The 1999 tower peal total is 91, a large drop of 20 from the previous year. Despite this there has still been a wide variety of methods rung in 63 different towers, ranging from a peal on the four bells at Breamore to one of Plain Bob Fourteen at Winchester Cathedral. Sixteen peals were rung in towers outside the Guild.
Once again Bishopstoke is the leading tower with 14 peals rung for the Guild during the year. The local Sunday service band rung three peals including 8 spliced Surprise Major at Bishopstoke and Grandsire Triples at Sherborne, Dorset.
Roy LeMarechal retains his position at the top of the leading conductor list but it is encouraging to see new competition arriving from Roger Barber, who has increased peal ringing in the east of the Guild. Three members rang their first peal as conductor; they are Andrew W Banks, Simon H Longlands and Susan A Mansfield.
The first recorded peal in Hampshire was of Grandsire Triples at Portsmouth Cathedral on July 30th, 1749. This summer, a peal of the same method (and similar composition) was rung at the Cathedral to commemorate the 250th anniversary of this performance.
Other events were also marked by peal ringing during the year. A peal was rung in March to celebrate the 90th birthday of Jessie Kippin and two peals were rung by the Guild for the Royal Wedding of Prince Edward and Sophy Rhys-Jones on June 19th.
It is hard to acknowledge the achievements of all ringers in this report, there are many footnotes that include “firsts” for many different ringers of all ages and abilities. Six people rang their first peal this year; they are Andrew J Byford, Adrian A Cooper, Ruth M Cooper, Gail E Evans, Nancy S W Raine and Jemma V Rhodes.
The number of handbell peals is similar to last year, rising just 2 to 17. All were rung in Micheldever, the core of the band being John Croft, Tom and Margaret Chapman. Various ringers joined them throughout the year to achieve seven peals of Major, the remaining ten peals were of Minor.
| Leading Ringers | Leading Conductors | Leading Towers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Methods Rung | (* First ever, # First for the Guild) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ceri Dodd