meetings during the year, held in Hopton Heath (2), Gloucester and Keele. During this triennium the committee has completed some major projects, most notably the training video, the “Tower Handbook”, and a complete overhaul of the Central Council course. Significant development of this latter has taken place during 1998, with the work of the committee being more than ever focused on course delivery, the demand for which has to some extent been driven by the efforts in many areas to train ringers for the millennium.

Training Courses

The locally delivered MTM (Management, Teaching and Maintenance) courses which started at the end of 1997 really got into full swing during 1998. We were delighted to deliver no fewer than 12 courses in partnership with guilds; most consisted of the full weekend course, but some were one-day courses on specific parts of the programme. Not surprisingly the teaching bell handling module was by far the most popular, and we have received very positive feedback about the value of this, and indeed the whole, course. We are grateful to the Beverley & District Society, Chester Guild (South Chester Branch), and the Bath & Wells (Cary Branch), Bedfordshire, Derby, Essex, Gloucester & Bristol, Hertford County, Kent, Llandaff & Monmouth, Scottish, and Shropshire Associations for their invitations and their organisation of these events. Overall these courses have provided training in belfry skills to 165 people. We are grateful to the Towers and Belfries committee for their support of the MTM course.

During the year considerable effort has gone into standardising notes for the course and the development of tutor packs. The courses are delivered by a Central Council tutor assisted by a local tutor from the guild; it is envisaged that this format, together with the written information, will facilitate repeat courses following the same training programme but delivered entirely by local tutors.

Training material, including a video record of one of the courses, has been sent to ANZAB to be used to develop an MTM type course in the antipodes.

The “listening seminar” continues to be popular, and this was delivered in the Durham & Newcastle, and Ely (Huntingdon Branch) Associations. A lecture drawn from the seminar material was given to the Devonshire Guild on their AGM day.

A feasibility study into the setting up of material and courses for NVQ in management in the voluntary sector, related to ringing, concluded that there would be little value in pursuing this further. No further action is anticipated on this subject.

Both the exercise and the committee benefit from the heavy involvement of committee members in other training events. The committee aims to help others with their training activities, and a clear plan for the future is to increase the number of people who provide the MTM course. This aim will be pursued during 1999.

Publications

The “Tower Handbook” described in last year’s report went on sale at the beginning of 1998; it has been very well received, and is selling well.

During the year a book by Richard Pargeter entitled “Teaching beyond bell handling” was published. This covers teaching practice as learners begin the first stages of change ringing, and contains much very helpful advice for tutors. It follows-on from his book on teaching bell handling.

Production and distribution of the teaching video was arranged with ANZAB and NAG so that copies can now be easily obtained in America and Australia.

Progress on other publications has been limited, but the committee anticipate publication of “Service Touches”, “Learning Methods”, “Organising an Outing”, and a “Beginners Handbook”.

Networking

The efforts of 1997 to improve communication with guilds, training officers, and ringers in general, were continued; the main aspects of this were the launching of the Education Committee web page

(http://ds.dial.pipex.com/fred.bone/CC-EdC/),

stewardship contact, and distribution, of the “Training Directory” jointly with the Ringing Centres Committee. The “Training Directory” was been distributed to all education officers and branch secretaries and has been put on the web. Copies are also available on request through the publications committee. Through the stewardship initiative articles from the committee have appeared in guild newsletters, and information about the work of the committee and its publications has also been published in a number of annual reports. We are very grateful to the guilds who have made space for this information.

Simulators

Responsibility for the Council’s simulators has been assumed by John Turney. Thanks are due to Phil Gay who has looked after these for 6 years Their use has decreased in recent times because of the more widespread ownership of simulators, but they continue to form a valuable resource for training days, and for those wishing to learn about their use prior to a decision on whether to install their own.

Institute of Bell Ringing Instructors

The committee distributed a discussion paper outlining the concept of an institute for bell ringing instructors, the purpose of which would be to encourage high standards of teaching, and to facilitate the sharing of good teaching practice. Fairly substantial feedback has been given by Council members, guild committees, and individual ringers encouraging us to proceed further with this idea. The general tone of the feedback has been positive in terms of supporting the aspirations, but sometimes with reservations about implementation of such a scheme. A working group, which incorporates members of PRAG, the Ringing Centres Committee and others, has been formed to work up the scheme in more detail. This group met twice in 1998, and a detailed proposal is being formulated.

The Ringing World Ltd
Chairman’s Report

In his Chairman’s Report for 1997, Michael Church paid tribute to his predecessor’s contribution to The Ringing World. Now it’s my turn! Although Michael only held the position for one year, his work over many years as the Company’s Financial Director has been, and continues to be, outstanding. For him to add the additional weight of the Chairman’s role to his existing workload was typical of his dedication to the paper, as was the way in which he carried out these extra duties.

I am honoured, and privileged to have been elected Chairman, and extremely fortunate to have had the experience of two previous chairmen willingly and kindly made available to me. But not for long, as Howard Egglestone has decided to stand down as a Director with effect from the 1999 AGM. I am sure that my colleagues on the Board, as well as everyone else who has been associated with the paper since he joined the then Ringing World Committee in 1975 will miss Howard’s wise counsel and will join me in thanking him for his immense contribution to the smooth running and progress of the paper.

1998 was Tina Stoecklin’s first full year as Editor. She will be the first to agree that it took a while to get fully on top of the many responsibilities which she is expected to undertake in addition to editing the paper, but she has achieved all that we could expect of her. Tina brings her own flair and skill to the pages of The Ringing World and she has not been afraid to tackle controversial and sensitive topics whilst at the same time ensuring that the day to day coverage of ringing matters is lively and up to date.

Being faced with a new boss in an organisation of our size is not always an easy task. Anne Carpenter has risen to the occasion, proving most supportive to Tina in those early months. The administrative workload in the office steadily increases and Anne has responded to the challenges with enthusiasm. As part of streamlining the office, we have installed new, improved telephone answering equipment and our own facsimile machine, as well as computerising more of our recording and accounting systems, the development of which Anne has undertaken with great skill.

The paper’s circulation continued the trend of modest increase during 1998. Financially, we exceeded expectations largely due to improved Diary sales - our first sell-out for many years - and to savings we have achieved in our printing bills. Our strong financial position enables us to invest in the development of the paper along the lines announced at the 1998 AGM.

A significant amount of the Board’s time during 1998 has been spent on looking at the future of The Ringing World, starting with a two-day planning meeting in April. The first results of this work, the promised re-launch, will be implemented to coincide with the Roadshow in April 1999 and will involve major revisions to the layout and look of the paper, including four pages in colour. Colour printing is, we believe, essential to a modern publication but it only comes at a cost, which careful financial management of the Company over many years enables us to afford.

A further step taken during 1998 was the piloting of a special offer to new subscribers made through the Tower Correspondents of one association. The results of this pilot have encouraged us to extend the offer to other guilds and associations during 1999.

One of our long term objectives is to double our readership, and yet another initiative will be announced at the 1999 AGM, when we will be looking for the help of Company Members in researching the practicality of the ideas we have formulated.

Approaching the Millennium is proving as exciting for The Ringing World as for other areas of ringing. But I would not wish to overlook the immense amount of effort which goes into producing the paper week by week. To Tina and Anne, to our typesetters, printers and all those directly involved in the weekly production cycle, I offer our warmest thanks. Likewise, thanks to our subscribers, readers, contributors, providers of donations and all those who contribute to the health and success of the paper.

Finally, I could not let this occasion pass without extending our congratulations and good wishes to our Editor and to Simon Gay on their engagement and forthcoming marriage on 10th April. Distance will not prevent prompt and full coverage of this event in the paper.

ANDREW N. STUBBS

Public Relations Advisory Group

At the end of 1998 the Group suffered a severe loss with the death of Fred Dukes who, for so long, had acted as the Council’s Overseas Liaison Officer. Fred had indicated that this was to be his last year as a member of PRAG and had begun to “sound out” possible successors. Fred’s work for overseas ringers and intense interest in their activities has received wide appreciation and his will be an extremely hard act to follow.

Millennium Projects

Members of the Group have continued to be actively involved in the two millennium projects. Lin Forbes and Stella Bianco have continued their work in the distribution of the National Lottery Millennium grant for bell restoration projects (many of which have been the subject of reports in The Ringing World over the last year). John Anderson, Wendy Daw and David Thorne have continued their work for the Ring in 2000 project, a project which certainly seems to have generated a great deal of favourable media interest. Wendy has acted as Secretary for the Ring in 2000 project and has also carried out, with great efficiency, secretarial duties for the PRAG.

PR displays

This is the 20th year that the provision of display material has been available and the demand has not reduced throughout this period. 1998 saw exhibition sets displayed from Cornwall to Yorkshire and the material permanently on display at Inveraray was renewed during the year. With the approach of the millennium celebrations, requests for the display boards have been increasing and an additional one for 1999 is a request for a “Swing and Ring” section in the Three Choirs Festival at Worcester in August.

Organisers of events are urged to let the Exhibition Organiser have notice of their requirements as soon as possible. Contact: Harold Rogers, 53 The Grove, Isleworth, Middx. TW7 4JT (0181 560 3921). The basic series consists of eight colourful displays 30ins x 20ins or 34ins x 22ins and are available as panels or in Marler Hayley frames to form a free-standing display.

Complaints Working Group

John Anderson has continued to coordinate the network of complaints advisers although only one complaint has been formally reported during the year. A few cases remain under review and advice has frequently been given to Environmental Health Officers. One interesting development is that an application to build close to a church may be rejected because the local authority believe that the bells may be a nuisance to the residents. This resulted from ringers writing to the authority pointing out the pattern of use of the bells as soon as the application was discovered.

John will be relinquishing his role as coordinator of complaints advisers this year and we take the opportunity to thank him for his initiative and drive in establishing the network and procedures which certainly seem to have reduced the incidence and/or seriousness of complaints about the noise of ringing.

Ringing World Roadshow

The first Roadshow (sponsored by The Ringing World) was held at Knowle in April 1997. After that highly successful event it was decided to repeat the experience on 17th April and arrangements have proceeded apace. The 1999 Roadshow is being held at Tewkesbury School and arrangements are being coordinated by George Morris and Wendy Daw with considerable input from the directors and staff of The Ringing World.

Institute of Bell Ringing Instructors

Two members of the Group, John Anderson and David Thorne, have attended meetings of the working group, set up under the initiative of the Education Committee, to investigate the possibility of the establishment of an Institute or Guild of Bell Ringing Instructors with the declared aim of helping to improve general standards of ringing. This is the subject to be discussed at the 1999 Central Council Open Meeting.

Media contact

“Ringing in the Millennium” and “Ring in 2000” have continued to attract widespread media interest which is likely to continue right up to the start of the new millennium. Local PROs, association officers and ringers will need to be prepared to act swiftly to provide photo and interview opportunities for journalists and broadcasters as we approach 1st January 2000. Particular interest is likely to be shown in newly created bands and rings of bells.

Our continued thanks go to Tina Stoecklin and Anne Carpenter at The Ringing World office who have acted so often as “first contact” with the public and news media and have, in addition, provided a Complaints Helpline and a Ring in 2000 Advice Line throughout the last year.

Adrian Udal has continued to advise on the recording of church bells and will be demonstrating his expertise at the Roadshow in April.

Young ringers

Clare O’Callaghan has continued to try to find ways of contacting young ringers to seek their views on current methods of teaching and organisation in towers. She too will be available at the Roadshow and hopes to spend the day surrounded by keen young ringers.

Ringing Centres Committee

The committee met twice during the year, and once again our emphasis has been on facilitating and promoting the work of ringing centres in a variety of ways. A major feature of all ringing centres is the availability of simulator equipment, and we have spent considerable time looking into ways of ensuring that suitable equipment is easily available. On the software side, we have drawn up a specification for a PC simulator package which will use a Windows interface. To complement this we have decided what is the most useful type of sensor to make readily available to the increasing number of ringing centres and others who use a PC-based simulator, and are in the process of funding batch production at attractive prices. Roger Booth has been developing a kit for a DIY dumb-bell, so that we could supply fabricated metal components to go with easily obtainable materials.

At the beginning of the triennium we were very pleased that Emma St John Smith was elected to the committee, as we felt that it was important that the committee should include someone with interest and expertise in this area. Unfortunately she resigned because of ill health and pressure of work, and as a result we have not paid as much attention to the public relations aspects of ringing centres as we would have liked. Maintaining links with other committees with shared interests is important, and we are recommending that in future a member of the Education Committee is nominated for co-option to this committee. Whether the same should be done with respect to public relations will be left to the new committee, which we hope will be able to develop this aspect of ringing centres during the next triennium.

Two new centres, Towcester and Braunston, were granted recognition during the year, and details of these and other recognised and potentially recognisable centres were again published in the Training Directory, edited by Gail Cater on behalf of this committee and the Education Committee.

Methods Committee

The Committee met twice during the year, in Whitchurch on 8th March (RW p.423) and in Winchester on 4th October (RW p.9), and its activities broadly fell into three areas. Firstly, we replied to many ad hoc enquiries from ringers everywhere about methods, method names and method extension. With over 6 million people in the UK alone now on the Internet, it is natural that an increasing number of these enquiries are by e-mail to the Chairman, whose new address is smithap@acm.org

The second area is the routine maintenance of the Central Council method collections. This involves the production from time to time of updated printed collections, which are sold by the Publications Committee, and the weekly updating of the machine-readable collections which are available on diskette or on the World-Wide Web.

A new edition of the Collection of Plain Minor Methods was prepared including over 200 new names of methods rung since the previous edition in 1991. We have taken the opportunity of adding many other names which have also been used for the methods in the past and the format of the new edition will match that of Treble Dodging Minor Methods.

Each method collection purchased from the Publications Committee contains a leaflet of Corrections and Amendments. These leaflets are updated annually and right up-to-date leaflets are always available from the Chairman.

A Supplement to the Collections of Rung Surprise, Delight, Treble Bob and Alliance methods covering the methods rung during 1997 was available at the Council meeting and it was our intention to produce a new complete Collections of Rung Surprise, Delight, Treble Bob and Alliance methods to end of 1998. However, the Publications Committee raised legitimate concerns over its commercial viability. Even if the new methods could be accommodated in a publication the same size as the Collections to end 1995, the selling price would still need to rise by 50%. Furthermore the demand for this work has fallen over recent years, perhaps partially due to the increased availability of up-to-date information on the Web. At the time of writing we are looking for a format which maintains the essential information but in a more economical publication.

To provide a single access point for all our Web-based material we have created a home page at the Imperial College SunSITE archive. The URL is rather long

http://sunsite.doc.ic.ac.uk/recreation/change-ringers/central-council/methods-committee/online/index.htm

and so regular visitors will want to add it to the list of favourite addresses in their Web browser! Among the useful information here are the machine-readable method collections and the Council’s Rules and Decisions which are maintained on behalf of the Administrative Committee.

We also developed a new Web-based collection which will enable any method to be found quickly and easily, even when its classification is not known. This will be launched at The Ringing World Road Show 99 in Tewkesbury and will thereafter be available from the Committee’s home page.

Work on the new Four-way Table of Treble Dodging Minor methods has continued although, once again, the principal challenge is the commercial viability.

The last area of activity is major research which, this year, concerned “Differential” methods and produced a motion to amend the Decisions at the Council meeting in Lincoln. “Differential” methods have been rung to at least three peals although these have had to be construed as Treble Place methods in order to meet the existing Decisions. We agreed that this is artificial and restrictive and that “Differentials” should be recognised in their own right.

Lastly, we considered Brocket Treble Place Minor (RW p.85) and Brocket Hall Treble Place Major (RW 1999, p.214), which have an intuitive relationship but may not have the same name. This is because the works above and below the treble cannot be described using the notation given in the formula, since the treble is not lying behind at the half-lead. It is our intention to investigate possible amendments to the Decision on Method Extension to cover a wider variety of treble paths.

The Ringing World, April 9, 1999, pages 340 to 346

Biographies Committee

The following members and past members of the Council have died since the last report was submitted for the 1998 meeting.

• Ernest James LADD represented the East Grinstead and District Guild 1960-1965. Died 13th April 1998. Attended four meetings.

• Vernon BOTTOMLEY represented the Yorkshire Association 1960-1966 and was a life member from 1967 until he resigned in 1971. Died 19th June 1998. Attended 11 meetings.

• Charles W. LAWTON represented the Chester Diocesan Guild in 1968. Died 3rd July 1998. Attended one meeting.

• Gladys E. BARKER (née Bateman) represented the Oxford Diocesan Guild 1948-1959 and 1961-1965. Died 16th August 1998. Attended 17 meetings.

• Roger W. D. WETENHALL represented the Cumberland and North Westmorland Association and its successor the Carlisle Diocesan Guild 1969-1976. Died 7th November 1998. Attended eight meetings.

• Frederick Ernest DUKES represented the Irish Association 1945-1998, Life member 1989 until his death. Died 27th December 1998. Attended 52 consecutive meetings.

• Kathleen WRIGHT (née Higgins) represented the Oxford University Society 1954-1956. Died 1st January. Attended two meetings.

• Tony LEWIS represented the Scottish Association 1975-1977. Died 3rd January. Attended two meetings.

During the year the Council has lost two members, both of whom gave great service.

The loss of Fred Dukes to the Council, the Irish Association and overseas ringers is immense. It was fitting that he should attend the last of his record-breaking 52 consecutive meetings of its Central Council in his native Ireland in May 1998, where he was at hand to present his work of a lifetime, Campanology in Ireland, a publication first intimated in his biography sheet completed in 1948. The continuity of his attendance and his ever friendly helpfulness and humanity gave a stability and reassurance to long-serving and new members of the Council alike. His record is unique and will be hard to match in the years to come.

Vernon Bottomley was another good servant of the Council being its general secretary from 1966-1971 and a life member during his period of office.

The year has seen a steady inflow of overdue biography sheets from members joining the Council in 1996, together with photographs of members who were unable to include them initially with their sheets. To date there are still 11 biography sheets outstanding and efforts will be made to obtain them to keep records complete. Several members have sent up-dates of their biographical material which have been filed appropriately. The Committee is grateful for these responses.

A quorum of the Committee met in Dublin and plans were laid to complete the transfer of information contained in the attendance register of the Council on to computer disc, but this has not yet been done.

Requests for information contained in the Committee’s archives have been the lowest for several years, but those who wrote obtained the information by return of post. In two instances biographical facts given, resulted in valuable additional detail being returned to the Chairman and added to the member’s records.

Pat Halls has produced a data base listing the Derby Diocesan Association officers from the formation of the Association in 1946 to the AGM of 1998. This could be done for other Guilds, Societies and Association’s using information from reports if full sets were available.

The Chairman, Don Roberts, who took over in 1992 with the passing of Ian Lock, realises that to take this Committee and its work forward into the new millennium a Chairman is needed who is completely computer literate and able to share the essential tasks in this direction. He will not, therefore, seek re-election to the committee at the Lincoln meeting.

Committee for Redundant Bells

Another 28 churches were added to the total during 1998, bringing the number of churches declared redundant under the Pastoral Measures 1968 and 1983 to 1,585. Though this is five more churches than were declared redundant in 1997, it is not a large enough jump to suggest a change in the steady progression which is the current mode for redundancies. Indeed, the Advisory Board for Redundant Churches, which had been predicting 50 new redundancies a year until 2000, is now describing the situation as steady.

Last year we suggested that the Turnbull Report, with its changes to church government, might affect bodies dealing with redundant churches. It is good to report that so far this seems not to have happened: the only adverse effect has been to the telephone system, where a single centralised number is proving unworkable. Perhaps there is a moral.

One concern voiced this year though has been the funding of the Churches Conservation Trust. The funding, provided by both Church and State is limited; indeed it is fully stretched. The CCT now has 312 churches, many of which are costly to repair and maintain. Nearly a fifth have ringing bells. It is not difficult to see that, for several reasons, expenditure on the bells could be the logical first economy. Matters are not helped by the delays which sometimes happen before a church is vested in the CCT: expensive repairs delayed simply become more expensive.

One problem, too, with state involvement in funding is that it brings, not unreasonably, a greater state interest in what happens to the buildings. The benefits, though, with care outweigh the disadvantages: an example is the Millennium Bells project - where care was taken, too, that sound bells were re used - which has pointed up the important part that bells can play in the community, and the merits of state funding, particularly at a time like this.

The Committee has been concerned with some 15 cases during the year, involving one ring, six enquiries for bells for augmentations, two for augmenting twos to threes, and five for single bells for use alone or as replacements. Three enquiries came from abroad, from America and from Africa. One was from a bell agent, seeking bells principally for houses. David Kelly’s Keltek Trust lists have proved a considerable ally in the endeavour to prevent bells being lost, and we congratulate him on what he has achieved in the short time since the Trust was established.

The Pastoral Measure Code of Practice regulates the way in which the Measure actually works in practice. The current version of the Code dates from 1983; its successor was due in 1997. It is now out in draft for consultation. A helpful 1996 Guidance Note on fittings holds the fort meanwhile.

We are grateful to the Church Commissioners, to the Council for the Care of Churches, and to the Advisory Board, for their help and interest. With sadness we record the early death of Mr Donald Findlay of the Council for the Care of Churches. Mr Findlay, who was our principal contact at the Council for the Care of Churches, not only had, as the broadsheet obituaries of him made clear, an encyclopaedic knowledge of churches but was someone of tremendous generosity and kindness. He is greatly missed.

John Carter Ringing Machine

Maintenance work has continued at the Birmingham Science Museum to improve the reliability of the machine and to prepare it for display at the Ringing World Road Show at Tewkesbury on 17th April.

The team set up in 1997 to assess the state of each of the seven ringing simulators produced by Peter Cummins has found that one had been struck by lightning and was beyond economical repair. This machine has been set aside but the task of characterising and categorising the remaining three eight bell and three 12 bell machines continues. Dating of the machines, although based upon Peter Cummins’ notes, is approximate because many original components have been replaced and upgraded. Machines 8A, 8B and 12A date from 1978-1980, machines 8C and 12B date from 1981 and 12C was produced in 1988.

The Birmingham Science Museum is not open to the public at present and it has not been possible to arrange demonstrations of the John Carter Ringing Machine this year. However access to the machine has been readily granted for maintenance sessions and we are most grateful to Dr J. Andrew, the Keeper of Industry Collections, and to Barry Ward, who is a Science Museum staff member and a ringer, for all their assistance.

JOHN ANDERSON
ALAN BAGWORTH
Stewards

Rolls of Honour

The rolls of honour, held in the bell tower of St Paul’s Cathedral, have been visited by several people during the year.

They can be seen on Sundays, advertised practice nights and at other times by special arrangement.

A. JAMES PHILLIPS
Steward

The Ringing World, April 30, 1999, page 411

Records Committee

Towers and Belfries Committee

The beginning of 1998 saw the final date for towers to apply for grants under the “Ringing in the Millennium” Scheme. Alan Frost and Adrian Dempster have continued to attend the working party meetings although these have been less frequent than in 1997. Members of the Committee have continued to assist a number of the applicants with advice although work has not been quite so frenetic as in the previous year. The first meeting of the Committee in 1998 took place before a working party meeting and members were able to hear at first hand about how the millennium scheme was progressing.

A number of Committee members attended a seminar on ropes and ropemaking in April 1998. This was held in Loughborough and members were given a practical demonstration of ropemaking at Pritchard’s works. There was a lively exchange of views which was very constructive and a report on the seminar has been published in The Ringing World.

Also in April SPAB held a seminar at Lichfield on the care and repair of timber bellframes. Some members of the Committee attended this seminar and the speakers included Alan Frost and Adrian Dempster.

The publications of the Committee have been a major part of the agendas at the two meetings held in 1998. It has been decided to abandon work for the moment on the Bellhanging Specification. It is hoped to produce instead a guide and check list for towers who wish to invite tenders for work on their bell installations. Jim Taylor has prepared the final version of Sound Management which is now at the printers. Also at the printers is an updated version of The Bell Adviser which has been revised by Jim Taylor with the full approval of John Scott, its original author. Alan Frost has prepared and updated several times an advice leaflet on Health and Safety in Bell Towers. This has been done on behalf of the Towers and Belfries Committee for the Administrative Committee of the Central Council. Chris Povey has completed his information and advice note on ball bearings and Jim Taylor has prepared a similar document on plain bearings. It is hoped that these will be incorporated in the Maintenance Manual which is due for revision in the near future.

Members of the Committee have led tower maintenance seminars in two areas, both in October. John Scott and Frank Mack ran a seminar for Devon and Cornwall and Peter Bennett led a seminar in North Wales. Members of the Committee are always happy to assist in this work and requests from associations for assistance are welcome and actively encouraged.

In the pipeline for 1999 is the organisation of a seminar on casting and tuning at which it is hoped representatives from John Taylor & Company, Whitechapel Bell Foundry and Eayre and Smith will speak.

The Ringing World, April 30, 1999, pages 412 to 413

Administrative Committee

Since the 1998 Council meeting the Committee has met twice in London, in October and March. The arrangements for the 1999 Council meeting were discussed and agreed, and the following were among the other matters considered:

(1) Ringing in the Millennium A total of 141 bell restoration and augmentation projects are being funded from the Millennium Commission’s grant allocation of £3 million. By the end of March 88 projects had been completed and most of the others were under way. It is likely to be possible to fund two or three more projects as a result of completed projects not needing to take up their grants in full. An approach to the Millennium Commission for additional funding for the 100 or so applications which could not be funded from the £3 million grant was regrettably but perhaps inevitably unsuccessful. The project as a whole has continued to receive favourable publicity both locally and nationally. This has been noticed and much welcomed by the Commission.

(2) Ring in 2000 - This initiative continues to provide a stimulus for recruiting and training new ringers and perhaps more importantly for training trainers. As we approach the millennium, emphasis is switching to recruiting lapsed ringers. The service at midday on 1st January remains the focal point and an effort is being made to ensure that all clergy are aware of this opportunity.

Although the Council provides a lead group, most of the work is undertaken by the network co-ordinators in the participating societies. Towards the end of 1998 two meetings were held for co-ordinators for the purpose of exchanging experiences and ideas to plan the final few months and resulted in substantial numbers of recruiting and training ideas being exchanged. The need for the Council to provide a recruiting pamphlet was identified and this is now being produced. Certificates for those who take part in millennium ringing are also being made available.

There has been a continuous stream of good publicity from this project and more is expected as we approach the climax. Bands in suitable geographic locations will be briefed to meet the demands of the media and maximise the opportunities.

(3) Meetings with English Heritage and the Council for the Care of Churches - Meetings were held with English Heritage on 23rd September 1998 and with the Council for the Care of Churches and English Heritage together on 7th December 1998. A further meeting with English Heritage was due to be held on 24th March. At both the September and December meetings the principal matter for discussion was the operation of the Code of Practice on the Conservation and Repair of Bells and Bellframes. The concerns expressed in the course of the debate on this subject at the 1998 Council meeting were put forward, in response to which English Heritage explained at length their procedures for dealing with both faculty applications for bell schemes and applications for grant. These procedures were to be the subject of a further article which EH would prepare for The Ringing World.

At the meeting with the CCC the need to complete the lists of historic bellframes referred to in Section 11 of the Code of Practice was stressed. After discussion on how such lists might be compiled, the CCC agreed to consider how the matter could be taken forward, in consultation with various interested parties.

The meetings with English Heritage provide a forum at which ringers’ concerns on bell restoration matters can be expressed. The Chairman of the Towers and Belfries Committee keeps in touch with EH’s principal adviser on bells and the Officers would be pleased to hear of particular cases which might be raised with EH.

(4) Proposal for a National Bell Register - The Committee considered a proposal arising from the Ringing in the Millennium project for a National Bells Register, the aim of which would be to record in archeological terms bells (inscriptions, dates, founders), bellframes and other contents of belfries. It was agreed that the proposal should be supported and that the Council should take the lead in promoting it. Subject to obtaining the necessary funding, it is likely that the work would be undertaken at Leicester University using modern computer technology. As a first step, a conference is to be held on Thursday 20th May in Leicester, to which a number of potential contributors and users have been invited.

(5) Commemorative ringing - Following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997 a number of enquiries were received as to appropriate forms of commemorative ringing. Comments and information on this subject were invited from readers of The Ringing World, as a result of which some notes and suggestions were drawn up on forms of commemorative ringing and the practicalities of ringing with muffled and half muffled bells. These were published in The Ringing World and are now available on the Council’s website. It was stressed that these notes and suggestions were not intended in any way to replace local customs.

(6) Survey of ringing - At the request of the Board of Directors of The Ringing World, the Committee considered whether a new survey of ringing should be undertaken. The, last survey had been carried out ten years ago and it was felt that much had changed since then. Committees were asked what use they had made of the 1988 survey and what benefits they would expect to derive from a new survey. The conclusions drawn from their responses and discussions with those involved in the 1988 survey were that a great deal of time and effort had been put into it, but little was done with the output; that such surveys are valuable for historical reasons but one every 20 to 25 years is frequent enough; that this is not a good time because millennium activities will skew the data, without showing any of their longer term benefits; and that the requirements of the committees who responded and The Ringing World are not significant enough to justify the cost and time required for a further survey. The Committee accordingly agreed to take no further action at present, but suggested that the matter should be reconsidered in six or seven years time.

(7) The Central Council Website - The Committee are grateful to Dr John Baldwin for setting up the Council’s own website. It can be found at the following Internet address: https://cccbr.org.uk and it already contains much information about the Council (objectives, names of officers, the work of each of the committees, etc.), forthcoming events, a list of affiliated societies, the Publications price list and an updated version of Dove’s Guide. Links to other ringing websites have been incorporated. Dr Baldwin has kindly offered to maintain the website for the time being, although in due course this will be an appropriate task for the Computer Coordination Committee.

(8) Guidelines and advice issued by the Council - In recent years the Council has issued guidelines and advice to ringers on a number of subjects quite separately from matters contained in its official publications. They include: child protection in the context of ringing, charity accounts, dealing with complaints about bells, commemorative ringing and the requirements of the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group. These guidelines have usually been published in The Ringing World at the time but they do not all remain readily available to ringers. The Committee has agreed that they should be placed on the Council’s website and be made available in the form of photocopied sheets, free of charge, through CC Publications.

Ex-officio
JANE WILKINSON (President)
JOHN ANDERSON (Vice-President)
CHRIS ROGERS (Secretary)
ERIC GODFREY (Treasurer)
ROGER BAILEY (Peal Compositions)
JOHN BARNES (Bell Restoration Funds)
JEREMY CHEESMAN (Peals Analysis)
JOHN COUPERTHWAITE (Publications)
ADRIAN DEMPSTER (Towers and Belfries)
PHIL GAY (Ringing Centres)
MICHAEL HENSHAW (Education)
GEORGE MASSEY (Redundant Bells)
DON ROBERTS (Biographies)
JEAN SANDERSON (Library)
DEREK SIBSON (Records)
ANTHONY P. SMITH (Methods)
ANDREW STUBBS (The Ringing World)
DAVID THORNE (Public Relations)
PETER TROTMAN (Computer Coordination)
Elected members
JOHN ARMSTRONG
JOHN BALDWIN
MICHAEL CHURCH
ROBERT COOLES
KATE FLAVELL
ALAN FROST
CAROL HARDWICK
DEREK JONES
SIMON MEYER
STEPHANIE PATTENDEN
JUDITH ROGERS
ANDREW WILBY

The Ringing World, May 7, 1999, page 435

Rescue Fund for Redundant Bells

1. The full name of the Charity is: Central Council of Church Bell Ringers Rescue Fund for Redundant Bells.

2. The Charity is not incorporated. The Constitution derives from Rules adopted on 29th May 1979 and registered with the Charity Commission on 22nd October 1979. The Charity’s registration number is 278816.

3. The principal address of the Charity is that of the Secretary namely: 8 Lebanon Gardens, London SW18 1RG.

4. The principal object of the Fund is to advance the Christian Religion by the rescue of redundant bells for the purpose of their being rehoused elsewhere for ringing in Churches.

5. The Managing Trustees of the Fund are the members of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers Redundant Bells Committee namely:

   Dr John Baldwin
   Roger Booth
   Michael O’Callaghan
   Robert Cooles
   David Kelly
   Jeffrey Kershaw
   George Massey
   Preb John Scott
   Jane Wilkinson

   The Chairman of the Fund is: Preb John Scott

   The Honorary Secretary is: Robert Cooles

   And Honorary Treasurer: Michael O’Callaghan

6. The Custodian Trustees of the Fund are the President, the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer of the Central Council and the Chairman of the Central Council’s Bell Restoration Funds Committee namely:

   Jane Wilkinson
   Christopher Rogers
   Eric Godfrey
   John Barnes

7. The Report of the Fund’s activities for the year is as follows:

   The activity this year has been limited to collecting in the remaining funds due on the Escrick project and encouraging the project to hang the Dunecht bells at Haddington (near Edinburgh). By the end of the year it was hoped that the Haddington project would materialise and the Fund could hope to have its loan repaid in 1999.

   The formation of the Keltek Trust Bell Rescue Fund is to be welcomed, particularly as its wider terms of reference will make it easier for bells intended to be recast as part of a restoration scheme to be saved and used elsewhere.

   It is intended in the coming year to seek the renewal of offers of loans to the fund and to seek additional offers.

   The accounts for 1998 are set out separately.

ROBERT J. COOLES
Hon Secretary

The Ringing World, May 7, 1999, page 438

Peal Compositions Committee

Following the Council Meeting last year the Committee was offered a monthly page in The Ringing World for compositions and related matters. We have been in a position to take this up on a total of ten occasions since July, enabling us to publish a total of 187 compositions since our last report. All but three of these have appeared in the last ten months, a yearly rate of more than 200. The tight publication deadlines impose one or two organisational problems, and it has been found very useful on occasions to have a Committee member living in a different time-zone and a Chairman with a bicycle! In addition we thank Richard Pearce, David House and Glenn Taylor for their help with proof and review during the year, and a number of others for their good intentions.

The renewed emphasis on The Ringing World publication has diverted effort from some other long-running publication projects; both Stedman Triples and General Purpose Surprise Major have been further delayed by pressure of (paid!) work by members of the Committee. This is especially disappointing in the case of the former, which had reached draft form by last year’s meeting. However a recent flurry of activity appears to have resolved the last typographical problems and we hope that copies will be on sale at the Council meeting (though the Chairman has his bicycle standing by in case he needs to get on it). Other publications continue to make steady if slow progress. Compositions in the Popular Major Methods is progressing relatively rapidly under Roddy Horton’s firm hand. Several hundred compositions have been gathered in response to a Ringing World request and to personal approaches; existing collections have also been scoured and the selectors are now hard at work; publication is planned for the end of the year. Rod Pipe and David Hull have continued their work on Ten and Twelve Bell Compositions. All the compositions (approximately 1500) have been typeset and proved and a database is being generated to allow checking for duplicates and ultimately the selection of compositions for inclusion in the publication. It is planned that camera-ready copy be produced in the next 12 months. Richard Allton has volunteered to maintain Spliced Surprise Major. Although currently out of print, this is available on the Word-Wide Web or floppy disk for those without Internet access (contact the Chair). We anticipate that paper supplements will be issued from time to time for the lucky few without computing facilities, Finally, we have assisted Tony Smith in maintaining An Index to Compositions in The Ringing World.

This year is the end of the triennium, and several members of the Committee are not seeking re-election. Whilst we look forward to an injection of new blood, please remember that our work isn’t just sitting around and talking about ringing; it’s time-consuming and needs commitment and attention to detail. As well as technical competence, volunteers need to be self-motivated, with time and energy to see long-term projects through to completion.

ROGER BAILEY (Chairman)
JULIAN MORGAN
DON MORRISON
PAUL NEEDHAM
STEPHEN PETTMAN (co-opted)
MIKE PIDD

The Ringing World, May 21, 1999, page 475

International Liaison Report for 1998

At this time of the year readers would normally expect to read Fred Dukes’ detailed and entertaining report on ringing activities overseas. Sadly Fred died at the end of 1998 and the information from which to produce his report was not available. We asked his overseas contacts to produce brief reports on ringing activities in their areas and the ones received so far have been used to produce the following report. Our thanks to all those who responded to our request.

DAVID THORNE
(Chairman, CC Public Relations Advisory Group).

The North American Guild report was produced largely by Mike Simpson who writes:

The year 1998 was another active year for the North American Guild of Change Ringers. Membership continued to grow, helped to no small extent by Ring in 2000. An increasing number of regional area meetings and other events continued to fill the pages of The Clapper, our Guild newsletter.

The Guild lost one of its founder members with the passing of Jack Fanfani, on 11th March. Jack had been a moving influence in Washington DC since the bells were first installed in the Cathedral in 1964, and he will be missed by many people, especially the Washington ringers. Eight quarter peals were rung by our members to mark this sad occasion.

Resident membership in the Guild increased to 498 by the end of the year, which represents an increase of nearly 15%. A total of 32 peals were rung for the Guild. In addition, ten peals were rung for the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths by bands consisting mainly of our resident members. A further 26 peals were rung on North American bells by visiting bands, a number of which included Guild resident members. These numbers compare favourably with previous years. Notable peals included one of Plain Bob Triples in Vancouver in January, which was rung by the Sunday service band, with two first peals and three first in the method. On 18th April Yorkshire Maximus came round at St. James’ Cathedral, Toronto, being the first peal of Surprise Maximus on the continent. Both of these peals were conducted by Jim Clatworthy. The honour of ringing the first peal of Spliced Surprise Maximus went to the Ancient Society of College Youths with a peal in Toronto on 9th May.

The Guild annual meeting was held in Victoria, BC in August, was preceded by the usual ringing course. Attendance at the course and the meeting was the highest ever. Ringers came and went during the week, but 100 people sat down to the Annual Dinner. We were also pleased to welcome a number of visitors from the U.K.

Regular regional meetings in the North East and the mid-Atlantic areas continued as usual. These included the Annual Quarter Peal weekend in Philadelphia and their Spring Equinox Dinner in March, the Annual striking competition in Stella Maris and New Castle dinner. In addition, a Surprise Major weekend was held in Marietta in February. In April the Three Towers Festival was held in Little Rock. Many saw the customary Memorial Day weekend in Quebec City, which was attended by members from far and wide. It was a pleasant addition to this event to have local Quebec ringers in attendance. On the west coast Vancouver ringers travelled to Victoria for the usual Victoria Day celebrations, including ringing and a barbecue. Victoria reciprocated by making two trips over to Vancouver during the year. In late August there was also a ten-bell practice at Kent.

Once again there were several tour groups who came and visited towers in the US and Canada. Additionally the Butlers ran their tour which this year included towers in Wales, Ireland (including ringing with Fred for Sunday morning service), Scotland and England.

New towers are also either ringing or close to completion. These include the new ring of eight in Grace Church, Charleston and the restoration of the bells in St. Marks, Philadelphia.

Madelaine Cheesman reports on the past year at St James Cathedral, Toronto:

The training of ringers new to the art continues at Toronto, and in the last few months, we have had two who have achieved their first quarter peals. Our learners are becoming very competent at ringing inside to Plain Bob Minor, and are working hard at Grandsire Triples. Others are coming along very well with Stedman Doubles. We were delighted recently to achieve a quarter peal of Cambridge Minor with an entirely local band.

We continue to welcome a number of visitors to our tower, even in our chilly winter months - an opportunity for us to sit down!

During the weekend of 26th and 27th June, we will be hosting a number of members of the North American Guild for a 12-bell practice, as well as much socializing. For some, it will be their first ever visit, and for others, their first since the dedication in 1997. Much of the weekend is still in the planning stages, but we will doubtless have a most enjoyable time.

A recent fund raising concert at the Cathedral coincided with our normal Monday practice, and we therefore opened the sound-proof doors in the tower to welcome the concert-goers. We were advised afterward that our ringing literally stopped both pedestrian and vehicular traffic while everyone listened. A most encouraging reaction, indeed.

Two practices per week, Monday and Wednesday, are still the norm, together with Sunday service ringing. For details on times and access, please contact the Tower Secretary, Madeleine Cheesman, at (905) 831-1718, or email: Cheesmen@idirect.com

Pam McAdam sends this report from Hamilton, New Zealand:

At the present moment we have four young lads learning to ring - so we are doing our bit for the millennium. Over the past year we have rung for various weddings and Sunday service ringing. All our ringers are very enthusiastic and happy to turn out whenever asked. In the 1970s we had a textured coating put on the ceiling in the belfry and upon analysis it was deemed advisable to remove it. This put the ringing out of action for about six weeks. What a strange feeling, after regular ringing for 40 years, not having to dash out to practice. With thanks to our Secretary and her husband we are enjoying some social occasions apart from bellringing. We also have a very keen handbell group. Recently one of our former tower ringers who had retired a few years ago, has joined the handbell team.

David Knewstub (via John and Mary Townsend) reports from Western Australia:

A new tower. The bells of Christ’s Church Mandurah rang out for the first time in April last year. The back six bells came from St Mary Magdalene Oxford with two new Whitechapel trebles to complete the octave. The local band is doing very well with the first quarter peal on the bells expected soon.

Success for WA. At the annual ANZAB Ringing Festival held last June in Hobart, the WA team was able to put in a sparkling performance to win the Bob Ferris Shield for the first time in the 20 year history of the competition.

St Martin’s in the Fields bells. Last May the W.A. Premier announced plans to Parliament to build a belltower in the city centre of Perth to house the old 12 Rudhall bells together with another six new Whitechapel bells. In October the plans for the tower were publicly announced causing widespread and prolonged comment mainly against the project or the design.

The W.A. Ringing Course was held at Rockingham and was most successful. It was the first such course held in W.A. for 30 years.

Ring around the towers. On Foundation Day last year, 1st June 1998, ringers from all towers spent the day driving round the countryside ringing all the towers to celebrate the state’s foundation in 1829. Only 6 ringers made it to all six towers. The trip was repeated on Australia Day this year. (26th January).

Laura Ivey, OAM. Laura won the Order of Australia medal last June for her services to the community as a fundraiser for Cancer Research. Over $50,000 has been raised by St George’s Cathedral Bellringers in ten years by knitting, sewing, crocheting and making jams which were then sold at stalls held on the steps of cathedrals and hospitals.

Claremont. The six Gillett & Johnston bells at Christ Church have just celebrated ten years (18th December 1998) in their new tower. This was marked by removing an old jarrah staircase which led to nowhere! Now there’s more room - but not enough for more bells!

Ted Klupp writing from Maryborough expresses his regret at the death of Fred Dukes and reports:

Local ringing is at a low ebb and we only have nine ringers whose occupations make it difficult very often to produce a team of six. However we still manage to ring for weddings and special church services. The local authorities requested that we should ring at 12 noon on Monday 1st March to mark the Treaty banning the manufacture and use of landmines.

Audrey Cusick reports from Hobart:

We feel very fortunate at present to have several new recruits at various stages of learning and hope that we can maintain their interest and enthusiasm. Our numbers and abilities remain quite pleasing, considering our isolation from other towers, and we enjoy a steady trickle of visitors from overseas and our mainland states.

Each year we hold our bellringers’ dinner in honour of William Champion, a ringer from Dursley in Gloucestershire and convict transported for receiving stolen goods. He became a very successful citizen of Hobart and was the first Ringing Master of Holy Trinity Church from 1847. Three of Champion’s descendants joined us at our latest annual dinner. They had been researching their family tree and were delighted to discover that their ancestor played such a role in Hobart’s early days and is remembered annually by us.

On a personal note we were saddened by the news of the death of Fred Dukes. Although most of us had never met him, his newsletters and enthusiasm made him well known and appreciated in our towers. I’m glad to have corresponded with him over the last few years and always looked forward to his personal little notes to me on the newsletter. Vale Fred.

Colin Lewis (Chairman) and Dick Holmes (Secretary/Treasurer) of the South African Guild report:

The past year has been one of mixed fortunes for our Guild. We continue to lose ringers through emigration as people return to Britain and, although we train recruits, we can ill afford to lose even one trained and competent person. We welcome visitors, particularly those who join us for service ringing and at practice nights, and who therefore help to maintain and strengthen ringing in this country.

During the past year we have welcomed two touring bands and have had the pleasure of listening to some excellent ringing that has included the first two peals of Royal at Grahamstown. We hope that many more touring bands will visit us in the years ahead.

The Durban ringers worked extremely hard during the year and raised enough money to ensure that tower repairs were undertaken at St Mary’s Greyville, Durban. The bells themselves were all right but defects in the tower roof had prevented ringing. We are delighted that this excellent ring of ten bells is now back in action and we thank all the many ringers who contributed to the appeal for funds and especially the Baumann Trust for their handsome donation.

Woodstock has been without a resident band for a number of years, but a local band is now being trained by Nathan Hendricks. Nathan and his colleagues have made the tower spick and span and they deserve success in their attempts to ensure that these historic bells are rung regularly.

As in previous years it is the dedicated work of a handful of people that ensures that bells continue to ring in South Africa. The Guild held a very successful AGM in Parktown, that brought people together from most parts of the county. Quarter Peals were rung in all four ringing centres and learners continue to make progress. Colin Lewis and Dick Holmes were re-elected as Chairman and Secretary/ Treasurer respectively. The annual striking competition saw a narrow victory by the home team ringing Plain Bob, conducted appropriately by Bob Woodhead, over the visiting Capetonians ringing Grandsire, conducted by Stuart Barton. The Parktown Ringing Master is, at the time of writing, happily recovering from injuries sustained in a recent car accident.

During the year bells two, four and six of a ring of six were cast in Port Elizabeth, a bell frame for six bells was made in Grahamstown, and a bell tower was build at The Monastery of the order of the Holy Cross, at Hillandale, near Grahamstown. Headstocks and other fittings were fabricated in Grahamstown. Hopefully, by the time the Central Council meets, there will be a ring of three bells in a six bell frame at Hillandale the first new ring of bells in South Africa since Parktown was installed in 1980.

We were sorry to say farewell to long-time stalwart Hilary Moekli who has returned to retire in the UK. Rest assured though that, although small in number, we have the enthusiasm to ensure the continuation of ringing in this far-flung corner of the Exercise and have our eyes firmly fixed on noon on the 1st of January 2000 when hopefully all our towers will be ringing in the Millennium.

Finally, all members of the South African Guild have been saddened by the death of Fred Dukes. Fred was one of our great friends and we appreciated all that he did for us. The Guild rang its tribute to Fred at South Africa’s mother church: St George’s Cathedral, Cape Town on the Sunday of St Patrick’s week, when the front six were rung to a quarter peal of Plain Bob Minor in thanksgiving for Fred’s life and work for ringers overseas.

John Gallimore reports on the Italian connection as follows:

Our relations with the North Italian ringers continue to be focussed on St Matthias, Malvern Link, where the Tower Captain, George Morris, and I are in more or less constant touch with the Veronese Association. Contact is also maintained with Guiseppe De Facci of the St Marco Scool of Bellringers, based in Vicenza and with the Modena ringers who send us a copy of their interesting newsletter every year at Christmas.

Notable events during the past year have been the cultural exchange, the 11th in fact, from 15th to 22nd of August ably led by David Bagley and Ruth Halling. The group included the Editor of The Ringing World and everyone had the opportunity to come to grips with the Veronese system. There was too the “Raduno” (Rally) in Sorrento which was attended by five English ringers, including George and Ruth Morris, from 17th to 20th April 1998. Both these events were fully reported in The Ringing World.

The Veronese Association increased its membership in 1998 with nine new bands between Verona and Vicenza. This seems to have been the result of a publicity campaign to recruit new members for the millennium. The latest report on membership of the Association lists 73 affiliated societies and a total membership of some 2000, an increase over the previous year of about 10%.

We were very pleased to welcome four visitors from Italy to the April 1999 Ringing World Roadshow. These were Guiseppe De Facci with his wife Donna and two young ringers, Livio Zambotto and Valentina Dainese.

Finally could I remind anyone planning a ringing visit to Italy that they should, in the first instance, please contact the Veronese Association representatives in this country. They are: George Morris (01886 832781) or John Gallimore (01684 575227).

The Ringing World, May 21, 1999, pages 478 to 479 and 490.