WINCHESTER DISTRICT.
The annual meeting of the Winchester District was held at Winchester on Saturday, November 5th. The bells at the cathedral (12) and St. Maurice’s (6) were made good use of during the afternoon and evening, and the members attended the ordinary evening service at the cathedral at 4 p.m., at which special prayers were offered for the work of the Guild. Tea was served and the business meeting took place at St. Maurice’s Hall, Rev. Canon Braithwaite, district chairman, being in the chair, supported by the Lord Bishop of Southampton, Rev. N. C. Woods, hon. treasurer of the Guild, Mr. Geo. Williams, Master, Mr. Geo. Pullinger, general secretary, Mr. W. Andrews, Central Committee, Mr. F. W. Rogers, secretary, Portsmouth District, and Mr. W. T. Tucker, district secretary of the Winchester District. The district secretary gave a brief report of the work in the district during the year. This was considered very satisfactory and was accepted with thanks to Mr. Tucker. The secretary also presented the balance sheet for the year, which showed total receipts £21 9s. 5½d., payments £8 3s. 0½d. The sum of £9 was handed over to the hon. treasurer of the Guild, leaving a balance in hands of secretary of £4 6s. 5d. This was approved and passed, on the motion of Mr. Loveland, seconded by Mr. Brown.
In view of the rearranging of the various districts to take effect early in the new year, it was proposed by Mr. Pullinger, seconded by Mr. Fray, that the officers be asked to carry on until the new districts were brought into being.
It was proposed to hold inaugural meetings in three districts, the first at Southampton on January 7th for the Southampton District, at Winchester on January 14th for the Winchester District, and at Alton on January 21st for the Alton District.
It was proposed by the District Secretary, and seconded by Mr. Andrews, that the Bishop of Southampton be elected a life member of the Guild.
On the proposition of Mr. Loveland, seconded by Mr. Brown, a vote of sympathy was passed to Mr. and Mrs. Pulling, of Guildford, on the accident recently sustained by Mr. Pulling, and the Rev. Canon Braithwaite consented to convey this to them.
Votes of thanks were passed to the Dean and Chapter for the cathedral bells, and Rev. T. M. Watson for St. Maurice’s bells. Mr. Watson was unable to be present at the meeting.
The towers represented were Hursley, Southampton, Fareham, Portsmouth (St. Mary’s and St. Thomas’), King’s Somborne, Oakley, North Stoneham, Upham, Winchester, Twyford, Stockbridge, Salisbury (St. Edmund’s and St. Martin’s), and Bishopstoke.
The Ringing World No. 869, November 18th, 1927, page 731