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Derek Wilkins-Smith 31st January 1945 - 26th April 2022 Warmley ( waiting a photo)
Derek was born on 31st January 1945. He started ringing at Warmey in the early
1960’s under the
leadership of Tony Gibbs. During his time in ringing, he
rang many quarter peals, his first on 10th November 1963
on the Tenor and
his first inside on 9th May 1965, both of Plain Bob Doubles at Warmley. He rung
his first of
Grandsire Triples on 6th January 1966 at Marshfield. His last
was at Kelston on 14th October 2017.
His first of many peals was of Plain Bob
Doubles on 19th April 1965 at Warmley by a local band, he later rang the
Treble on 11th April 1966 to a peal of Doubles in many methods/variations. When
the bells at Warmley were
augmented to eight in 1976, he rang in the first
peal on them on 17th July 1976. He then went on to ring many
more peals and
quarter peals in Doubles, Minor and Triples methods.
During the mid 1990’s he
became Tower Captain at Warmley, taking over from Ken Weeks, and remained
there for the rest of his life.
His other interests included being a member
of the church choir and of the Warmley Players Drama Group.
He was also a
keen fisherman.
He passed away in the morning of 26th April 2022 from a
suspected heart attack.
Bill Liebow
Donald
Haskins December 17th 1930 - 3rd November 2020 Almondsbury.
Don Haskins learned to
ring at St Mary the Virgin, Olveston in 1939 and rang there until 1953, being
Tower Captain from 1950 to 1953. He then spent eight years ringing at St James
Priory in Horsefair, Bristol. He came to ring in Almondsbury in 1963, and rang
there until ill health eventually forced his retirement from ringing in November
2010. He was Tower Captain and Steeple Keeper from 1964 to 1977 and from 1990 to
2006.
He also served as Deputy Ringing Master of the Gloucester and Bristol,
Bristol Rural Branch and as a Member of the Association Management Committee. He
was elected an Honorary Life Member of the G&B in 2000.
Don is survived by
his wife Joan, by a son Simon, and by an extended family. Their daughter Sally
died in 2006 and the current set of Almondsbury muffles was donated in her
memory.
Marjorie
Audrey Grauper
(Mags) 1928 - 16th December 20198 Almondsbury
Always known as MAG after her initials, she was a
character - you always knew she was there – but
nonetheless a keen ringer
always intent on learning new methods. When the stairs at Almondsbury became too
much for her she transferred to Abson whose ringing chamber has far fewer
stairs. Away from the tower she
was a maths teacher, had a keen interest in
space, and was an accomplished piano player. Her son Paul was tower captain
at Almondsbury until he moved to America and her husband Ken frequently came to
the tower
with her. The couple were very proud to reach their 60th wedding
anniversary shortly before Ken’s death.
Herbert
Thomas Ferris 20th December 1920 - 17th August 2018
Bert
arrived in Westerleigh in the 1930’s when his parents moved there for work
purposes. His first home was in the houses opposite the Olde Inne, thus close to
the church. His father (Jack) was a
ringer and Bert and his two sisters were soon regular service ringers at
Westerleigh. Jack became Tower Captain in 1930, and Bert succeeded him in 1974,
a position he held until the mid 1990’s. He continued regular ringing here until
about 2005.
To fill out
this précis of his ringing is not easy, as Bert often told us that “I don’t keep
records of what ringing I have done”. We know that in his early time here he
would accompany his father on their bicycles to go Sunday service ringing in
Bristol after the Westerleigh ringing duties were complete.
We also know that numerous peals and
quarter peals were completed in Bristol, Gloucester, Wiltshire, Somerset and
elsewhere. Sometimes three or four quarters, or two peals, were rung in a day.
His ringing expertise was recognised when he was elected a “College Youth”.
He was a member of Gloucester and Bristol
Diocese for over 40 years, and was elected Honorary Life Member some time ago.
Within our own Branch he served as Ringing Master for the Branch from 1971 to
1976.
Outside of
these Branch ringing activities he enjoyed ringing with several other groups
such as The ”Moonrakers”, the “Farcited”. He
also enjoyed Tower Outings, Branch Outings, and many other ringing trips and
ringing holidays. On many occasions I have been sharing car journeys with Bert
and as we were passing through a village, town or city this voice would say
“I’ve rung there”. This was invariably followed by a description of the bells,
such as “a heavy six, ground floor ring”, or maybe “a light eight, but they
don’t go well”.
Apart from
his vast ringing experience Bert had several useful qualities, such as his
dogged pursuit of potential new ringers until they surrendered and turned up for
tuition. There they found out that he insisted on a good (safe) ringing style
and the need to listen to the striking. I can still hear him now saying things
like “Listen to it!” when the ringing got a bit bad. Not the most helpful
criticism, but enough to make you realise that improvements could, and should be
made.
Another of
his qualities was his willingness to help other ringers/towers who were going
through some transitional difficulties. On many occasions he would gather a few
of his local ringers to go practice nights at Abson, Wapley, North Nibley,
Chipping Sodbury and elsewhere when those places needed a temporary helping
hand.
Bert was
always keen to talk on ringing matters, and right up to fairly recently he could
be encouraged to chat ‘bells’ while enjoying a glass of red in the Olde Inne. To
say that he was well known and respected in ringing circles would be a large
understatement. This was evidenced at his funeral by the ringers who took part
in the “open ringing” beforehand, and by the number in the ringers and close
family members in the congregation for that service. The packed church came to
say “Farewell” to a good friend and servant to our art.
Martin Blanchard
Edward
G Mould 25th March
1941 - 19 March 2016
Ted was a branch member and rang throughout the branch but
primarily at Thornbury, Pucklechurch and Abson in the 60’s/70’s, he died on Saturday
19/03/2016. The last time we saw him was when he came to ring in the Frampton
50 peal in 2013. The picture above was taken when the Abson treble was
rededicated in November 2008, and as with the Frampton celebrations he came down
from London especially to attend. Ted held a number of branch officer positions
in the branch, he was deputy RM in 1976 and 1977 and MC rep between 1973 and
1978.
An Obituary by his daughter Ruth.
As many of you will know, my father, Edward George
Mould, died on the 19th of March this year.
This was a week before he would have celebrated his 75th
birthday and we had all planned to meet up to celebrate in Cricket St Thomas
near Chard as it was my birthday too. I am sure you can appreciate that this was
a very sad time for us all, especially as dad’s death was so unexpected.
I am so thankful that I had spoken to him twice on the morning of the day
he died and, strangely enough, from speaking to people after his death, it seems
he’d recently been in touch with many of you too. His funeral was held some 4
weeks later at the church of Christ the Saviour in Ealing, a church at which he
was an active ringer. We knew that we would have to hold his funeral here
because dad’s funeral without bells would not have been what he would have
wanted, as ringing was his passion throughout his life.
Dad learnt to ring in Pewsey, Wiltshire as a teenager in the 1950’s and
when he subsequently went up to Bristol University in 1959 to read Civil
Engineering, he joined the UBSCR. It
was whilst he was in the UBSCR that, on 30th November 1960, he rang
his first peal, at Rowberrow in Somerset.
In all he rang 829 peals, of which he conducted 46, his last peal being
on the 25th of January 2014.
As I am writing this I am instantly drawn to his last peal date, which
would have been my Mother’s (Christine Mould’s) 73rd birthday.
Mum and dad met whilst at Bristol University and were both members of the
UBSCR - hence why my brother Roy and I became ringing orphans!! Our childhood
holidays were often spent travelling around visiting churches, sharing cars
(often sitting in the boot of our estate car - you wouldn’t be allowed to do
that now!), following the gutters around the church, collecting the stones from
the graves and of course ringing the bells.
Dad was a member of many ringing
guilds in his lifetime: Salisbury Guild in the 1950’s; the UBSCR & Gloucester
and Bristol DA 1959 – 1962; Salisbury Guild again, followed by Kent CA and then
Derby DA during his early working life between 1962 and 1967, and then moving
back to the Bristol area, initially to Thornbury until 1972 and then to
Pucklechurch. Dad moved to London in
1988 and became a member of both the London CA and the Middlesex CA and London
DG. Dad was also a member of the College Youths, having been elected in 1968.
He was a committee member of the Bristol Rural Branch (which became the
Northavon Branch) of the Gloucester and Bristol DA for several years in the
1970’s. After moving to London, he
realised one of his ringing ambitions by becoming a Central Council
representative for London CA for 15 years, and he was also Master of this
association for a time.
In total dad rang 829 peals, all on tower bells, in
438 different towers and including 28 at St Mary Abbots in Kensington. London CA
was the society for which he rang the largest number of his peals, some 295.
Of course he couldn’t have rung his peals on his own and rang them with 962
other ringers – his most prolific co-ringer was John Hawes, with whom he rang
268. 4 of his peals featured a father and son team with my brother Roy but alas
I never reached peal status to be included in these figures.
As you can tell
by this, ringing was a major part of dad’s life, and he would not have been
happy if he couldn’t ring. He taught
many people in his time how to enjoy the art of ringing, my brother and me
included, and he was well-liked and respected by those who knew him.
Edward
George Mould was a husband, a dad, a grandfather and a ringer and he will be
missed I am sure by many. On a
recent tower tour of St Stephen’s Church in Bristol I was proud to see his name
in print on many peal boards and it has bought comfort to me to know that his
legacy will live on for many years to come in the world of ringing. Ringing was
his passion and his life and thankyou all for being part of that.
Ruth Day
(Daughter)
Sue Anna Elizabeth
Liebow 10th January 1956 - 17th January 2015
Sue Anna Elizabeth Liebow (nee Brooks) was born at Bromsgrove Worcestershire on
10th January 1956. She lived her early years in the Bromsgrove area,
first in Stoke Heath, then Aston Fields. She attended schools in Bromsgrove and
on leaving, started to work for the Post Office in Birmingham as a counter
clerk.
On a weekend break in Brixham, Devon, she met Bill. After courting for
just under 2 years and despite a 30 mile distance between them, they married in
1977, and went to live in Blunsdon, near Swindon. She continued to work for the
Post Office after getting a transfer to Swindon, shortly moving away from the
counter to various administration jobs.
During her time in Blunsdon, Sue
became a Girl Guide Leader with the local group, while Bill helped with the
Scouts. She also joined a Patchwork and Quilting group in Blunsdon. Another
member of this group was Anne Watts, a bellringer at the parish church, which
encouraged her to start bellringing, she also persuaded Bill take it up.
In
1984 Sue gave birth to her first child, Robert, and finished working for the
Post Office to become a full time mother. And five years later, welcomed second
child Andrew. She was always quick to tell friends how proud she was of both
boys, encouraging them to participate in a variety of sports and always try
their best. She was a fantastic mum and instilled her boys with great work
ethics, determination and the ability to haggle!
In 1987 Sue moved away from
Blunsdon to Shaw, also near Swindon. She continued to visit the Quilting group
in Blunsdon occasionally but moved her bellringing to Lydiard Tregoze. Shortly
after moving to Shaw, there was talk of forming a Womens Institute group and she
became one of its founder members.
Bill got transferred to Bristol with his
job in 1991and the family moved in early 1992 to Warmley. After the move Sue and
Bill joined the bellringers at Warmley Church. Unfortunately she had to stop
ringing after about two or three years due to arthritis in her hands.
Sue
then started work as a lecturer at Soundwell College which was later merged with
City of Bristol College. She took great pride in teaching her students and had a
genuine passion for helping them achieve.
When a new quilting group was
formed at Emersons Green, Sue became one of the founder members and has held
various positions on the committee. She also joined a Quilting Group in Bath
where she spent a short period as secretary. She again joined WI, this time at
Mangotsfield.
During the early 2000’s, Sue’s mobility started to deteriorate,
firstly needing to use a walking stick, leading to using a wheelchair. She took
medical retirement from her job in 2008 shortly after Bill finished work on a
voluntary redundancy scheme.
Since becoming disabled Sue did much to support
other disabled people by joining WECIL (West of England Centre for Inclusive
Living) and SGDEN (South Glos Disability Enablement Network) as a volunteer
helper. She also took up photography, a hobby Bill has been doing for many
years, and joined Photographers With Disabilities where she gave a lot of help,
especially with fundraising, and was given Honoury Life Membership towards the
end of last year for her efforts.
When Bill got elected as Deputy Ringing
Master of the Bristol Rural Branch of bellringers, it was decided to create a
post of Publicity Officer. Bill mentioned it to Sue and she agreed to take it on
but only in a support role as she was no longer able to ring due to her
disability. She also started handbell ringing at Frampton Cotterell about three
years ago.
Sue was very much a family lady. She was blessed with 3
grandchildren. Matthew as a step grand-child, and Dexter was born September
2009. She was delighted when Andrew
married Lucy in 2011, and more recently welcomed Toby into the family in
November 2014. She celebrated with a
glass of champagne with Robert & Sara on their engagement Christmas Day 2014.
Straight away she went into over-drive with ideas to make their invitations and
she will be greatly missed at their summer wedding this year.
On her
birthday, Sue started to feel tired but still decided to have part of the day
out to celebrate. During the following week her conditioned deteriorated and she
went into Southmead Hospital where she passed away on 17th January,
surrounded by her loved ones.
Those
who knew Sue, knew that her spirit was never jaded by her
disability. She was
strong-willed, determined and kind-hearted. She made a difference to many
people’s lives. She was loved dearly and will be greatly missed.
Rita Margaret Lampard (nee Webb) 1938 - 2014
Rita was a local
girl; she was born, just a few yards down the road, in Church Avenue, and within
the sound of her original home tower Warmley.
After attending Warmley School, opposite her house, she
completed her education at a school in Clifton. She had one sister, Liz, who was
born 10 years after her. She learnt shorthand and typing at the Commercial
College in Bristol before going to work at the Fantasie Factory in Kingswood. It
was during this period that Bill came over to the UK from Australia. Initially,
he had intended to return after a year but these plans were soon changed and for
the best of reasons. He met Rita. You will not be surprised to learn it was all
to do with bellringing. Bill had learnt the art of campanology in Adelaide
Cathedral and, taking up an invitation to ring at Pip ‘n’ Jay in the centre of
Bristol one afternoon, he literally bumped into Rita, probably negotiating one
of those narrow staircases by which you get up to the ringing chamber. Rumour
has it that Rita’s first reaction was to wonder ‘Who was that rude man!’; but,
subsequently, when Bill came to ring at Warmley which led to a bellringing
holiday in Scotland, all was forgotten and forgiven and their romance blossomed.
They were married in Warmley Church in February 1963. Some of you will recall
that 1963 was an extremely cold winter, so pictures of their wedding show the
snow, deep and crisp and more-or-less even. Bill and Rita were to live locally
from then all their married life.
It was while she was
working for Fantasie that she left to give birth to her daughter Helen; but,
such was her value to the company, that they pressed her to come back
afterwards.
Bellringing was Rita’s No
1 interest; she was a dedicated member of the branch and association for over 50
years. There is a picture of Rita in Abson tower in 1955 at a Harvest tea at
Collins Farm with a number of ringers who are still actively ringing today. A
reminiscence from Gloria Wilshire, one of Rita’s close ringing friends, Gloria
recalls that Rita had a friend called Sandra Lewis who introduced Rita and
Gloria to Muriel and Rex Allen. They used to stay with Muriel and Rex when they
lived in Longlevens, Gloucester. The three girls slept in a ¾ bed and Gloria
says there was a lot of giggling and very little sleep. One day, as they were
boarding the train to come home, Rex gave Rita a parcel to give to her dad. It
had labels on it to say that this parcel was to be opened only by Mr Webb.
Halfway through the journey, curiosity got the better of them. The parcel was
opened and what slithered out was a huge eel, you can imagine the screams! We do
not know what Rita’s Dad said?
Gloria also recalls how
Rita loved dancing and organised ringers’ balls. She will be sorely missed by
the ringing fraternity.
What other interests did
Rita have? There was Sudoku, crosswords, history and politics. Yes, she had some
strong views on the latter subject! She had a great memory for birthdays and
other important dates. She went to Australia four times to visit Bill’s
homeland. Since Bill’s death, exactly 3 years to the day before Rita died; Rita
has not enjoyed good physical death although, mercifully, she remained strong
mentally.
So, thank you God for Rita. May she rest in peace with Bill her
husband? We pray that her daughter
Helen, and grandsons Luke, Thomas and Harry, and her sister Liz, and all whose
lives she touched, will be given strength and courage from her example of a good
life well lived –the life of Rita Lampard.
Thanks to
Canon Paul Denyer rtd: and Gloria Wilshire for the eulogy from which I produced
the obituary.
Tony York
William Lampard
(Bill) 14th July 1931 - 1st January 2011
‘The Day Thou Gavest’
Bill Lampard was born in Adelaide, Australia 79 years ago.
When the funeral was held at Warmley on friday 14th January
2011, simultaneously, relations of Bill gathered in Mt Gambier, South Australia.
They included the widow of Fred, Bill’s twin brother. Fred died in 1998. Also a
surviving sister Rosemary. Bill's brother Peter who lives in Toowomba,
Queensland was flooded in, so was unable to attend. Bill also had a sister
Barbara who died two years ago.
Although born on the other side of the world, Bill spent most of his life in
England. If he had lived until the 12th February this year, he would have been
in England 50 years.
The family moved from Adelaide to Mount Gambier in South Australia when Bill was
11 years old. As a young man he played league cricket, and cricket remained his
main sporting interest. He was also a keen fisherman in Australia.
As a young man, Bill worked for the family owned business as a driver/ mechanic.
The company ran the massive road-trains that trundle across the Australian
continent. In time, he and Fred took over the company solely. They eventually
sold to a much larger company which is now one of the largest in Australia.
In due course, Bill returned to Adelaide where he studied part-time to improve
his engineering skills. This is where Bill learnt to ring at St Peters
Cathedral, Adelaide. He then moved to Queensland for a year before he decided to
visit England for a working holiday.
Both Bill’s parents had originally come from England and that must have played
its part in his decision to come to these shores in 1961. He travelled here by
sea. His first footfall was in Sussex, from whence he came to Swindon and then
Bristol. He only intended to stay for one year, but that was before he met Rita.
In February 1963 they were married at St Barnabas’ and moved into a house on
Hill Street, Kingswood, Bristol. Three years later they moved to Crane Close
where Helen was born. Five years later they moved to Winfield Road, Warmley.
During this time Bill worked as mechanic for Henley’s and a number of car firms.
The joke was that all the companies Bill worked for seemed fated to close down.
Even when he retired from MWM in Fishponds, it was not long before the firm
ceased trading!
He was captain of the bells at St Barnabas, Warmley for a period and also vice
captain. He helped to raise a considerable sum of money in the 1970's. To pay
for the six bells to be replaced with the eight bells from St George in Bristol.
He became a member of the Ancient Society of College Youths in 1975. He was also
a correspondence member of Clavis Lodge.
Bill had triple bypass heart surgery some years ago and this led, over time, to
a noticeable slowing-down, especially over the past two years. It affected his
capacity to ring the church bells.
This past summer it was discovered that Bill had cancer and it was inoperable.
Over these last months, weeks and days he had been attended by Marie Curie
Nurses, St Peter’s Hospice and the local doctor and district nurses.
Bill had a terrific sense of humour. Something which helped him get through the
last few months.
Bill and Rita have been blessed with three grandsons: Luke, Tom and Harry; and
they have seventeen nephews and nieces.
Nowadays people travel to and from England to Australia every day and think
nothing of it. The world has shrunk. In 1961, to travel here by sea and decide
to stay seems much more brave and adventurous. But Bill took with him his
character, his faith in God’s providence; and he had met Rita! This made him
strong and determined to face life’s ups and downs.
Towards the end he was very moved and heartened to receive Holy Communion and
make his peace with God. He had had a good life and he was surrounded by a
loving family. None of us can wish for more. We pray Bill rests in peace.
Rita Lampard
George Lawrence 19th February 1927 - 22nd
October 2013
A
ringer at Wapley
George was born at Wapley on 19th February 1927 and
passed away on 22nd October 2013 aged
eighty six. He spent most of his childhood years
within the large farming community in the Wapley
parish there being six farms in Besom Lane al! within
a few hundred yards of each other. When
George left school at around age thirteen, his first
job was at a farm in Westerleigh where he soon
became an expert at hedge laying and maintained most
of the hedges in Besom Lane between
Westerleigh and Wapley. Later in life George gave up
farming and hedge laying and started a job at
Nichols Cowmills at chipping Sodbury as a lorry driver
delivering animal feed to farms in South
Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and North Somerset. He kept
this job for the rest of his working life until
he retired at age sixty five. George married his wife
Joyce on 5th November 1953 they had three
daughters, one daughter emigrated to Canada and one
emigrated to Germany.
His bellringing started in the 1960's at Westerlegh
where he learnt to handle a bell under the
leadership of Jack Ferris. He never progressed beyond
call changes and ringing the
tenor behind to doubles methods and he eventually gave
up ringing for a period of time.
His interest was rekindled when the five bells at
Wapley were augmented to six and rehung in a new
steel frame at a lower level in the tower in 2000.
George was asked to join the Wapley
band by one of his best friends and workmate Andy Fox.
At the same time Andy invited me to
become tower captain at Wapley which I accepted. We
started a regular practice on Monday
evenings and eventually George and Andy learnt to ring
the treble to doubles and minor methods
and both eventually rang several quarter peals on the
treble.
Apart from bell ringing George's main interests were
horse racing and whist drives. Every day of the
week except Sundays George would catch the bus to Yate
and place his bets on the horses, he had
an excellent knowledge of the previous form of the
horses and he usually placed an accumulator bet
on six different horses all to win. When is luck was
in and all six came up he often won in excess of
£1000.00. Unfortunately one day after getting off the
bus at Yate George tripped over a curb and
injured his shoulder and from that point on he went
down hill and became house bound . He had
several spells in hospital and eventually passed away
from a heart attack on 22nd October 2013
which was fourteen days short of Joyce and George's
Diamond wedding.
George
Rest in Peace.
Bryn Shackleton
Arthur E Herbert 1927 – 2009
Arthur first became interested in Church bells and bellringing at his then
church of St Mary, Whitchurch, Cardiff. Moving to Llandaff he served the
Cathedral in a number of ways and there began a lasting friendship with John
Baldwin the well known authority on all things concerning bells and
bellringing. In his profession as an insurance company claims adjustor he and
his wife Marion moved to Thornbury and together became members of St Mary’s
Almondsbury. Arthur became a popular member of the band and saw them through a
number of difficult periods that all bands experience from time to time. A
great rugby supporter the band always awaited with glee his arrival on Sunday
mornings when the Welsh national team had a misfortune the day before! He would
have his revenge though when the boot was on the other foot, especially when it
was to the discomfort of England. He served a term as an active Branch Chairman
of Bristol Rural Branch (Northavon) in the 1990's. During
this period, with Terry Jefferis he was also instrumental in establishing a
hand-bell group of tune ringers among the handicapped people of the “Siblands
Centre” at Thornbury.
On retirement, it was at an “after practice night refreshment stop” that the
idea of forming a group of retired ringers who could meet, socialize, and have
an afternoons ring at different churches on a regular basis, was discussed.
Arthur volunteered to organise this and thus was born the “Far Cited Company”
that he founded in 1998, served as leader for five years, and which celebrated
its 20th anniversary this year. Arthur and Marion moved to Lymington from where
he organised there his final outing for members of that company, thereafter
enjoying a quiet twilight to his years until his death on March 14th 2009.
James_Anthony_Bennett
Continued:
He returned to Bristol as a lecturer, and then senior
lecturer, in anaesthesia based at Bristol Royal Infirmary and lived in Stoke
Bishop where he attached himself to the band in the tower there. His parents
were living elsewhere in Stoke Bishop, and when his father died the family gave
a new bell to Stoke Bishop tower in his memory.
Later Tony became a consultant anaesthetist at Frenchay
Hospital where he specialised in thoracic work and was regularly involved in
all-day chest operations in addition to the normal on call rota. And this left
him little time for ringing, particularly since he also joined the Royal Naval
Volunteer Reserve and progressed through the ranks on temporary
naval attachments, retiring after some years with the rank of surgeon lieutenant
commander. He became interested in teaching anaesthesia in Africa where the
anaesthetic equipment was usually very primitive and electricity supplies
unreliable, and he did several six-month attachments to the University of
Khartoum in the Sudan as visiting professor,
On returning to Bristol, once more as consultant at
Frenchay and curator of the medical museum there, Tony moved to Itchington, near
Tytherington in the mid 1980’s and involved himself in the life of St James
church. as a member of the PCC and of the tower. He was always a first class
method ringer.
It was in his heyday of ringing, whilst strapping the tenor
of Exeter Cathedral for the UBSCR, that after about 2 hours, Tony had heart
palpitations. He ceased ringing the peal, and ringing took a back seat in his
life for a good number of years. This was in the days before Gandison was
re-hung.
One of his other great interests was church organs. Tony
arranged and helped to finance the complete overhaul of Tytherington church
organ in the 1990s. His music room at home contained a reed organ (with blower
in the loft), a three manual electronic organ and a grand piano. He played the
organs at the Freemasons Hall, Bristol regularly for four different Masonic
lodges and organised organists' outings to many different places.
Tony was one of those people who was unflappable, humorous,
generous and always ready to help anybody at any stage of ringing. Tony’s
health deteriorated in the autumn of 2008, and by Christmas was seriously ill.
He spent his last days at St Peter’s Hospice and this is where he last heard
bells being rung. As a memorial to Tony a quarter peal of Cambridge Minor was
rang on the heavy six at Westbury on Trym on Friday 27 February. Three
spectators sat in the ringing chamber throughout the ringing, one of whom was a
former mentor to Tony.
At his funeral service on Tuesday 17 February, Tortworth
church was full to capacity. The bells were rung half muffed before and after
the service. At Tytherington the bells were rung open for Tony’s committal.
The ringers were joined by Hugh Evans, the chair of Gloucester and Bristol
Association, and Rev John and Beryl Baldwin of Llandaff.
In recent years Tony revived his interest in choral singing
and became a member of The Painswick Singers. His last public appearance was to
sing in the Painswick Christmas concert shortly before Christmas 2008. It was
therefore fitting that the Painswick Singers sang ‘Ave Verum Corpus’ by Mozart
and the ‘Sanctus’ from Faure’s Requiem at his funeral.
Tytherington Bellringers
28th March 2009
Frederick
George Gillett 1933 - 2006
George
Gillett of Coalpit Heath died in 2006, he was born in 1933
George was born in South Somerset in October 1933, becoming a resident of
Coalpit Heath village following his National Service in the Parachute Regiment,
and a period in the Bristol City Constabulary. He became attached to St
Saviour’s Coalpit Heath in the late 1960’s joining the band of ringers as an
adult learner.
George entered the aircraft industry with Rolls Royce, serving as an instructor
on the shop floor and in the training school with responsibility for the use of
computers in aircraft engine construction. George’s experience in industry was
to help Coalpit Heath at the time of the augmentation of the bells to eight.
George was able to move from six bell ringing to that of eight without much
difficulty, his main interest being that of ringing the tenor. He was capable of
ringing Stedman and Surprise methods, with limited interest in peal ringing. He
did ring three peals, including one of forty two(42) doubles methods. He was
also interested in the Coalpit Heath ringers activities in competition ringing.
His health in recent years had restricted his travel movements and ringing
activities with the Farcited midweek group, although he made appearances in the
Coalpit Heath ringing chamber up to two weeks before his death.
George was in Frenchay hospital for only five days before he was called to
other duties above.
George wished that the funeral service be marked with open ringing to Stedman
Triples, this was carried out by local ringers and the Bristol Rural Branch, as
George entered and left St Saviours for the last time.
George was a Good Servant – May peace be with Him.
Thank you George
Next obituary click here
Andy Kane 1989 - 2006
Andy died on the 30th July
in intensive care at Southmead following an illness of about two weeks. He
was seventeen years old.
He started ringing at Thornbury in 2001, and was a ringer when schoolwork
(he'd just taken his A/S levels) and his other activities allowed.
Andy's mother Leanne, a very well known voice and singing coach in
Thornbury, died two years ago (almost to the week) and although at the time
it hit Andy hard he seemed to have recovered well and was following much in
her footsteps with a keen involvement with school drama and in the Thornbury
Amateur Dramatics Society, and with some school friends he had developed an
interest in producing and directing video. He was thinking of applying to
Southampton University to study History.
Our thoughts and prayers are very much with his father Ian, and his younger
brother Matt. His most untimely death leaves a great gap in the hearts of
all the Thornbury ringers.
A.A.
Denis Arthur
Jones 1924 - 2004
Ringer at Frampton Cotterell.
Denis Jones, of Frampton Cotterell has died in 2004. He was born in 1926
Denis was born in Bristol in St Michael’s hill where his father was a
grocer, he must have listened to many hours of ringing as a child and young
man as the bells of St Michaels rang out for services and practice nights.
He also said that as a lad he chimed a bell at St Michaels for service.
When Den left school he went to work at Bristol University as a Laboratory
Technician taking up his trade as a glass blower. Eventually he started his
own business manufacturing scientific glassware in Downend, and in recent
years was joined by his youngest son Mathew who took up the same trade. He
made lots of interesting items including lasers…and lovely glass handbells.
Denis in his adult life lived in Frampton Cotterell for 41 years and had
associated with many local ringers; he did not take up ringing until 1999.
As one of the oldest millennium ringers: Denis had to work hard to master
ringing, and was often heard to say he wished he had taken it up at seven
not seventy. As a scout he did bring three important attributes to the
Frampton band – reliability and timeliness for his service and practice
ringing, and also his ability to splice ropes perfectly.
Den had lots of other interests including life long interest in Scouting,
sailing (which he passed on to his children who are still messing about in
boats and also many of the local scouts and guides), he was an accomplished
swimming, canoeing and life saving instructor.
At a recent church and tower open weekend,
Den did his duty, on the roof, in the ringing chamber, and conducting
visitors up the tower. His picture was even found in an ‘old’ photographic
exhibition – dressed in his shorts and a white apron manning the BBQ at a
Frampton Carnival. Although not retired, Denis did allow his wife Francis to
organise frequent short holidays – glass blowing conferences in Venice,
cruises, South Africa in the last year. He even managed a trip to the top of
Reykjavik Cathedral – 300ft (it does have a lift)
At his funeral Denis’s family and friends filled the church to capacity, to
celebrate the life of a good man.
He will be missed by the Frampton Cotterell ringers, his many friends and
acquaintances.
Our Sympathy goes to his widow Francis and all the family.
The world will be a poorer place without Denis Jones.
Phillis B.G. Livsey 1924 - 2002
Ringer at Alveston and Farcited Member
Phyllis Betty Georgina (Phyl): wife of the late Robert Livsey. Died
peacefully at Southmead Hospital on December 16th 2001, after a
short illness, aged 78. Phyl took up ringing late in life, starting, during
the 1970’s. She had wanted to ring when she was young, but had been told
that ringing was not suitable activity for young ladies! She had always had
strong ties with the church, being a devout Christian and almost had a
service named after her, the ten past ten Thursday morning communion service
at St Helens, Alveston, a service she was regularly late for! She learnt to
ring at St Helens, Alveston, and, though not progressing beyond bob doubles,
was a useful member of the band and encouraged other members of the church
to "give ringing a go". She was well known to the Farcited ringers, often
joining them on their outings, she almost became the official photographer,
as with her family and friends she will be missed for her lively and
infectious personality.
Robert A. Williams 1924 - 2002
Robert Williams, of Tytherington died in 2002 he was born in 1924.
Robert lived all his life in the village of Tytherington, Gloucestershire.
He attended the village school and won a scholarship to Thornbury Grammar
School. On leaving, Robert went to work on the family farm. He played the
horn in the Tytherington band and also learnt to ring on the then five bells
and quickly progressed to Grandsire doubles. He was part of the handbell
team, which rang carols at Christmas time to raise money, funds for a new
treble bell, which came to fruition in 1959. With this completed, the next
project was to refurbish the handbells and this was duly done by 1970. He
taught his five children to ring, culminating in a family Silver Jubilee
quarter peal. His involvement with church life spanned almost all his life
with ringing, the church choir, and being churchwarden for 40 years. His
dedication to church life was reflected at his funeral service with the
church overflowing. The bells were rung open before the service by Rural
Branch members, and the tenor tolled on interment. A successful quarter peal
of Plain Bob Minor was rung in the evening by the local Sunday band.