The Handbell Ringers of Great Britain - how it all began
HRGB celebrates its 50th anniversary during 2017 and it's worth a look back to see how it all began and the vital part played by The Ringing World ...
Norbury Handbell Ringers, Hazel Grove, Cheshire (l-r): W Hartley, J. Pilsbury, J. Tait.
R. Hallworth, M Roberts,. P Hartley, E Ford, H. Savage, A. Foden, S. Roberts (leader)
(Photo: A. Hallworth)
During the 1950s a Mr Tom Ogden, travelling on business (selling coffins!) in the North of England, had occasion to see a Mr. Ivan Kay; "I knew I could find him on a Thursday night at the handbell ringers' practice at Moorside School". Ivan Kay was the leader of the Moorgate team and was a ringer short
— Tom was persuaded to join them. Soon he was thoroughly hooked and later wrote an account, from which the following is an extract:
"As I went on my rounds I made contact with other bands of ringers that I heard of. One of these was the Crosthwaite band at Keswick in Cumberland, and I made the acquaintance of Joe Brownrigg. I also contacted the band at Saddleworth in Yorkshire, only a few miles from Moorside, and our whole band went over to visit them. I had heard of a band at Silverdale, and I sent off a letter addressed to
`The Leader of the Handbell Ringers, Silverdale, Carnforth, Lancs', asking when
their practice night was and whether I would be permitted to attend it. 1 got a most gracious reply, they even arranged overnight accommodation for me, and when my business took me over that way I duly called on Mr. Tom Bolton, their leader and musical director.
After supper Tom and I settled down to a good chat beside the kitchen fire, and we talked of all our various experiences with bells and ringers.
I told him of all the various bands of handbell ringers I had visited, and their different methods of notation and ringing. He was quiet for a little while, and then he came out with a remark that was to have a most significant result some twelve years later on. "Wouldn't it be grand," said he, "If all these handbell bands could get together for a day sometime. I'd love to meet them all and listen to them!"
I wrote an article for 'The Ringing World' about all the bands of Handbell Ringers that I knew of, and this resulted in a letter from Mr
Wm. C. Gregory. the Secretary of the Ecclesfield Handbell Ringers. From time to time I brought up the suggestion of holding a handbell ringers' gathering at Moorside, but although this was favourably received there was always something or other that prevented it.
Norbury Ringers at this time were making a big effort to raise funds to have their bells renovated, and they made a very generous offer to hold the Rally, as it was termed, at their school, providing the response was good enough. I rushed a preliminary advertisement to 'The Ringing World', and two weeks afterwards Mr. Wm Hartley told me of the many replies he had received from this. As it happened 13 bands turned up on the day and Norbury School was crowded with tables, bells, ringers and their friends.
The 8th of October 1966 was the date, and it was one of the happiest days I have ever spent in all my life; Tom Bolton's quiet
remark that evening so long ago had now come to fruition, and what a splendid result!
Many of those present had never before heard any handbells played apart from their own set, it was quite a new and exciting experience for them, and they found plenty to think about on the journey home. This was as it should be, for the whole object of the gathering was to see and hear how others `did' it.
"Thank you all, Norbury Ringers, your hard work started something which we all hope will continue as long as there are handbells to ring and ringers to use them."
"Thank you all, Norbury Ringers, your hard work started something which we all hope will continue as long as there are handbells to ring and ringers to use them."
Those attending the Norbury gathering agreed that another rally should be held the following year, this time at Ashton-Under Lyne in October 1967 — and it was at this gathering that HRGB was formed under our first Chairman, William Hartley.
Over the last fifty years, HRGB has tried to stay true to the aims that Tom summarised:
"Help and encourage your young people, teach them all you can, answer their queries, no matter how simple they may appear to you; we all had to learn from scratch. And keep up your ringing: Strike true — for no matter if we as individuals never make the headlines, this is something in the British way of life that we can hand down to posterity, and be proud of it."
2017 will see a great number of celebration events, starting off with the 50th Anniversary National Rally at Exeter University featuring a handbell concert by some of the foremost
teams in the UK. It will be held in the Great Hall at 7.30pm on 8th April; everyone is most welcome. (Tickets £5 each; please send self-addressed, stamped envelope to John Willis, Lyndhurst, Prospect Hill, Okehampton EX20 1JD.)
