Let the Bells Ring Out!

Deputy Lord Mayor's Blog 29

On Saturday evening I attended one of the most interesting dinners during my time as Lord Mayor or Deputy Lord Mayor. This was the annual Henry Johnson Commemoration Dinner of the St Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers.

The Guild is a voluntary association of bell-ringers in the Birmingham diocese with the objectives of maintaining ringing for church services; practising, encouraging and advancing the art of change-ringing; and providing a fund to support belfry restoration and improvement projects within its area. Henry Johnson was a renowned bell ringer born in the early 19th century.

Church bell ringing is a quintessentially English tradition and it was good to see that this historic heritage is being actively carried forward by such committed and energetic a body as Birmingham's own Guild. It is no wonder that Birmingham is so widely regarded as a centre of excellence.

During the evening there was a beautiful performance of hand bell ringing and a good opportunity for me to learn more about the practice (which is known as 'The Exercise' - no-one using the term campanology).

Some of those present had rung a fantastic number of changes - one person at my table had rung over 1700 sets of 5,040 changes (all possible orderings of 7 bells) and this was by no means a record! Others were well known 'Tower Grabbers' trying to ring at as many bell towers as possible. Some had travelled widely and had rung at Christchurch Cathedral to tower of which was destroyed in the recent earthquake. St Martin's was the first set of church bells to be rung live on the radio.

If you are young(ish) co-ordinated and a bit musical you would be very welcome to be trained up. For more information you can email Simon Linford at simonhippo@hotmail.com Bell ringing has something of a family tradition and there is also a children's section. The St Martin's Guild website can be found at
 http://smgcbr.heralded.org.uk