ISLE OF WIGHT DISTRICT.
The annual meeting of the Isle of Wight District was held at Newport on Saturday last [Feb. 15th]. Ringers were present from Brading, Carisbrooke, Chale, Godshill, Newport, Portsmouth, Portsea, Ryde and Whitwell, and included the Rev. J. C. Orr, of Whitwell, Rev. H. H. C. Stokes, of Brading, Mr. F. W. Rogers, hon. secretary of Portsmouth District, and Mr. and Mrs. F. Bailey, of Titchfield. The service was conducted by the Vicar of Newport (Rev. Canon C. H. Thompson), who, in the course of a few words of welcome, emphasised the important work of bellringers to-day for the Church in sending forth a message to those indifferent in public worship. The Guild’s form of service was used, and Dr. J. B. Williamson kindly presided at the organ.
The ringers were afterwards entertained to tea by the Vicar, who also presided at the business meeting in the absence of the president, the Rev. C. W. Hampton Weekes, who sent a letter of apology. The Rev. H. C. Stokes acknowledged the compliment paid by the members of the Guild, who arranged and rang a peal at Brading Church the previous week in honour of the marriage of his eldest daughter to Lieut. Grey A. Neville, R.N.
The reports of the secretary, auditor and Ringing Master were received and adopted. The accounts showed receipts £8 18s. 9d. (including a credit balance of 9s. 9d. brought forward from 1928). The expenditure included £2 0s. 7d. for the district during 1929, and £4 4s. 6d. sent to the general treasurer of the Guild, leaving a credit balance of £2 13s. 8d. in hand.
The Rev. J. C. Orr was elected district president for 1930, and Messrs. H. Barton (Ringing Master and representative on the Central Committee, B. J. Snow (hon. district secretary and treasurer) and H. Phillips (hon. auditor) were all re-elected and thanked for their past services.
It was decided to hold the next annual meeting at Carisbrooke on January 31st, 1931, and the next quarterly meeting at Freshwater on May 3rd next, with a combined by-practice meeting at Brading on March 29th.
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Vicar for the use of the bells and for providing tea and presiding at the meeting. Handbells were then rung, and further ringing indulged in on the tower bells until 8.30 p.m. The methods ranged from Grandsire Triples to Cambridge Surprise.
The Ringing World No. 987, February 21st, 1930, page 122