PEAL RECORDER’S REPORT

2010’s overall peal total of 164 is a slight drop from the previous year’s 177. This can be attributed to a decrease in handbell peals rung during the year; nearly twenty fewer than in 2009. One major event shadowed the year; Geoff Dodd announced his retirement from peal ringing after clocking up 3775 peals. A great number of members have been fortunate enough to ring with Geoff in one or more of his peals, either at Highclere or elsewhere, and will wish to congratulate Geoff on his fantastic achievements.

I must thank Andrew Craddock for sharing the statistics generated by his computer database, allowing me to cross-check the Guild’s records, and would like to thank all those conductors and organisers who submit details, compositions and fees within the one-month deadline specified in the Guild Rules. Congratulations to all who have been involved in peals rung for the Guild during the year, and good luck for all future attempts.

Tower Bell Peals

2010 has bucked the trend of the past two years’ fall in the number of tower peals by seeing an increase of three compared to 2009, realising a 2010 total of 118. It is worth noting that a greater number of ringers have taken part this year compared to last year, but that the number of peal conductors exercising their skills has fallen from 40 in 2009 to 34 in 2010. There were also eighteen fewer towers pealed during 2010 compared with the previous year. There is no change to the two names heading the leading ringers’ table, although their totals have improved since last year. James Hodkin and John Dodd also appear near the top of this year’s list. Roy LeMarechal continues to lead the conductors’ list, and for the time being looks unlikely to be toppled, having conducted nearly thirty more peals than the next leading conductors. Awbridge and Bishopstoke remain at the top of the leading towers’ table, and are joined in 2010 by Holybourne, whose new bells have proved popular amongst Guild peal-ringers.

On behalf of the Guild’s officers, I would like to congratulate the following members who scored their first peal during 2010: Gregory M. Jordan, Anna F. Cranshaw, Harriet S. E. Mather, Emily A. Mather, Thomas E. J. Mather and Duncan Loweth; it was an eventful year for the Mather family! I wish all of these members good luck and much enjoyment in their future peal-ringing careers. Unusually, there were no first peals as conductor this year. Conducting is such a valuable skill from which all ringers benefit, and I hope that some members will feel they have the support and encouragement necessary to attempt their first peals as conductors in 2011.

Again, there was no shortage of personal milestones footnoted during the year. Congratulations to Ian Carey on reaching his 800th peal, and to James Croft and Graham Wright on scoring their 700th and 650th peals respectively. Edward Colliss and Stuart Heath both achieved their 500th peals, Stephen Russ his 300th, Annabel Preston her 250th, and Angela Athawes her 200th. Well done to Benjamin Carey who scored his 200th peal as conductor, and to Andrew Dodd who rang his 100th peal, and his 50th for the Guild. Congratulations also to Benjamin Constant who rang his 250th for the Guild, Benjamin Carey who rang his 200th for the Guild, and Colin Butler who rang his 100th for the Guild.

The most notable events footnoted during the year included the last peal on the bells at Portsmouth Cathedral before augmentation, and the first peals on the new ring of twelve. The first peal at Newnham was rung, and the first peal on the Forest Edge campanile bells. A peal was rung at Hawkley in memory of Ruth Cooper, of the Alton & Petersfield district, and a peal was rung in memory of Ted and Nan Colley, formally of the Portsmouth district.

Handbell Peals

Last year’s dramatic rise in handbell peals has not been equalled this year, but there were still nearly twice as many in 2010 as in 2008. 29 ringers participated in achieving 2009’s total of 62 handbell peals, and the same number of ringers achieved 46 peals in 2010. Thomas Hinks continues to head both the leading ringers’ list and the leading conductors’ list. Another James Croft handbell week enabled a dedicated focus across a seven day period at the end of July, with sixteen peals scored in Haslemere. Unfortunately for the Guild, James and his family moved to Chesterfield in the summer so that James could take up his post as Parish Priest for one of the Chesterfield parishes. They will all be greatly missed, and I wish the family the very best of luck for the future.

Noteworthy in 2010 was the beating of the Guild’s record for Spliced Surprise Royal in hand, with a peal of seven methods spliced at Micheldever, conducted by Thomas Hinks. It was also good to see a peal of Superlative No. 2 Surprise Royal rung, completing the standard eight Surprise Royal methods rung in hand for the Guild. Congratulations to Frank Morton who rang his 900th handbell peal, to Benjamin Carey who rang his 500th peal in a handbell peal this year, and to Andrew Craddock for ringing his 300th peal. The 100th peal in John and Joyce Croft’s Micheldever home was achieved in September, and congratulations to Peter Sheppard who scored his first handbell peal as conductor.

Jonathan C Hetherington