Society of Royal Cumberland Youths

Promoting excellence in ringing around the world

Welcome Guest

In Memory Of

The following members who have passed away since our last business meeting on 10 January 2024:

Mary R Andrews

of Bexley, Kent, elected 12 June 1954, died 4 February 2024

Ian S Bennett

of Rawmarsh, South Yorkshire elected 8 July 2020, died 26 January 2024

Thomas W Goodyer

of Sydney, Australia elected 9 September 1953, died 15 February 2024

Jean Nixon

of Stafford, Staffordshire elected 18 January 1969, died 14 February 2024

Joe E G Roast

of Danbury, Essex elected 17 September 1960, died 29 February 2024


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 10 January 2024:

June M Mitchell

of Brading, Isle of Wight elected 21 January 1956, died 1 November 2023

Gail E Graves

of Houston, Texas elected 2 March 1994, died 11 November 2023

Maud E Lindsay

of Belfast, Northern Ireland elected 5 October 1951, died 25 December 2023

Adrian Knights

of Needham, Suffolk elected 10 July 1971, died 16 December 2023

Rev Ivan R Howitt

of York, elected 3 April 1982, died 3 January 2024


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 7 October 2023:

S Kathleen M Baldwin

of Watford, Hertfordshire elected 23 October 1952, died 16 August 2023

Wendy Piercy

of Eaton Socon, Cambridgeshire elected 4 January 1995, died 20 September 2023


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 7 July 2023:

Roger I Kendrick

of Luton, Bedfordshire elected 11th April 1970, died 24th January 2023

Harry Poyner

of Wissendine, Rutland elected 8th July 1995, died 11th March 2023

Colin W Reed

of Balderton, Nottinghamshire elected 16th December 1961, died March 2023

Janet R Cafe

of Towcester, Northamptonshire elected 13th July 1991, died 10th March 2023

Kevin S Hohl

of Ipswich, Suffolk elected 16th January 1965, died May 2023


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 13 May 2023:

Donald R Marshall

of Anglesey, Wales elected 4th August 1947, died 4th January 2023

Paul J Loxston

of Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire elected 14th April 1973, died 24th October 2022

Christopher B Fynes

of Petworth, Sussex elected 20th January 1968, died 5th January 2023

David Orledge

of Neston, Corsham, Wiltshire elected 18th January 1964

Charlotte Everett

of Garsington, Oxfordshire elected 1st May 1996, died 18th December 2022

Peter J Sawyer

of Torquay, Devon elected 3rd October 1984, died 2nd April 2023

Jean Barnes

of Blackburn, Lancashire elected 12th July 1997, died 2nd March 2023

Harry Poyner

of Oakham, Leicestershire elected 8th July 1995, died 11th March 2023

Gregory T Woods

of Reine Astrid, Belgium, elected 7 October 1995, died 20 February 2023


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 1 October 2022:

David Andrews

of Waverton, Chester, elected 2 April 1977, died 8 April 2022

Yvonne C S Porter

of Plymouth, Devon, elected 18 January 1964, died 18 January 2022

Frank T Blagrove

of Windsor, Berkshire, elected 18 January 1969, died 12 October 2022

Jean Jeffery

of Belfast, Northern Ireland, elected 14 April 1993, died 15 October 2022

Kenmure A Russell

of Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, elected 8 July 1972, died 19 October 2022

Joyce Dodds

of Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, elected 21 June 1952, died 7 November 2022


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 9 July 2022:

Margaret Chapman

of Marston Bigot, Somerset elected 1 October 1988, died 4 May 2022

William L Exton

of Mapperley, Nottingham elected 18 September 1954, died 31August 2022


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 13 April 2022:

Tom Page

of Aldershot, Hampshire, elected 7 July 1945, died 20 April 2022

William John Munton

of Epsom, Surry elected 20 January 1968

Pamela Latchford

of Bottisham, Cambridgeshire, elected 27 September 1947, died 31st January 2022

Audrey Allaway

of Orpington, Kent, elected 22 January 1949, died 2 December 2021

Patricia Cross

of Gillingham, Kent, elected 18 June 1949, died November 2021

Trevor Cross

of Gillingham, Kent, elected 1 October 1949, died November 2021

Bruce Butler

of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, elected 20 January 1968, died 18th January 2022


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 5 January 2022:

Martin Morris

of Alton, Hampshire, elected 15 January 1983, died 26th October 2021

Alan R Baldock

of Magham Down, Sussex, elected 20th January 1962, died 16th December 2021

David J Gay

of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, elected 2nd November 1947, died 29th December 2021


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 2 October 2021:

Helen M Diserens

of Wallingford, Oxfordshire, elected 21st January 1978, Died 4th July 2021

David Pickett

of Cockshutt, Shropshire, elected 10th July 1971, Died 2nd March 2021

T Mark White

of London, elected 20th September 1946, Died 13th July 2021

David G Salter

of ipswich, elected 25th November 1998, Died 9th September 2021


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 10 July 2021:

Kenneth R Ballou

of Framingham, Massachusetts, USA, elected 1 October 1994, died 16 April 2021

Freda D Belson

of Burnham, Buckinghamshire, elected 13 September 1941, died 2 February 2019

A Barry Sullivan

of Lepton, Huddersfield, elected 11 March 1995, died 24 June 2021


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 14 April 2021:

Joy M Eldridge

of Broomhall, Worcestershire, elected 1 July 1987, died 6th April 2021

John M Kemp

of Bengeo, Hertfordshire, elected 8 July 1967, died 4 April 2021

Allan A Paton

of Powys, Wales, elected 14 October 1972, died 18 February 2021

Elizabeth Foster

of Richmond, Yorkshire, elected 6 April 1968, died 19 February 2021

Margaret E Goodyer

of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, elected 4 July 1953, died 29 January 2021

Stella Knight

of Chichcester, Sussex, elected 9 July 1949, died 8 January 2021

Linda C Woodford

of Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, elected 5 October 1991, died 16 February 2021


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 6 January 2021:

Thomas M Barlow

of Maidstone, Kent, elected 20 January 1962, died 15 October 2020

Valerie J Howard

of East Grinstead, Sussex, elected 8 January 1992, died 8 October 2020

Colin A Tester

of Chorley, Lancashire, elected 18 November 1957, died 21 November 2020

W Emma S Cundiff

of Sittingbourne, Kent, elected 3 October 1984, died 9 December 2020

Ian Smith

of Darwen, Lancashire, elected 31 July 1976, died 20 December 2020


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 3 October 2020:

Diana M Bridle

of Thatcham, Berkshire, elected 22 April 1978, died 4 August 2020

Michael J Edwards

of Tiptree, Essex, elected 21 March 2000, died 15 April 2020

Sheila Edmondson

of Harpenden, Hertfordshire, elected 14 April 1993, died 9 March 2020

Gillian Flitton

of Oxhey, Hertfordshire, elected 29 September 1951, died 21 December 2019

Alan J Munnings

of Ipswich, Suffolk, elected 10 July 1971, died 8 September 2020

Mary Sales

of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire ,elected 29 September 1951, died 8 April 2020


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 8 July 2020:

Ronald F Diserens

of Betchworth, Surrey, elected 21 April 1951, died 11 June 2020.

John F Oultram

of Frodsham, Cheshire, elected 8 July 1989, died 8 May 2020

William A Brotherton

of Chapel Saint Leonards, Lincolnshire, elected 2 November 2005, died 16 April 2020

Margaret A Bale

of Ashtead, Surrey, elected 1 October 1994, died 18 February 2020

Bernard C Sadler

of Prittlewell, Essex, elected 21 November 1953, died 26 October 2019


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 8 January 2020:

John S Barnes

of Orpington, Kent, elected 28 March 1953, died 19 October 2019


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 13 July 2019:

David J R Martin

of Great Bookham, Leatherhead, Surrey, elected 22 January 1949, died 18 December 2018


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 1st May 2019:

Anthony H G Parry

of Würenlingen, Switzerland, elected 17 January 1981, died 21 March 2019


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 9th March 2019:

Rev John R Worsdall

of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, elected 28 March 1953, died 19 October 2018

James M Page

of Hatfield Peverell, Essex, elected 22 January 1949, died January 2019

Peter J Eves

of Writtle, Essex, elected 14 February 1948, died 4 February 2019

Alan H Sturgess

of Fareham, Hampshire, elected 24 April 1954, died 3 February 2019

Jacqueline S King

of Chepstow, Monmouthshire, elected 20 May 1951, died February 2019

Mary Bartholomew

of Leominster, Herefordshire, elected 12 June 1954, died 28 February 2019


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 2nd January 2019:

Frank J Matthews

of Gravesend, Kent, elected 21 January 1950, died 27 October 2017.

Rhian N Bagshaw

of Meopham, Kent, elected 18 January 1975, died 4 November 2017.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 14 July 2018:

Anne R Haskard

of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, elected 2 October 2010, died 15 May 2018.

Jonathan Wilkinson

of Northallerton, North Yorkshire, elected 5 May 1999, died 23 May 2018.

Godfrey M FitzHugh

of Hailsham, Sussex, elected 20 January 1962.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 2nd May 2018:

Margaret Anderson

of Presteigne, Powys, elected 22 April 1978, died 8 April 2018.

Michael J Platt

of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, elected 22 April 1978, died 4 April 2018.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 10th March 2018:

Howard Oglesby

of Brackley, Northamptonshire, 20 May 1957, died 17 December 2017.

Chistine Andrew

of Bristol, elected 8 July 1967, died 19 February 2018.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 3rd January 2018:

Christopher Graves

of Upware, Ely, Cambridgeshire, elected 8 July 1972, died 30 November 2017.

Rupert Caporn

of Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, elected 13 September 1958, died 6 October 2017.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 8th July 2017:

Elizabeth Smith

of Aylsham, Norfolk, elected 18 September 1948, died 30 November 2015.

Sam Letters

of Ballymena, County Antrim, elected 5 October 1991, died 26 March 2017.

Peter Beresford

of Wellington, Somerset, elected 13 September 1958, died 10 May 2017.

Evelyn M Bowen

Elected 28 March 1953, died 7 May 2017.

Kathleen M Brown

of Sapcote, Leicestershire, elected 15 July 1978, died 19 June 2017.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 3rd May 2017:

Jacqueline Downing

of Northampton, Northamptonshire, elected 2 April 1966 died about 2015.

Valerie R Crouch

of Poole, Dorset, elected 4 September 1943 died 5 December 2016.

E Vivian Williams

of Leeds, West Yorkshire, elected 19 January 1957 died 2016.

Joan Gray

of Backwell, Somerset, elected 28 April 1945 died 21 December 2016.

Christopher Roberts

of Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, elected 17 January 1976 died 7 March 2017.

Frank G Bloomfield

of Felixstowe, Suffolk, elected 25 June 1956, died 23 January 2017.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 11th March 2017:

Richard Cowley

of Thrapston, Northamptonshire, elected 18 January 1975 died 5 January 2017

Jill Staniforth

of Leicester, Leicestershire, elected 15 January 1966 died 7 January 2017

Freda Cannon

of Greenwich, Greater London, elected 14 September 1963 died 14 January 2017.

Eric Naylor

of Bath, Somerset, lected 21 January 1950 died 27 January 2017.

Margaret Large

of East Grinstead, West Sussex, elected 15 April 1961 died 4 February 2017.

Ruth Foreman

of Hendon, Greater London, elected 26 May 1962 died 19 February 2017.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 4th January 2017:

Michael E Brown

of Sapcote, Leicestershire, elected 5 July 1978, died 9 November 2016

David Redfearn

of Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, elected 16 January 1971, died 29 November 2016


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 1st October 2016:

Diana J Handley

of Kendal, Cumbria, elected 13 September 1958, died 5 July 2016

Marjorie F Matthews

of Gravesend, Kent, elected 27 November 1950, died 9 August 2016


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 9th July 2016:

M Amy Coburn

of Harpenden, Hertfordshire, elected 27 September 1947, died 19 February 2016


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 4th May 2016:

Donald N Jennings

of Hawley, Hampshire, elected 23 April 1938, died 20 April 2016

George E Williamson

of Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia, elected 4 February 1952, died 31 August 2012


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 6th January 2016:

The Revd John Shepheard-Walwyn

of Wanganui, New Zealand, elected 17 September 1960 died 12 December 2015

Beryl Nelson

of Mountain View, California, USA, elected 5 October 1993 died 23 October 2015.

Mikaela Howard

of Laguian-Mazous, France, elected 8 July 1961 died 1 August 2015


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 3rd October 2015:

Hannah Hotston

of Bartestree, Gloucestershire elected 2 October 1993 died 20 July 2015.

Frank W Lewis

of Sevenoaks, Kent elected 29 April 1951 died 22 July 2015.

Ronald Noon

of Fakenham, Norfolk elected 13 October 1945 died 3 August 2015.

William Crouch

of Charleston USA elected 4 January 2006 died 18 August 2015.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 11th July 2015:

Revd Geoffrey Harold Brown

of Little Shurdington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire elected Honorary Member 7 October 1995, died 27 May 2015.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 6th May 2015:

M Jo Moreton

of Wakefield, Yorkshire elected 23 November 1994, 15 April 2015.

Dennis Allcock

of North Creake, Norfolk elected 10 July 1999, died 18 March 2015.

F W (Bill) Garner

of Sompting, Lancing, Sussex elected 23 July 1946, died 4 September 2013.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 14th March 2015:

Adrian Semken

of Coggeshall, Colchester, Essex elected 8 July 1972, died 6 March 2015.

Pamela H Humphries

of Cheam, Surrey elected 14 April 1947, died 15 February 2015.

Dennis A Chapman

of Marchwood, Southampton elected 4 January 1980, died 6 February 2015.

A Muriel Reay

of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands elected 18 April 1952, died 19 January 2015.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 7th January 2015:

Neil Belson

of Burnham, Buckinghamshire elected 3 April 1971, died 15 October 2014.

Ruth Maundrell

Elected 29 September 1945, died 10 September 2014.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 4th October 2014:

Reverend Lord Wrenbury

of Dallington, Sussex elected 1 October 1949 died 26 September 2014.

Jean Hall

of Chislehurst, Kent elected 30 March 1935 died 25 September 2014.

Kathryn E Tucker

of Kennesaw, Georgia, USA, elected 4 May 2006 died 24 August 2014.

Catherine M Ladd

of Leeds, Yorkshire, elected 1 July 1981 died 6 August 2014.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 7th May 2014:

W Leslie Weller

of West Grinstead, Sussex, elected 10 April 1965 died 16 March 2014.


The following members were remembered at our last business meeting on 8th March 2014:

Alf Patten

of Sussex, elected 21 January 1950, died 4 January 2014.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 8th January 2014:

Colin Johnson

of Cambridgeshire, elected 8 March 2008, died 30 October 2013.

Monica Blagrove

of Berkshire, elected 18 January 1969, died 25 October 2013.

Shelagh Melville

of Bedfordshire, elected 17 January 1953, died 18 October 2013.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 5th October 2013:

Rosemary Palmer

of Cambridgeshire, elected 20th January 1973, died 31st August 2013.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 13th July 2013:

John Norsworthy

of Berkshire, elected 18th April 1947, died in 2004.

Geoffery Pearson

of Cambridgeshire, elected 12th October 1956, died 25th May 2013.

Judith Ossei-Kumah

of Kent, elected 21st January 1956, died 20th June 2013.

Claudia A Critchley

of Cornwall, elected 8th July 1972, died 1st July 2013.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 1st May 2013:

Betty Robbins

of Staffordshire, elected 27th September 1947, died 14th March 2013.

Christopher E. Slade

of Worcestershire, elected 15th September 1956, died 24th March 2013.

Ronald R Warford

of Northumberland, elected 10th July 1971, died 29th April 2013.  Funeral 10 May - see Bellboard


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 9th March 2013:

Howard W Egglestone

of Devon, elected 17th September 1960, died 17th February 2013.

Canon George Smith

of Gloucestershire, elected 6th May 1944, died 17th December 2012.

Roy Walker

of Hertfordshire, elected 8th July 1967, died 12th December 2012.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 2nd January 2013:

Hilda Massey

of Somerset, elected 4th July 1953, died August 2012.

A Ronald Ling

of Hertfordshire, elected 9th April 1949, died November 2012.

Francis R Goddard

of Essex, elected 9th February 1946.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 6th October 2012:

Rev Norman J Smith

of Hampshire, elected 22nd July 1950.

Doris Colgate

of Kent, elected 30th January 1937.

Eric J Brunger

of Norfolk, elected 7th April 1956.

Mark R Rizzo

of Illinois, USA, elected 1st July 1987.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 14th July 2012:

Mary Wells

of Oxfordshire, elected 9th September 1941, died 11 May 2012.

Stephen Nicholson

of Durham, elected 4th April 1990, died 11th May 2012.

Sheila Dobbie

of Kent, elected 4th July 1953, died 28 May 2012.

Alison Regan

of Worcestershire, elected 17th January 1981 (Treasurer 1990), died 12th July 2012.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 2nd May 2012:

Elizabeth Jeffrey

of Kent, elected January 1961, died August 2008.

Desmond G Mayell

of Essex, elected 9th February 1946, died 18th November 2009.

Clifford A Vessey

of Surrey, elected 8th December 1946, died 8th April 2008.

Heather Shorten

of Devon, elected 14th April 1993, died 24th April 2012.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 10th March 2012:

Harry E Wells

of Oxfordshire, elected 30th September 1950.

J Michael Swift

of East Sussex, elected 18th April 1964, died 9th January 2012.

Clive A Brettell

of West Yorkshire, elected 9th October 1971, died 30th January 2012.

Rev John H Greene

of West Sussex, elected 20th January 1973, died 16th January 2012.

Harold W Rogers

of Greater London, elected 30th March 1957, died 17th February 2012.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 4th January 2012:

Harold A May

of Petersfield, Hampshire, elected 2nd April 1945, died February 2010.

Harold Reynolds

of Eastbourne, Sussex, elected 9th October 1971.

Alan Ball

of Bexley, Kent, elected January 1940.


The following member was remembered at our business meeting on 1st October 2011:

Bessie Hacker

elected 29th September 1945, died August 2011.


Dennis Beresford

We were very sad to hear of the passing of Dennis Beresford, of Devon, elected 21st January 1956 (Master 1960-1968 & 1972-1976, Junior Steward 1957, Trustee 1970, CCCBR 1960-1977), died June 2011. An ex Master, Officer and Trustee of the Society, Dennis was responsible for transforming the Society when it was a low point in its history. His funeral was held on Monday 11th July at 2pm at the Church of St James the Less, Huish. The Society was well represented at the funeral and 8 past masters were present.

We remembered Dennis at our business meeting on 9th July 2011 in Skipton, along with other members whose deaths we have recorded:

Laurence V C Knowles

of Egham, elected 14th June 1951, died April 2009

Monica Savage

of Loughborough, elected 17th January 1970, died Feb/Mar 2011

Jack King

of Winchester, elected 4th December 1950, died December 2010

Renée Armstrong

of Essex elected 21st January 1956, died June 2011

Violet Castle

of Hurst, elected 21st April 1951, died December 2000

Bernard Castle

of Wokingham, elected 21st April 1951.


The following member was remembered at our business meeting on 12th March 2011:

Geoffrey Dodds

of St Albans, Hertfordshire, elected 19th October 1946.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 5th January 2011:

Olive Barnett

of Mere, Wiltshire, elected 21st February 1947.

Eileen Sweet

of Harbourne, Birmingham, elected 9th April 1983.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 2nd October 2010:

Frank Arnold

of Norwich in Norfolk, elected 10th October 1970.

Joan Ward

of Greater Manchester, elected 12th September 1956.

Elizabeth Wycherley

of Southend on Sea in Essex, elected 15th January 1972 (Assistant Secretary 1977-1978).


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 10th July, 2010:

Ken Newman

of Kimpton, elected 20th January 1962 (Junior Steward 1964-1965, Senior Steward 1965-1967, CCCBR 1966-1969).


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 13th March, 2010:

Betty Murtagh

of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, elected 4th October 1986.

Beryl Paton

of Dorchester in Dorset, elected 20th January 1973.

Malcolm Tyler

of Weston Flavell in Northhamptonshire, elected 8th July 1972.


The following member was remembered at our business meeting on 6th Janary, 2010:

Jean Sanderson

of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, elected 3rd October 1979.

Robert Stokes

of Minnesota in the USA, elected 10th July 1999.

Phil Tocock

of Dorcester in Dorset, elected 2nd May 1938.


The following member was remembered at our business meeting on 3rd October, 2009:

Kevin Betesta

elected 2nd April 1966.

Carol Hardwick

of Frome in Somerset, elected 8th January 1992.


The following member was remembered at our business meeting on 11th July, 2009:

Caroline Harris

of Horning in Norfolk, elected 11th July 1998.


The following member was remembered at our business meeting on 6th May, 2009:

Patricia Medley

of Chelsea in London, elected 1st April 1992.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 14th March, 2009:

Patrick Harrisson

of Staplehurst in Kent, elected 3rd April 1971.

Monica Martin

of Bendigo, Victoria in Australia, elected 17th January 1953.

Robin Turner

of Melbourne, Victoria in Australia elected 18th September 1954.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 21st January, 2009:

Harry Brown

of Burgess Hill, West Sussex elected in 1949.

Brian Porter

of Hassocks, West Sussex elected 22nd January 1976.

Andrea Purchase

of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

David Reed

of Dorchester, Dorset elected 22nd January 1956.

Ernest Willcox

of Shrewsbury, Shropshire elected 15th May 1954.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 4th October, 2008:

Jean Darmon

of Amersham, Buckingham elected in 1960.

Jocelyn Gardiner

of Great Yarmouth, Norwich elected 12th October 1946.

John Rance

of Crowthorne, Berkshire elected 22nd January 1938.

Peter Romney

of Tonbridge, Kent elected 15th May 1955.


The following member was remembered at our business meeting on 12th July, 2008:

Brian Jeffery

of Edenbridge, Kent elected 7th December 1957.


The following membere were remembered at our business meeting on 7th May, 2008:

Audrey Short

of Taunton, Somerset elected 27th September 1947.

Shirley Rymer

of Calne, Wiltshire elected 19th March, 1953.

Jessie Kippin

of Billericay, Essex elected 27th September 1947.

Sampson Walklate

Chaddesden, Derby elected 30th May 1957.


The following member was remembered at our business meeting on 8th March, 2008:

Shirley Drew

of Norwich, Norfolk elected 23rd January 1960.


The following member was remembered at our business meeting on 9th January, 2008:

Dennis Hall

of Solihull, Warwickshire elected 4th September 1943.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 6th October, 2007:

James Mossop

of Egremont, Cumbria elected 22nd April 1956.

Richard Hedges

of Gillingham, Dorset elected 26th April 1980.

Nancy Bramley

of Wimborne elected 4th January 1989.

Roy Harris

of Reading elected 12th April 1987.

Marion Perryman

of Orwell elected 10th July 1999.

Joan Summerhayes

of Worcester elected 19th March 1953. Senior Steward 1969-1971, 1977-1978. Assistant Secretary 1974-1977.


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 14th July, 2007:

Patricia Doorn

Revd. Prebendary J. G. M. Scott

F William Midwinter

Bill was elected a Member of the Society on 18th September 1954 and was one of the regular attendees in the late 50's early 60's at the Society Annual Dinners along with such stalwarts as the late Jack Millhouse, Jim Raithby, Arthur Chilton, Harold Stevenson etc.

Bill was a Founder Member of the Southwell Guild and Chairman from 1963 to 1979 having deptised for the late Canon R.F. wilkinson for many years before that. It was in his capacity as Chairman that in May 1967 he welcomed the Central Council to its only Meeting held in Nottingham. He was for many years either Master or Tower Secretary at Newark Parish Church and it was in this capacity that he was every ready to welcome visiting ringers with a welcoming smile.

Ill health prevent Bill from ringing in recent years but in 2006 he wrote a book entitled "Once Upon A Time In Nottinghamshire" - Reminiscences of a 90 year old former Amateur Actor and Retired Church Bell Ringer, in which he details much of his life both on the stage and his love of bells and bell ringing. Among the many photographs in the book is one of the ringers taken at a reception in the Sheriff's Office following a peal at St. Peter's Church, Nottingham complimenting Councillor C.W. Judge, Bill's uncle, on being elected Sheriff of Nottingham on 18th May 1970.

Bill was a tall and kindly man and perhaps a measure of his popularity was that he rung not only some 368 peals and in over 900 churches but that his only means of transport throughout his whole life was a bicycle and he was never known to ask for a lift, he just materialised.

Perhaps Bill is best summed up in a comment from Mark Lewis on learning of Bill's death - "I shall always remember the gentle giant who introduced me to bell ringing (and illicit pints at the Ferry on Friday evenings)".


The following members were remembered at our business meeting on 2nd May, 2007:

Ann Bethell

Ann Bethell died suddenly at the age of 57 on Easter Monday. Ann was from Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire and was elected a member to the Society on 14 July, 1973. She was the Assistant Secretary from 1978 until 1981 and rang 42 peals for the Society. We saw her most recently at our recent country meeting at Northfield, where she also rang her last peal. Ann was looking forward to joining members on the current trip to Australia, but unfortunately that was not to be. She was remembered at our May meeting with much affection and sadness.

Alfred House

Alf House was our longest serving member when he died at the age of 94 on the 10th of April, having been elected on 19 January, 1935. Alf was from Chard, Somerset, having learned to ring in Cheshunt, Herts. His 10th peal was a long length (15144) of Plain Bob Major at Bennington in 1933 - then the longest length of Major ever rung; his first Society peal, 4 spliced major at Erith, in 1935, was the first of such for the Society and his last peal was also 4 Spliced at Cattistock, again for the Society, on the 60th anniversary of the Erith peal. He rang around 740 peals, 41 of which were for the Society and 24 of which were with the legendary Bill Pye. Apart from ringing many peals of Stedman Cinques at St Martin in the Fields, he rang over 200 on the 7th at Willesden where many new methods were rung and named. It was good to see Alf at our 250th dinner and more recently at the Exmouth country meeting last year where he renewed many old friendships and many of us were privileged to meet him for the first time. The loss of a real gentleman of ringing.

John F Jennings

John was a quiet man who took his ringing seriously. John spent many years in Woodbridge and was a mainstay of the band there. In later life he and Barbara moved to Wickham Market and supported ringing both there and at Pettistree. Always modest about his own abilities, he was a reliable ringer but not a prolific peal-ringer. Parkinson’s Disease brought an early end to his ringing career and my last memory of him was meeting him at one of the by now renowned Veteran's Afternoons at Debenham where he was among many of his old friends.