As we begin to catch up with ourselves, we offer a handbell roundup for September 2014:
Some milestones this month:
- Kath Baldwin celebrates 63 years of peal ringing
- Graham John reaches 400 handbell peals on 12 bells.
- Alan Potts celebrate 70 years of peal ringing (by a never-too-late return to handbell ringing).
- Michael Purday has rung 250 handbell peals.
- John Jelley has conducted the Delight Major alphabet (although we are a little confused about the footnote).
And then we have a nice list of firsts:
- First major in hand for Patrick Deakin.
- Sheila George and Sally Mew have been developing their stamina with a first half-peal.
- And Philip George rings his first spliced in hand.
- A first in hand for Ted Clark (at the appropriately named Campana Lodge), followed very shortly by his first treble bob.
- and also a first in hand for Rebecca Meyer
These performances caught our attention as well:
- Oh the choices we have when we have more than one set of handbells!
- Another to add to the list of unusual locations
- Can't help noting a peal of Stedman in Birmingham NOT called by Mark Eccleston (although it was still in very safe hands).
- How Drew Craddock celebrates his wedding anniversary (we approve of course).
For our featured performance, we thought that the 12-bell peal which featured firsts for both Maureen Hanney and James Hodkin was a strong candidate.
However, this month we depart from our peal focus and feature a significant quarter peal. We have a soft spot for self-taught bands, and know that this first quarter was a huge accomplishment for them. Congragulations!
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
10 Knipe Close
Sunday, 7 September 2014 in 47
1260 Plain Bob Minor
1–2 Fran Rogers
3–4 Peter V Rogers
5–6 Richard C Smith
Jointly conducted by 3-4 (540) & 5-6 (720).
First in hand by all. Rung by an entirely self-taught band who started ringing hand bells on New Year's Day 2014. Apologies to those to whom we feigned disinterest in hand bell ringing over the past few months!
An early Birthday compliment to Harry Smith, father of 5-6, who will be 88 on 11th September.