March Country Meeting Report

The March country meeting took place on Saturday 13 March in the Southampton area, and was attended by well over 70 members and friends. After a cold start, it ended up a really lovely sunny day, which was just right for some of the walking between towers and pubs and loitering between ringing.

32 members took part in peal attempts and these were scored at Milford on Sea, New Alresford, and St Michael's Southampton. There was general ringing at Curdridge, North Stoneham, and St Barnabas Southampton before finishing on the relatively new 12 at Bitterne Park where we also had our meeting.

We were among the first to have the pleasure of using the newly refurished café and parish hall which was effectively a large extension of the ringing room. During a shortish meeting, we elected and welcomed 3 new members: Jonathan P Daniels, Stephen J Hall and Jessie H MacLeod; we remembered 4 members who had recently died, Beryl Paton, Betty Murtagh, Malcolm Tyler, and Joan Peel.

We also had a 'stall' at the side of the hall where we had some surplus SRCY memorabilia, from duplicate newsletters, to old rules, and including badges and prints... £75 was raised from donations from this which will go towards the library fund. As the library still has many surplus items, we will repeat this at other meetings. A copy of an old photo from the library was also displayed - we think it's from the 1920s but we don't know who, when or where; we've had one 'who' suggestion so far. This will be posted on the website very soon so you can peruse it at your leisure.

The day concluded at the very pleasing South Western Arms. We enjoyed some very fine ales as well as a great variety of pub pickings catering well for both the herbivores and omnivores, and of course, more importantly, very good company. As well as the usual camaraderie, there were several meetings between those who'd not seen each other for years. While most people travelled up and down in a day to the event, it was also good to see people who had come from afar, Ireland and Cumbria to list two.

I am now very tempted to try to get to at least one of the future Southern Practices - the bells, the ringers and the pub are very appealing!

Thanks to Mark Place for his hard work in providing such a delightful day along with the good weather. Also to Jo Dorling and Mary Holden for organising the peals and meal takers. Also to Peter Harrison who got the website back up and running during his Australian Holiday, so I didn't have to read the minutes of last meeting and you all knew where to go!

We will be providing photographic evidence soon.

See you in July I hope!

Penny Sharpe

SOCIETY OF ROYAL CUMBERLAND YOUTHS
NEW ALRESFORD, Hants
St John the Baptist
Sat Mar 13 2010 2hr53 (16)
5088 London S Major
Comp: Stephen Ivin (No. 14)
1 Simon J Davies
2 Linda M Garton
3 Nicola E Firminger
4 Geraldine R Forster
5 Angie M E Jasper
6 Stephen Borman
7 Claire F Roulstone
8 John P Loveless (C)
On SRCY Country Day

MILFORD on SEA, Hants
All Saints
Sat Mar 13 2010 2hr47 (12)
5120 Bristol S Major
Comp: D F Morrison
1 John J Ford
2 Lee Pinnington
3 Sarah E Hutchinson
4 Fiona M Wheeler
5 Shirley E McGill
6 Catherine N Merlane
7 Stephen A Wheeler (C)
8 Richard M Hobbs

SOUTHAMPTON, Hants
St Michael, Archangel
Sat Mar 13 2010 3h8 (16)
5040 Cambridge S Royal
Comp: Richard J Angrave (5040 No. 9a)
1 Hugh J W Wilkinson
2 Penelope J V Sharpe
3 Timothy J Peverett
4 Hilary A Beresford
5 Michael R Crockett
6 Malcolm M Powell
7 Jonathan C Hetherington (C)
8 Donald B Carter
9 Ian G Campbell
10 Matthew D Hetherington
Rung on the morning of the Society's Country Meeting in Southampton.