The history of bellringers & bellringing - Ringing Societies

On Easter Monday 1880 a mixed company of Beddington and Streatham ringers held a preliminary meeting at Carshalton to discuss the possibility of forming a ‘Surrey Diocesan Society of Change Ringers’. Both Southwark Diocese (created in 1905) and Guildford Diocese (created in 1927) did not exist at the time and the county was divided between the Diocese of Rochester to the north and Diocese of Winchester in the south. Although tradition suggests the meeting was held in the Kings Arms there is no records in existence to support this. The outcome of the gathering was a notice in Church Bells inviting all interested parties to attend a further meeting in the School Rooms at Beddington on Whit Monday. It was previous thought this date was 21st May 1880 but further research suggests it was in fact 17th May 1880.
The meeting at Beddington agreed to set up the ‘Surrey Association’ with membership drawn from the churches of Ashtead, Beddington, Bletchingley, Croydon, Horley, Kingston, Leatherhead, Mitcham (St Paul), Nutfield, Streatham and Wimbledon. These towers were said to be ‘in union’, the Association depending from the outset on individual ringer membership rather than on formal affiliation.
For further background see the Ringing World (23rd May 1980, pages 433, 434 and 435 to 455) and the publication The Surrey Association of Church Bell Ringers 1880-1980 A Centenary History by Christopher Mew. [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Certificates Collection by Chris Ridley.]

founded 1880 [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]