BellBoard

To welcome the New Year. First Royal - 1. 25th quarter - 8.

Happy New Year

First in the method for all. Happy Birthday to Ray! Also remembering our friend Bernard Ongley, who would have been 99 tomorrow.

For Epiphany and to wish Claire a Happy Birthday's Eve!

6: First Quarter at First Attempt

For Evensong.

First on 10: 1.

Rung on practice night by those who braved the weather.

First of spliced surprise major - 5; first of spliced surprise major for over 40 years - 4; first as conductor of spliced surprise major for almost 42 years.

First in the method for all.

First in the method for all the band.

Rung in memory of Frank R Morton

Rung in memory of Frank Morton.

First of 8 spliced: 5

First quarter rung from the new mezzanine floor. Circled the tower - 2, and also circled as conductor.

Specially arranged in memory of Frank R Morton.

Rung in memory of Frank R Morton, a friend and great enthusiast. He was a brilliant conductor who could always put us right, and will be deeply missed on our practice nights.

Rung half muffled in loving memory of Frank R Morton, Ringer at this tower for 70 years and tower captain for more than 50 years. Frank passed away at 85 years of age on Saturday 3rd January 2026. - you will be much missed dear friend.

Frank was a member of the Ancient Society of College Youths, and fellow member, Paul Hunter kindly agreed to conduct this performance.

This 1/4 peal was arranged, by Frank, prior to his death.

All Wistaston Ringers wish to be associated with this quarter peal

1. 1st of Major

Rung half-muffled in memoriam Frank R Morton.

All other Nantwich ringers wish to be associated with this performance.

First in method: 2

A birthday compliment to Ruth for Wednesday.

First in method for all.

Circled the tower 2 times: 2.

Rung on the back 6 after meeting one working set of hips short for Major. Thanks to Pauline Taylor for stepping down.

Rung for Choral Evensong.

First on eight: 3

First treble bob for Alix and first Kent Minor for Samantha.

The band would like to wish a belated happy birthday to our Rector Alex Williams 19th and also include Michael Allen, 19th. David Jones 21st and Ruth Blackwell 21st. The aftermath of birthday celebrations precluded them from joining us in our successful quarter celebration.

First of Surprise Major: 2.

A 65th Birthday compliment to Dom Cupertino.

Rung in memory of Frank R Morton, to keep his handbell group going. We all rang various peals and quarter peals with Frank, and miss him greatly.

Thanks also to Jonathan Franklin, Phil Gay, John Murfin and Paul Cheshire for helping me to prepare to call on handbells for the first time.

This is the first performance of change ringing on my dad's set of handbells for more than two decades.

First performance at this address.

First conducting handbells: 5-6

For the Celtic Communion service. 150th on the bells - 6.

Rung for the evening service.

First in the method for all.

First as conductor of Royal.

Rung (belatedly) for Burns Night.

With thanks to Jason Bowden-King, who arranged this and the following quarter at Stretton, but was unable to ring due to illness.

Rung to celebrate the forthcoming 21st birthday, on Sunday 8th February, of Janet's daughter Abbie.

Rung prior to Compline for the Feast of Candlemas.

2 First quarter inside at first attempt; achieved whilst still a youthful 60 year old!

A compliment to Ryder Dines, local ringer, on his forthcoming 90th birthday (3rd February).

500th together 6 & 8.

To celebrate the baptism of Peter's grandson, Archer James Thwaits at St Bartolomew's, Thurstaston.

First in the method for all. Rung by Grappenhall Sunday Service ringers.

First in the method for all the band

Rung after a Service for the Feast of Candlemas

65th birthday compliment to Malcolm Joyce

Rung to celebrate the life of Julia Ellery (friend of 2) - hoping she has taken herself off to a better place.

Also, a 90th birthday compliment to Ryder Dines - a Lymm ringer.

First handbell peal: 5-6

Paul G Stubbs, Andrew W Gordon, Stefan Zientek, Robert Galloway, Alex Lowe, Craig Chaplow, Josie Martin, Jackie Thompson, Christine Johnson, David Allman, Andrew Bradshaw, Raynor A Sheasby, Nick Green, Gareth Higgs, Dave ?, Samantha Martin, James Johnson, Linda Cheshire, Margaret Smallwood, Paul Cheshire, Warren Oliver, Pam Thomson, Peter Wilkinson (names taken from signatures, please advise any that may have been misread).

Thanksgiving for the life of Frank R Morton, on the day of his funeral.

All the Audlem band wish to be associated with this performance.

First quarter (1).

First Minor for Beverley.

Rung for Choral Evensong

A birthday compliment to Ben Curwen

100th Quarter Peal: 5

First of 4-spliced Surprise Major: 5,6

For Evensong

First in method - 3.

The band send best wishes and congratulations on the safe arrival of Alexander George Quinn. Born 11.10am on 10/02/26 to proud parents Emily and Alistair Quinn, family friends of David and Jan Speechley.

300th peal for the Guild: 5-6

In the celebration of life for a dear friend and much loved neighbour "our Paula" RIP 😢

Rung as a Thanksgiving for the life of Kathy Adams who passed away earlier today. The band send condolences to the family. R.I.P. Kathy.

Rung to mark the 200th anniversary, yesterday, of the founding of University College London. These bells (Don's) were rung for some of the lunchtime practice sessions of Roger Bailey's group in the late 1970s when he was a student.

First quarter in the house.

Tenor tolled 96 half muffled in memory of INA LOMAS

First Quarter: 1

A happy Valentines Day to all ringers

Just to add to the none stop excitement of, meeting one short for minor, blowing the fuse on the new lighting, we had a jointly conducted quarter.

Rung to celebrate the centenary of the casting of these bells.

First in the method for all except 2,5.

Rung on the back seven (with the tenor covering) after the Cheshire & North Staffs youth practice.

First of plain bob minor: 2

First in the method for all.

Completes the Surprise Major alphabet for Middlewich tower.

Rung before Evensong.

First Q in the method by all

A MWC Quarter Peal

First of Grandsire: 3

First peal: 1

100th peal: 3

For the Celtic Communion service.

First Treble Bob on ten - 1; circled the new ring to quarters - 4; circled the new ring ten times to quarters - 2; 1300th quarter as conductor.

Rang for Daryl Bratts 50th on bell 5. Multi conducted on the front 6

Rung to celebrate the appointment of Warren as the new Wistaston tower captain.

First away from cover: 1

We didn't think we would get it

150th Q together, 3-4 & 7-8

156th Q together, 1-2 & 7-8

First in the method for all. Completes 9th Surprise Major alphabet to quarters - 6.

First in the method for all.

First of Grandsire: 2

Birthday compliments to ringers 4 & 6.

First of minor: 5

To celebrate the life of Peggy Furniss, grandmother of Iain, who died 23rd February aged 101.

This method now rung for the first time

First blows in the method by all

Place Notation:-18-38-38-1238-38-1238-18-12

To celebrate the 80th birthday of Christine Armstrong. Church warden emeritus of St. Margaret's.

Rung after morning service for International Woman's Day.

Rung to celebrate International Women's Day.

First away from cover: 1

To mark international women's day

90 rounds and call changes rung to celebrate the 90th birthday (tomorrow) of Annie Cartlidge, mother of Cheryl Bayley.

This method is now rung for the first time.

First blows in the method by all

Place Notation: -18-1238-38-1238-38-38-18-12

First inside to Grandsire Doubles - 3.

A 30th Wedding Anniversary complement to Alastair and Hazel Roberts.

First of Major: 3,4

First Quarter for Peter.

First treble bob:1

Rung to celebrate the 60th birthday on Monday 9th of Jayne Corner

600th together 2 & 7.

First in hand: 7-8

Birthday compliments to Jenny Christian

1st Spliced Surprise: 2

Rung during Sunday Service ringing for Mother's Day

For Mothering Sunday.

1: Circled tower three times.

6: First in method.

Rung in anticipation of Glyn and Sandra Maddock's Golden wedding anniversary on Friday (20th March).

Rung for Mothering Sunday.

Circled the tower to quarters 10 times: 1.

For Evensong on Mothering Sunday.

First of London: 2

Tenor tolled 69 blows Half-Muffled in memory of Peter James Bentley

1st Treble Bob Major: 1

On the 50th Anniversary of Peter's first quarter.

Tenor tolled 29 times Half-muffled in memory of pony Blackhill Kestrel Boy (Kestrel Pirie) who passed away today

Rung in memory of Len Mitchell's gall bladder which is due to be removed tomorrow.

Tenor tolled 89 blows half-muffled in memory of Colin Bloor

In memoriam of Freda and Albert Wilkinson, dear parents of Annette Jones, who also celebrated her 70th birthday.

Rung on the front six

200th Quarter peal - 2

1st Grandsire as conductor

For the Celtic Communion service. First Yorkshire Royal - 8.

Rung in Phrygian Mode.

First of Grandsire Caters as conductor.

First Treble Bob: 1

Rung for Abbey Gate College Easter Service

First Kent for Alix and Gail.

The band would like to send best wishes and congratulations to Janet and David Speechley on their 45th wedding anniversary, 20th March.

1st Grandsire Triples inside: 4

50th quarter: 4

A 14th birthday compliment for Michael tomorrow and a 60th birthday compliment for Andrew, Michael's dad last Sunday.

For the 11am Holy Communion on The Feast of the Annunciation.

With the band's best wishes to Archbishop Sarah Mullally on her installation as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury later this day.

First handbell peal since 1984: 1-2

1st in the method as Conductor.

First Quarter - 1 (aged 12). For Palm Sunday.

First in the method for all.

999th peal: 5-6

First handbell touch on eight: 7-8

Rung to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the baptism in this church of Leonora of Demerara, a 25-year-old woman who is recorded in the parish register as a “slave”. Demerara is a region in the West Indies and held some of the largest slave plantations in the British colonies. How she came to these shores is unknown, but we honour her memory by saying her name, and ringing the same bells that might well have been heard on this, her baptism day, in 1826.

May she rest in peace, and rise in glory.

---

First of Grandsire as Conductor - 7

Circled the Tower to Quarters - 8

First quarter on the new Grappenhall handbells. Rung in memory of David Ronald Littler, brother of Graeme, who passed away on Saturday 14th March, and whose funeral takes place tomorrow.

Rung after the morning service & for Easter.

First blows in the method: 2 & 3

First cover: 6

For Easter Sunday.

Circled the tower to quarters for Janet.

Method rung for the first time. The band would like to name it Altrincham Surprise Minor.

x5x4x2x3x4x6x2x3x5x4x3x2 LE 156234

Rotationally symmetric (modulo HL/LE) with cyclic lead ends.

Circled the tower: 8

Congratulations to Len and Claire. 11th wedding anniversary today.

First peal, at the first attempt - 4 (aged 15).

Dedicated to the memory of Christine Brough on the 90th anniversary today of her birth. Remembered with love. 50th together on the bells 1 and 2.

Multi conducted. First inside for number 2. With the greatest of sadness, Rang for the passing of John Austin, a dedicated Bellringer and valued member of the St. Mary's church Sandbach.

First Quarter Peal: 6

First on inside bell: 2

For Evensong

First of Surprise Major: 2

Remembering Daphne Taylor (nee Lloyd)

For Evensong

Something nice for Heather

Rung as a birthday compliment to Richard Adam Speechley, 40 today.

First Minor in hand as conductor.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Peak District National Park

Rung for the Wedding of Isabelle Nash and Thomas Buiskool

First in method for all.

In memoriam of George E Morrall of Chester.

First in method for all.

Rung after a Cheshire & North Staffs Young Ringers Gathering

By Grappenhall Sunday service ringers, who help out at Stretton practices. First in the method for all. Marking the 200th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of this church, which took place later in the year.

200th Quarter peal on Handbells, 3-4

This method is now rung for the first time.

First blows in the method by all

Place Notation: -18-38-38-1238-1238-38-18-12

First in the method: 5

Circle the tower after 44 years of ringing at this tower: 4

Birthday compliments to the treble ringer.

Rung for St George's Day

Rung for England and St George.

First Quarter of Kent TB for Gail.

Rung for the evening service and belatedly for St. George's Day.

For Choral Evensong

For the Celtic Communion.

In memory of George Morrall, 13.12.1940 - 11.4.2026. A very capable member of the team at St Mary's Handbridge between 1980 and 2010. He rang numerous quarters with us, insisting on high standards of striking, as well as supporting and encouraging learners.

This method is now rung for the first time.

Place Notation: -18-38-1238-1238-38-38-18-12

In memory of George E Morrall, ringer in Cheshire, whose funeral was today at St Mary's, Broughton

Rung in memory of George Morrall following his burial at St Deiniol's. He was a staunch supporter of Chester ringing and also faithful organist at St Mary's Broughton

Rung immediately after the funeral of George Morrall. George rang in Jennifer Beech's first peal on 19 April 1965

This method is now rung for the first time.

Place notation: -18-38-1238-1238-1238-1238-18-12

In memory of our friend Bernard Ongley, Grappenhall ringer, who died 1st August 2025.

Probably the first time the method has been rung on tower bells. Rung during practice night, remembering Bernard.

First in method - 3.

1st in method: 2,3,4 & 8

Rung for the wedding of Charlotte Dean and Jack Smith

Remembering Kayleigh Smith, Will Nelson and Nigel Dean - Always with us

Rung to celebrate the centenary and rededication of these bells. Also to mark 80 years ringing by Anthony Lawton who was taught (aged 5) to ring by his father, Charles, on these bells and who rang with us today.

1st Treble Bob Royal: 7

For Evensong

First inside: 5

First Quarter of Royal in the method. First blows of Royal in the method for all. First quarter on 10 on the new Grappenhall handbells.

Place notation: -10-30-1230-1230-1230-1230-1230-1230-10-12

First Quarter Peal at first attempt: 1

Rung as a farewell to Revd Margaret Byrne, until recently a curate of St Peter's Little Budworth & St Mary's Whitegate, who will on 12th May be instituted as Vicar of the Benefice of Alvanley, Manley, Norley, Crowton and Kingsley. Wishing her well in the next chapter of her ministry.

First handbell peal: 7-8

1 - First quarter peal at first attempt.

Associated with the Cheshire School of Bell Ringing.

Rung to celebrate the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough

Rung to celebrate Sir David Attenborough on his 100th birthday this day.

Rung for the Wedding of Kate Sarah Barnes and Finley James McCance