St Mary’s
Wednesday, 21 March 2018 in 2h 55 (10–1–18)
5040 Welbeck Delight Minor
(being 7 extents)
1 Jane A Aked
2 Colin Aked
3 J Stuart Brown
4 John P Ottaway
5 Philip R Wild
6 Christopher C P Woodcock (C)
First peal in the method.
Specially arranged and rung to mark the centenary of the death of Bertie Skelton, former ringer at this Church, the last of the three Cuckney ringers to lose their lives during the Great War.
Rung with the bells half muffled as a mark of respect to commemorate the centenary of Private Bertie Skelton being killed in action in France on 21st March 1918 aged 20, whilst serving in The Prince of Wales’s (North Staffordshire Regiment) 2nd/5th Battalion.
Bertie Skelton was one of ten ringers at Norton Cuckney in 1914 forming the new local band to ring on the new bells after they were augmented at Easter 1914 by the Duke of Portland, and Bertie and the other nine Norton Cucnkey ringers joined the North Nottinghamshire Association as probationary members (a member who is able to ring his bell well in rounds).
Bertie worked on the Welbeck Estate, Norton Cuckney Church being one of the Estate Churches, and he is commemorated on the Welbeck Estate War Memorial in the Welbeck Abbey private Chapel.
Honourable age does not depend on length of days, nor is the number of years a true measure of life.
We Will Remember You!
Attributed also to the ‘old’ North Nottinghamshire Association.
More info about Bertie Skelton can be found at http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/rollofhonour/People/Details/22876
300th peal of Minor: 6.