Oxford City Branch

Here are articles which have been submitted by readers of our website, plus general information which may or may not be useful. If anyone has a story they would like to see here, then please send it to Andy Dunn. This page now includes Hugh's News as it appears every two weeks or so. All tower captains should receive this article by email, and so please print it out and attach it to the notice board in your tower if you can. Click on a link in the following table to see them.

13-10-07 Navestock, St Thomas the Apostle. Photo by Hugh Deam

OCB outing to Essex

Paul Bayes 29-10-11

A regular visitor to Oxford towers, Paul died suddenly on Tuesday 11th October 2011 in Bexhill, Sussex. He was born in Woodford, Essex and was introduced to ringing by his brother, learning at Horsmonden in Kent. Although employed in various jobs over the years, his main focus was in horticulture. Paul rang over 100 peals and around 1000 quarters. He was unfortunately unable to fulfil his last objective, which was to join us on the City Branch outing to London in October this year, where he intended to ring with John Adams and Roy Jones, with whom he rang his first quarter peal of Lincolnshire in 1980. Hugh Deam

A reminder of ringing course reimbursements 18-09-11
As several Branch ringers are intending to / or are considering to apply for places on ringing courses and bell maintenance courses this autumn, this would seem a prescient time to send out a reminder that the cost of attending these courses can, in most instances, be offset by the Branch. If you do attend a forthcoming course, simply inform your tower captain / secretary / correspondent and they will contact the Branch Secretary and the cost of attendance will be reimbursed after the event. As things stand virtually every ringer in the Branch is within the monetary limit set for subsidising any single ringer during the lifetime of their membership within the Branch for these courses. Since the demise of the Easthampstead Course, the subsidy was lowered to reflect the fact that replacement courses were one-day non residential and much cheaper. The subsidy should cover roughly three one-day courses. It is not too late for any Branch ringer already accepted for attendance of the Michaelmas Course to still claim their subsidy through the aforementioned channels. Hugh Deam

The OCB striking competetion at Kidlington 14-05-11
It was heartening that the number of towers taking part has increased again this year, as this demonstrates the fact that several long dormant towers have slowly but surely revived thanks to some diligent work by inspiring teachers and boundless enthusiasm of these local bands. Our thanks must go to the judges, Graham Clifton (former ODG Ringing Master) and Mark Bell, (former OUS Ringing Master) for giving up their time and delivering most intutive and constructive verdicts. Also we are indebted to Kidlington and its ringers for providing an excellent tea. Hugh Deam

The HYM at Marston

David Lane 20-03-11

It is with much sadness that I have to inform you that David (N David Lane) died on the 15th March 2011, at home with us by his side. He was 76. He had been suffering from cancer for many months which he bore with great dignity and stoicism. The details of the funeral are as follows and everyone is welcome to attend: Tuesday 29th March at mid-day, St John’s Chapel, Oxford Crematorium, Bayswater Road, Headington, OX3 9RZ. There will be family flowers only, but donations to Marie Curie Cancer Care and Cancer Research would be appreciated.

Kind regards, Katie Lane

Paul Foote 1926 - 2011 15-03-11

Paul in 2010

It is with sadness (although he stipulated that there should be no mourning at his funeral) that we report the death of Paul Foote, aged 84. He was for some time in charge of the bellringing at St Andrew’s in the 1980’s and 90’s, but as he did not wish to be the Tower Captain, he would only agree to be Vice Captain, and during this period there was no Captain. This was typical of his low key style. He originally learned to ring in Swanage at the age of 15, during the Second World War, when church bells were rung silently (they were only to be rung audibly in the case of invasion). How difficult that must have been: to learn to ring without the benefit of sound! He was a ringer in Old Headington from the early 1970’s, until December 2008, when ill health forced him to give up. Paul taught many people to ring, and continued to assist with the ringing when others succeeded him in running the tower. He was always interested in helping learners to improve, and his dry sense of humour made the ringing enjoyable for all. He was a fellow of the Queen’s College, Oxford, and a prominent Russian translator. Paul retained his links with Swanage, and had many friends there, in Oxford and in Russia. He had a great love of the countryside, especially of coastal walks. He was also an excellent cook and generous host. Paul is survived by his son and two daughters, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. His wife, Anne, died in 1968. Many relatives and friends attended his funeral service at the Oxford Crematorium on the 10th March and later his at house in Hill Top Road, where at his request, his toast was drunk in Coal Isla whisky. St Andrew's bellringers

On Sunday 13th March at 5.30pm, a quarter peal was rung to celebrate the life of Paul. The band was made up of current and former members of St Andrew's bellringers, all of whom had rung with him in the past.

The OCB striking competetion 08-05-10
The 6 bell striking competition was held at 6pm on Saturday 8th May 2010. Congratulations to Cowley, who are our newest band, for being brave enough to take part, and also to St Aldates for a very fine performance with such an excellent score. Bernard Masterman did a brilliant job as the judge, and he was ably assisted by Charles Smith, who helped him tot up the scores. It was good to see so many teams taking part; let's have even more next year!

The happy couple

Christian and Alice were married on the 30th May 2009 at St Michael & All Angels, Berwick, East Sussex (a small village a few miles outside Eastbourne). The church contains many 20th Century murals painted by three of the Bloomsbury Group of artists during the Second World War. Alas, there was no ring of bells, just a couple hung for chiming. The reception was held at Michelham Priory (just down the road), with the wedding breakfast in the Great Barn (built around 1600), followed by a ceilidh in the early evening.

To celebrate the occasion, on this day a peal was rung at Kirtlington, with quarters also rung at Iffley, Marston, Chilton, Headington and Letcombe Regis.

The OCB half-yearly meeting 09-05-09
Who missed out on Jan’s famous chocolate brownies and a coffee break on the manor croquet lawn, where Cromwell and Fairfax discussed the terms for Oxford’s surrender? The City Branch has gradually increased the number of members attending events by holding them on the first two weekends of the month, after a ballot. It was decided to hold the half-yearly meeting on a Saturday morning with a coffee break between the ringing and the meeting. Bryony, the mother of a ringer, agreed to host the break and provide refreshment which, weather permitting, could be taken on the old croquet lawn at the manor house. Jan, one of the ringers, provided a large number of her famous brownies, similar to the ones which appear on practice nights at Marston from time to time!

Ringing started promptly at 10.00am under the guidance of Roy Jones, which enabled those attending their first meeting to enjoy ringing before the more experienced ringers joined in after a session of social chit-chat with the Ringing Master, Hugh Deam in charge. After an enjoyable break, when the sun shone for a while, the meeting took place in the new St Nicholas vestry, under the chairmanship of Canon Antony Ellis. The main points considered were: the presentation of certificates; the attendance of prospective members at meetings; attraction of members from towers rarely represented; notification of events and the striking competition. The next AGM was confirmed for the weekend of 12th November, and the annual outing for 10th October in Bedfordshire. Items for the AGM should be sent in writing to the Secretary, before the beginning of November.

Wanted: Bell Ringers 17-06-08
Are you a bell ringer, or would you like to learn?

Now that the tower of St Mary’s in Garsington has been restored, it would be great for the village to have a local band to ring for weddings and other special occasions. I know that Basil Townsend has served for many years as Tower Captain, but now he has very little free time to spare. I would be happy to teach beginners (supported by the Oxford City Branch of the ODG) and to organise a local band for:

Tower bell ringing is fun and you will make lots of new friends. To begin, all you need is moderate hand-eye coordination and to be able to count to 6. Depending on the response, I intend to arrange an open-afternoon at the tower one weekend.

Thank you, Richard Jeffery, 01865 368262 (see contacts for Richard's email address)

The 2008 branch striking competition 14-06-08
The competition was held at St Margaret's church in Hinton Waldrist on the 14th June. It was fortunate to be held on a balmy evening that was ideal for the judge and the participants from Headington, Kidlington and Marston to all make the most of the pastoral setting. The bells in Hinton Waldrist are ideal for fluent ringing and the event was keenly contested, with all three teams opting to ring Grandsire. Kidlington emerged triumphant by one fault from Headington in runners-up spot.

Kathryn's first quarter peal 07-05-08
Kathryn Greenwood (pictured 3rd from the right) rang the treble in her first quarter peal on Tuesday 6th May at St Andrew's, Old Headington. The methods were Grandsire Doubles, Bob Doubles and Reverse Canterbury. The rest of the band was: Hugh Deam (C), Clare Fairbairn, Paul Lucas, Andy Dunn and John Kentish.

Kathryn, originally from Dalton-in-Furness in Cumbria, joined the band of St Andrew's in September 2006 as a beginner, and has been a loyal and useful ringer ever since then. She is about to leave Oxford, to study Forensic Linguistics at Cardiff. The Headington ringers would like to thank her for all she's done and wish her the best of luck at Cardiff. She also rings with the band at St Mary's in Dalton-in-Furness, whenever she goes back to see her parents.

A monthly quarter peal at Headington 17-12-07
Richard Verrall has organised a regular quarter peal event to take place at Headington at 17:30 on the second Sunday of each month. So far, we have rung Grandsire Triples on Sunday 16th December, which was actually the third Sunday, but Richard would like to keep the second Sunday as a regular event. Should you be interested, his email address can be found on the contacts page. Assuming enough people are willing to join in, he hopes to ring Triples or [surprise] Major if possible.

The marriage of Hilary and Ian 17-12-07
Hilary Blake and Ian Miller were married at the Wesley Memorial Church in New Inn Hall Street on Saturday 15th December. Hilary, who comes from Godshill on the Isle of Wight, is now an enthusiastic member of the St Andrew's band of ringers in Old Headington. She made her own dress as well as all the cakes at the reception. A motif depicting a church bell, at the bottom of the dress, can be seen in the picture below. Paul, Clare, Wendy and John and Emma Kentish were all present at the wedding. A quarter peal of Grandsire Triples, at Headington on Sunday 16th December at 6pm, was rung in dedication.

The City Branch reigns supreme 07-10-07
The City Branch won the Guild 8-bell striking competition at St Mary Kidlington on Monday 7th May 2007. In order of bell number, the Bob Triples band was, except where specified, from St Aldates: David Lane (treble), Katie Lane, Richard Youdale, Simon Edwards (St Giles), Jonathan Cresshull, Leon Thompson, Robin Hall © and David Barrington (tenor). Hear this band practising at the end of April and see the competition result. Unfortunately, it was not possible to record the rather better winning performance itself.

At the Guild 6-bell competition at Spelsbury, on the 6th October 2007, the St Aldates band won by ringing Grandsire Doubles: David Lane (treble), Katie Lane, Jonathan Cresshull ©, Richard Youdale, Paul Harden and David Barrington (tenor). We had 17.5 faults, with Reading 2nd at 20 faults and 3rd Hanslope with 42.5 faults.

Headington St Andrew’s latest recruit 29-10-07
Ten year old Stephen Nichols is currently learning to ring at St Andrew’s in Headington. Stephen comes from a ringing family. His father, Graham, rings at Headington and his grand-parents, Nora and Bernard, were ringers some years ago. In 1945, a certain St Aldates' church-goer, 22 year old Nora Honey, decided to respond to a plea for new bellringers to join the band.

Although she had never touched a bell rope before, she took to it straight away. A peal in which she rang is recorded by a stone peal board at Marston St Nicholas. From 1948, it reads This is the greatest number of Doubles methods yet rung to a peal. Whilst ringing at St Nicholas, Abingdon in 1948, Nora met Burford ringer Bernard Nichols. A year later, on 17th September 1949, they were married.

Because of family commitments, Nora and Bernard stopped regular ringing until 1982, when Nora was approached by Ray Rook from St Laurence North Hinksey, and she joined the band there. Later on, in January 1983, Nora’s son Graham thought he would like to have a go, and soon he was "bitten by the bug" too!

Sadly, Bernard died in November 1984. Stephen was born in 1997, and now at the age of 10, he has also started having ringing lessons. And so a third generation of the Nichols family may be set to continue in the way I’m sure Nora and Bernard would have wished. Nora passed away on the 11th April 2005.

In memory of Terry Gibson
Tower Captain of St Mary the Virgin at Thame, 8th December 1936 - 27th November 2006. A Quarter Peal (3m) was rung in memory of Terry on Friday 15th December 2006 at Chinnor, St.Andrew (6). 1. Caroline Kinchin-Smith, 2. Susan King, 3. Roy Jones (c), 4. Hugh Deam (c), 5. Gordon Smith, 6. Raymond Fergusson. Requiescat in pace.

Ringers wanted
Roy Jones keeps a list of ringers, within the Oxford area, who may be available on weekdays for weddings, funerals and services. This list is now out of date. If you would like to be included, then please email Roy as soon as possible.

The Ringing World
Marston tower has a complete set of The Ringing World magazine, from about 1998, which is surplus to requirements. If anyone would like to take them away, then please come along to the Marston practice on a Friday evening. A donation to tower funds would be appreciated, but is not essential. Contact Hugh Deam if you would like to confirm collection in advance.

Fund Raising
Katie Lane would like to encourage the Branch to increase our contribution to the Restoration and Bell Funds. Graham Nicholls has volunteered to take good items to be sold at Car Boot Sales to raise funds for this purpose. His address is 20 Wick Farm, Headington, Oxford OX3 9SE 01865 765594. He would like books, as long as they are in decent condition - as well as good quality vinyl records, and toys - especially model railway bits and pieces. Almost anything will do - but no 'rubbish'! Please can we make use of this kind gesture to make a bigger contribution to the Guild; we all enjoy the bells so let us be a little more generous in our support!