THE CATHEDRAL BELLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12704, 28 July 1919, Page 5

THE CATHEDRAL BELLS.

SOMETHING ABOUT BELL-

RINGING.

WHY NOT WOMEN RINGERS?

(Written for the " Star.”)

The art of bell-ringing has a story which rung far back along history’s ancient paths. Perched in their lofty belfncs, and harbouring mellowed memories in dim seclusion, bolls have pealed merrily into many a Yuletide story. It was Scrooge, it will be remembered, who, waking to the joys of life on a £ . piping cold ” Christmas morning, was * stopped in his transports of delight by the churches ringing out the lustiest peals he had ever heard. Clash, clang, hammer; ding-dong-bell. Eell, dongding; hammer, clang, clash! Oh, glorious, glorious 1” They were among the chief delights which his new perception brought to him. “ Golden sunlight, heavenly sky, sweet, fresh, air, merry bells. Oh, glorious! Glorious!” HISTORY IN VERSE. The bells of the Christchurch Cathedral have their own peculiar story. Part of it is told by the following lines Inscribed on the two smallest ones:— ” We two little bells to complete the chime Were nearly left out too late, When Miles to the rescue, but just in time, Added us on to tho eight.” Another scrap of history ia to ho round inscribed on the tenor bell (weighing 32cwt): — “ Through all the Roads of life the best We’ll strive to be your guide, And let our notes do' your behest By tolling far and wide. We’ve' crossed the seas to this fair land, To do God all the honour; Prom clime to clime we’u ring our chime, And tell of Rhodes, the Donor.” A NECESSARY ALTERATION.

A big change may come into their lives not long hence. Many of the busy human beings who have to toil in their vicinity while the bellringers are practising will welcome it if it has tho sSeot which it is claimed it will. The scheme was outlined by Mr G- H. Clayton, bellmaster at the Cathedral, to a representative of the “Star” in the course of a chat about bell-ringing the other day- “If much ringing is to bo done on these bells,” he said, “there will be complaints. The only way to get over the trouble is to drop the bells from their present position to 6ft or Bft lower, and take out the present floor which is used by visitors to get on to the balconies and a ceiling above it, so that the space above the bells would be quite open. No wonder the sound beats down into the Square with the floor over the bells and the louvres slanted downwards. If the louvres Were blocked up and the ceiling and tho floor taken out, tho sound would come out of the holes in the spire, and carry farther without being unpleasantly loud in the Square. This was done at Loughborough (England), and was a great success.” ! WOMEN AS BELLRINGERS. Women, have ventured far beyond their usual sphere during the war. Why should they not become bellringers? The difficulty of getting men or youths to take up bellrmging and remain at xt for a number of years was mentioned by the verger of the Cathedral to a representative of the. “Star” a little while ago, and he added that this was the chief reason why bell-ringing could not be entered into fully. Lada who came along and just “got into the swing of it ” - often had to break off because they had to attend Territorial drill, technical classes, eto. “ * kayo rung with lady ringers m the Old Country,” said Mr Clayton to the “Stars” representative. “There was a band of them in London ringing church bells, and their leader was MisS Edith Wllron, daughter of one of the most prominent bellringers in England. (His photograph is to be seen in tho local Cathedral belfry.) Miss May Gilbunks, daughter of a clergyman, was the first lady to take up the art of ringing, and has rung several threehour peals. I rang with her once at Lichfield Cathedral. There is no doubt that there is room for lady ringers hero. The art exercises the brain as well as the body, and is becoming quite popular iu England just now. Admittedly some of the Cathedral hells are rather heavy for ladies, but as soon as sufficient skill Is obtained they can b© rung iq«ito easily. The [light bolls, however, are quite simple to ring. We want ringers who will stick to it- It takes twelve months to make good ringers, and .then their education has only been commenced. There is a good set of handbells in ihe belfry, and with & little training of lingers some very good mnsio could be got out of them. It would be a very good thing if we could get a band of ladies to ring for the evening service on Sunday.” THE RINGING OF PEALS. “ The great aim of the Cathedral Bellringers’ Society is, however, to riuopeals, and,” he continued, “ a peal may be explained as nothing less than 6000 chan gee. A peal rung on the full ten (a Royal) would take about four hours. It is quite a fine art. I'll try to explain it a little. With two bells only two changes are possible, of course. With three, six changes are 123—213—231—321—312, and back to stark _ The number of changes possible with any number of bells i 8 obtained by multiplying the highest numher in the eet by the second highest. , Jou have to look who rings after you and then ring after him next time’ The 1 Plain Hunt’ is the peal on which ringing is based. Other changes are ■Grand sire,’ ‘ Sbedman ’ and ‘ Treble Bob (elaborated into ‘ London’ < Bristol,’ ' Cambridge ’ and ‘Superlative’). 4Poals can also be rung on handbells! ■and it is very intricate work. Each "ringer has to manipulate two bells. There were two men—James Washbrooke and James Grooves—who could ring two tower hells, one in each hand. Washbrooke could sit down at q, piano and . tap off all tho changes, . Th Q ringing of tho longest peat that has over been rung was performed at Loughborough, which is where our Cathedral hells came from. It took 12 hours 18 minutes, and 18,027 chancres wore rung I was listening to them in Ate street below. If anyone comes into the belfry while tho changes are being ning it. is all up, for once attention is distracted the peals go all wron" Umpires are appointed to stand below and see that the changes are pronerlv rung.” 1 J THE SOCIAL BIDE. Lady ringers at Home get on very well together, and hold social functions as societies. Bellringers from time to time visit neighbouring belfries, are entertained to tea or supper, and ring peals. > & “ There-are many amusingstori.es told of bellringers. _ A party of them once visited a certain belfry in England, but evidently the local residents did’ not welcome them, for the louvres were found to be all blocked up. They rang up the archbishop of the cathedral, who said it had been done without his authority,; and that they were welcome to play, so they cleared the louvres and went ahead. Someone came into the belfry and disturbed them, however, but, nothing daunted, they barricaded the door, recommenced their peals, and worked in earnest for several hours.” The suggestion was made in another quarter that the social side of oellringing in Christchurch should be given mors attention, _ as in England, to make it more attractive. If ladies could he induced to take it up, and if a real esprit do corps were created, the thing could be made a delightful pastime, and should prove a great success once they were initiated into tho mysteries the vstwabla sad aao&afe L . •- . ■