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Joan Edna Simpson was born in Louth, Lincolnshire, in 1932. Her father, Arthur Hoodless was a renown ringer and rang at Barton-on-Humber and St James’ Louth until the age of 91. Her grandfather, also named Arthur, was the Tower Captain at Barton-on-Humber for many years. Due to her father’s reserved occupation the family relocated to Nottinghamshire during the Second World War.

When Joan rang her first church bell at the age of 13 in 1945, Winston Churchill was Prime Minister, George VI was on the throne and the Second World War was about to end. Joan rang at Cotgrove Church in Nottinghamshire until 1962. During this time she met Allan her husband, also a ringer. The family then moved to Southsea Portsmouth where they continued to ring in the Portsmouth and Hilsea area until Joan and Allan returned to Lincolnshire in 1995, moving to Coningsby, where Joan had been a very active member of local bell ringing teams until her death in November 2022.

Joan continued to ring until she was 87. This amazing commitment spanning 72 years and her charity work especially for the church and Cancer Research, was recognised when she was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2018 New Years Honors List. She always said that she hoped the award of the BEM would raise the profile of bell ringing and encourage more people to share her wonderful hobby. She rang her last quarter on 10 October 2018 at Potterhanworth, to celebrate the award of the BEM.

The final words should go to Joan; ‘I have really enjoyed it and it is a great way of making friends’ and of course her mantra ‘listen to your bells!’

The following ringers wish to be associated with this quarter; Anne & Bob Hardwick, Charlie Short, Christopher Woodcock, all Coningsby Ringers and Old Bolingbroke Ringers.