This month saw the passing of Jim Hoskin who was a stalwart of ringing at Tuckingmill, and I send my condolences to his family.
I visited Maker ringers at their Tuesday practice and received a warm welcome. One of their ringers is an “Instagrammer” and I have now starred in a video on their Instagram account – wonders will never cease!
We rang a call change peal and a couple of quarters to mark the 80th birthday of John Body. John was very influential in the Eastern District at progressing the advanced ringing scene as well as serving for many years as Tower Captain at Callington supporting the local band in call change ringing.
The second Saturday in June was a big day in the Devon Association of Ringers calendar, Major Final Day. This is the pinnacle event in which all teams who compete try to lift the Rose Shield for 6-bell ringing. I was delighted to be invited as one of the judges at such a prestigious event and what a day it was with only 2 faults (8 dots) between 1st and 2nd place. It was held at the recently augmented 6 at Denbury where teams were not allowed to practice for 12 months before. The nice thing about this Day is that before the service the judges ring in the “Judges Peal” which gives us the chance to hear and feel what the bells are like for the competitors, and I had never rung there before!
Chris Venn has been back down in Cornwall, in action on the St. Buryan Tenor, ringing in memory of Revd. Richard Legge who supported Chris in the restoration of these great bells.
I have also visited St.Stephens-by-Saltash where a presentation was made to new recruit Charlie for “Ringing for the King”. The Tower Captain gave him a certificate/badge and, of course, a picture was taken with him and his teacher Jerry Burnham. They also rang 80 call changes before a Sunday service to mark the 80th birthday of Ian Braid who rang the Treble in this peal.
This past week saw a change for me on a Wednesday as instead of the usual St. Dominic practice I went down to St. Columb Major where I was greeted with a packed ringing chamber – 18 or so! One of the ringers there is John Mitchell whose father Dick appeared in the background photo on my last blog. How ironic to go to a practice and meet up with someone who learnt in my neck of the woods!! St. Columb also marked the 90th birthday of Ronnie Roberts, a past ringer, by ringing 90 call changes and some other general ringing.
Keep ringing folks!
Owen Borlase
Guild President
President with Maker Ringers
President with John Mitchell
