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Rung as a final farewell to our dear friend RON APPLEWHITE, bell ringer for 88 years at Potterhanworth, Branston & Washingborough, and Honorary Life Member of the Lincoln Diocesan Guild, that’s all being called on his long life, Friday 22nd May 2020 at the grand old age of 100.

Rung on the day following his funeral, this being the second stop in memory of Ron, visiting the towers that Ron rang at during his 88 years of ringing.

Ron was a member of the highly regarded and respected Branston band during the 1950’s and 60’s – the band being one of the best six bell bands in the county at that time ringing many peals together. He rang many peals of Spliced and Multi Minor with the band. Out of the 114 peals he rang 94 were of Minor. Ron rang his first and last peals both here at Branston, and Branston was his leading peal tower having rung 22 peals on the bells.

We were joined here today by Ray & Barbara Cucksey, Ray being Tower Captain here at All Saints, who has known Ron for many years and has rung a number of Quarter Peals with him. Ron was the last surviving member of the Branston band who rang for Ray & Barbara’s wedding here 52 years ago.

We remembered Ron by standing under the tower here at All Saints by the old ringer’s entrance. We started by listening to a recording of Bourne Surprise Minor being rung on the bells at Bourne Abbey. This was a fitting tribute as Bourne was a favourite method of the Branston Peal band – regularly featuring in their peals, and Ron and the Branston Peal band rang the first peal of Hull Surprise Minor at Nocton in 1952 (the sixths place version of Bourne)! We then read out Tennyson’s Poem ‘In Memoriam - Ring Out Wild Bells’ and following this we listened to a recording of Grandsire Triples being rung on the bells at Welbourn. These are the old bells from Hagworthingham and are meant to be the actual ‘Wild Bells’ which inspired Tennyson to write this poem, Tennyson being born and spending all his youth in Somersby where neighbouring Hagworthingham bells could be heard across the fields! We then read out the Ringers Hymn ‘Unchanging God who Livest’ as a poem and finished by ringing 60 changes of Plain Bob Singles on handbells (the old three bells at Potterhanworth where Ron lived for all his married life were rung regularly by Chris, Yvonne & Ron – the ‘Old Potter Trio’).

Rest in Peace dear friend.

(No. 2 of 3)

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be.