PORTSMOUTH DISTRICT.
The annual meeting of the Portsmouth District was held at Fareham [Jan. 26th], and altogether about 40 were present from Alverstoke, Bishop’s Waltham, Fareham, Gosport, Portsmouth (St. Thomas’ and St. Mary’s), Swanmore, Titchfield and Wickham, with visitors from King’s Somborne, Southampton and Ryde.
During the afternoon the Guild service was held, which was choral, and was conducted by the Vicar. An excellent address was given by the Vicar of Portsea, the Ven. Geoffrey C. L. Lunt.
The tea and business meeting were held in the Parish Hall, the Vicar of Fareham presiding in the absence of the Vicar of Portsea, who had to return early to Portsmouth.
The balance sheet, which was presented by the auditor, showed receipts amounting to £22 2s. 6d., and expenditure £5 18s. 4d., leaving the district in credit by £16 4s. 2d.
All the officers were re elected, as follow: Chairman, Mr. R. J. Stone; hon. secretary, Mr. F. W. Rogers; auditor, Mr. H. G. Reynolds; representatives on the Central Committee, Messrs. F. A. Burnett and R. J. Stone.
The Vicar of Portsea was elected an honorary member, and the following as ringing members: the Rev. A. Cory and Messrs. D. Faulkner and S. Churcher (Fareham) , H. White, jun. (Alverstoke), and F. C. Love (Titchfield).
It was decided, subject to consent, to hold the next district meeting at Havant on April 27th.
Votes of thanks were accorded the Vicars of Fareham and Titchfield for the use of the bells, to the Vicar of Portsea for addressing the members, and to the organist and choir who had helped to make the service so enjoyable.- In reply, the Rev. A. Cory said how pleased they were to welcome the Guild to Fareham, especially as he was a ringer himself. He hoped that in the near future the scheme for the completion of the tower and the restoration of the bells would be accomplished, so that at Fareham they might have a first-class band of ringers.
After the meeting some of the members returned to the tower for further ringing, whilst others visited Titchfield to ring on the peal of six bells there. In the course of the day the ringing ranged from Grandsire Triples to Surprise Minor and Major.
The Ringing World No. 937, March 8th, 1929, page 149