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The history of bellringers & bellringing - Ringing Societies


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Midland Counties Association and associated societies

Associated societies have a green background.

Society NameDescriptionsFrom (year)To (year)Web site
Midland Counties Association

According to Ernest Morris in 'The History and Art of Change Ringing' page 258, the Midland Counties Association was first called 'The Society for the Archdeaconry of Derby and District'. This Association covered all of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, the southern part of Staffordshire and part of Warwickshire. It ceased to exist at the end of 1945 when it was split up as it was too large. The societies which sprang from it were the Leicester Diocesan Guild, the Southwell Diocesan Guild, the Derby and Districts Association and the Midland Counties Guild. [Research by John Harrison.]

founded 1882
In 1946 MCA divided into Derby Diocesan Association, Leicester Diocesan Guild, Midland Counties Guild and Southwell Diocesan Guild [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]

18821945
Midland Counties Guild

The Midland Counties Guild covered the area of South Staffordshire near Burton on Trent. It was formed when the Midland Counties Association of Church Bell Ringers broke up at the end of 1945. The remainder was divided into the Southwell Diocesan Guild (for Nottinghamshire), the Derby & Districts Association (for Derbyshire), the Leicester Diocesan Guild (for Leicestershire) and [Research by John Harrison.]

The Association was one of several formed in the 1880s under the patronage of the leading clergy in each area, to promote Belfry Reform and the advancement of change ringing. This led to the formation of the Association of Change Ringers for the Archdeaconry of Derby and District on Easter Monday, 10th April 1882, held in St Luke, Derby schoolroom.
At the AGM held on Easter Monday, 26th March 1883, in St Andrew, Derby Schools it was agreed to change the name to the Midlands Counties Association of Change Ringers. The main Districts created were Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Burton-on-Trent.
The Association was dissolved in 1946 to create the Derby Diocesan Association, Leicester Diocesan Guild, Midland Counties Guild and Southwell Diocesan Guild. A more detailed history can be found in Ringing World (14th May 1982, pages 401 to 402). [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Certificates Collection by Chris Ridley.]

1946

Photo

Books in the Council Library

TitleAuthorDateNotesAcquisition Number
Annual Reports 1892-1897, 1898-41/5681
Annual Reports 1946 (1st), 50, 52, 54-58, 60-71, 1972-19961659
Midland Counties Association List of records held at Leicestershire Record Office 19841984 1630
Burton upon Trent, St Paul20.i.1996A Celebration of the Formation of the Derby, Leicester, Midland Counties and Southwell Bell-Ringing Guilds in 1946 1044

Accounts of the lives of members (Navigation at foot of page)

NamePlace(s)Other societiesDate of death
Horace W Abbott Towers: Nottingham, All Saints
Location mentioned in obituary: Loughborough
 
Arthur R Aldham Place of Birth: Hadleigh
Location mentioned in obituary: Barwell
Location mentioned in obituary: St Mary le Tower
Ancient Society of College Youths
Norwich Diocesan Association 1
29/09/1917
Dennis H Allsopp Location mentioned in obituary: North KilworthLeicester Diocesan Guild
Peterborough Diocesan Guild
11/01/1994
Alfred Archer Location mentioned in obituary: NottinghamSociety of Sherwood Youths22/07/1932
Frederick G Attenborough Location mentioned in obituary: Burton upon Trent05/09/1904
Air Mechanic 2nd Class William Ernest Bailey Place of Birth: Bugbrooke
Location mentioned in obituary: Daventry
Roll of Honour tower: Daventry
30/04/1918
Frederick Walter Bailey Place of Birth: Leiston, Suffolk
Began ringing at: Leiston
First peal tower: Leiston
Towers: Nottingham; Coleshill & Castle Bromwich, Birmingham
Location mentioned in obituary: Castle Bromwich
28/05/1979
Richard Westbrook Baker Location mentioned in obituary: Langham (Leics)Society of Framland Ringers22/08/1920
Lieut. Colonel Herbert Baker Place of Birth: Hertford
Began ringing at: St Andrew, Hertford
First peal tower: All Saints, Hertford
Towers: All Saints, Hertford from 1879.
Location mentioned in obituary: Hertford
Ancient Society of College Youths
Devon Association
Essex Association
Hertford County Association
Kent County Association
London County Association (1903-1928)
Middlesex Association
Norfolk Guild
Oxford Diocesan Guild
Sussex County Association
Truro Diocesan Guild
Warwickshire Guild
28/12/1925
Alf Ballard Location mentioned in obituary: Belgrave
Location mentioned in obituary: Birstall
Location mentioned in obituary: Leicester
12/01/1928
Alfred Ballard Place of Birth: Stoney Stanton
Began ringing at: Stoney Stanton
First peal tower: Witherley, Leicestershire
Location mentioned in obituary: Hinckley
Ancient Society of College Youths
Leicester Diocesan Guild
13/05/1992
Benjamin Barker Began ringing at: Ingoldsby
Location mentioned in obituary: Derby
Derbyshire Association01/11/1960
Walter L C Barlow Began ringing at: Edmonton
Location mentioned in obituary: Edmonton
 
John Thomas Bottrill Location mentioned in obituary: Anstey (Leics)
Roll of Honour tower: Anstey
17/07/1917
Serjeant John Thomas Casterton Roll of Honour tower: Langham, Rutland13/10/1915
Robert Baker Chambers JPPlace of Birth: Wilne, Shardlow, Derbyshire
Location mentioned in obituary: Littleover
26/04/1929
Thomas Collinson Place of Birth: Kendal area
Began ringing at: Chepstow
Towers: Birmingham St Philip's and at Edgbaston
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
Birmingham and District Amalgamated Society
Birmingham Association
10/11/1916
Stephen Cooper Place of Birth: Leicester
Began ringing at: Leicester
First peal tower: St. Margaret, Leicester
Central Council of Church Bellringers18/02/1905
Maurice Cooper Roll of Honour tower: Glossop01/09/1918
Albert Richard Coppock Place of Birth: Nottingham
First peal tower: Holy Trinity, Lenton
Towers: St. John, Beeston, Nottingham for 14 years
Location mentioned in obituary: Nottingham
Central Council of Church Bellringers
Society of Sherwood Youths
28/03/1937

Peal Statistics

Statistics sourced from the annual reports of the Council Peal Analysis Committee will be shown here

The tables will need to be digitised first. A job for 2024.

Peal board photos

Total records: 3

Wellington Cathedral, New Zealand 04/04/1891

Details

King's Norton, West Midlands 25/11/1893

Details

Stoney Stanton, Leics. 28/04/1923

Details

Peals

For those who have a pealbase login, the society analysis has totals since 1910.

Midland Counties Association and associated societies

Associated societies have a green background.

Society NameDescriptionsFrom (year)To (year)Web site
Midland Counties Association

According to Ernest Morris in 'The History and Art of Change Ringing' page 258, the Midland Counties Association was first called 'The Society for the Archdeaconry of Derby and District'. This Association covered all of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, the southern part of Staffordshire and part of Warwickshire. It ceased to exist at the end of 1945 when it was split up as it was too large. The societies which sprang from it were the Leicester Diocesan Guild, the Southwell Diocesan Guild, the Derby and Districts Association and the Midland Counties Guild. [Research by John Harrison.]

founded 1882
In 1946 MCA divided into Derby Diocesan Association, Leicester Diocesan Guild, Midland Counties Guild and Southwell Diocesan Guild [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]

18821945
Midland Counties Guild

The Midland Counties Guild covered the area of South Staffordshire near Burton on Trent. It was formed when the Midland Counties Association of Church Bell Ringers broke up at the end of 1945. The remainder was divided into the Southwell Diocesan Guild (for Nottinghamshire), the Derby & Districts Association (for Derbyshire), the Leicester Diocesan Guild (for Leicestershire) and [Research by John Harrison.]

The Association was one of several formed in the 1880s under the patronage of the leading clergy in each area, to promote Belfry Reform and the advancement of change ringing. This led to the formation of the Association of Change Ringers for the Archdeaconry of Derby and District on Easter Monday, 10th April 1882, held in St Luke, Derby schoolroom.
At the AGM held on Easter Monday, 26th March 1883, in St Andrew, Derby Schools it was agreed to change the name to the Midlands Counties Association of Change Ringers. The main Districts created were Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Burton-on-Trent.
The Association was dissolved in 1946 to create the Derby Diocesan Association, Leicester Diocesan Guild, Midland Counties Guild and Southwell Diocesan Guild. A more detailed history can be found in Ringing World (14th May 1982, pages 401 to 402). [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Certificates Collection by Chris Ridley.]

1946

Photo

Books in the Council Library

TitleAuthorDateNotesAcquisition Number
Annual Reports 1892-1897, 1898-41/5681
Annual Reports 1946 (1st), 50, 52, 54-58, 60-71, 1972-19961659
Midland Counties Association List of records held at Leicestershire Record Office 19841984 1630
Burton upon Trent, St Paul20.i.1996A Celebration of the Formation of the Derby, Leicester, Midland Counties and Southwell Bell-Ringing Guilds in 1946 1044

Accounts of the lives of members (Navigation at foot of page)

NamePlace(s)Other societiesDate of death
Horace W Abbott Towers: Nottingham, All Saints
Location mentioned in obituary: Loughborough
 
Arthur R Aldham Place of Birth: Hadleigh
Location mentioned in obituary: Barwell
Location mentioned in obituary: St Mary le Tower
Ancient Society of College Youths
Norwich Diocesan Association 1
29/09/1917
Dennis H Allsopp Location mentioned in obituary: North KilworthLeicester Diocesan Guild
Peterborough Diocesan Guild
11/01/1994
Alfred Archer Location mentioned in obituary: NottinghamSociety of Sherwood Youths22/07/1932
Frederick G Attenborough Location mentioned in obituary: Burton upon Trent05/09/1904
Air Mechanic 2nd Class William Ernest Bailey Place of Birth: Bugbrooke
Location mentioned in obituary: Daventry
Roll of Honour tower: Daventry
30/04/1918
Frederick Walter Bailey Place of Birth: Leiston, Suffolk
Began ringing at: Leiston
First peal tower: Leiston
Towers: Nottingham; Coleshill & Castle Bromwich, Birmingham
Location mentioned in obituary: Castle Bromwich
28/05/1979
Richard Westbrook Baker Location mentioned in obituary: Langham (Leics)Society of Framland Ringers22/08/1920
Lieut. Colonel Herbert Baker Place of Birth: Hertford
Began ringing at: St Andrew, Hertford
First peal tower: All Saints, Hertford
Towers: All Saints, Hertford from 1879.
Location mentioned in obituary: Hertford
Ancient Society of College Youths
Devon Association
Essex Association
Hertford County Association
Kent County Association
London County Association (1903-1928)
Middlesex Association
Norfolk Guild
Oxford Diocesan Guild
Sussex County Association
Truro Diocesan Guild
Warwickshire Guild
28/12/1925
Alf Ballard Location mentioned in obituary: Belgrave
Location mentioned in obituary: Birstall
Location mentioned in obituary: Leicester
12/01/1928
Alfred Ballard Place of Birth: Stoney Stanton
Began ringing at: Stoney Stanton
First peal tower: Witherley, Leicestershire
Location mentioned in obituary: Hinckley
Ancient Society of College Youths
Leicester Diocesan Guild
13/05/1992
Benjamin Barker Began ringing at: Ingoldsby
Location mentioned in obituary: Derby
Derbyshire Association01/11/1960
Walter L C Barlow Began ringing at: Edmonton
Location mentioned in obituary: Edmonton
 
John Thomas Bottrill Location mentioned in obituary: Anstey (Leics)
Roll of Honour tower: Anstey
17/07/1917
Serjeant John Thomas Casterton Roll of Honour tower: Langham, Rutland13/10/1915
Robert Baker Chambers JPPlace of Birth: Wilne, Shardlow, Derbyshire
Location mentioned in obituary: Littleover
26/04/1929
Thomas Collinson Place of Birth: Kendal area
Began ringing at: Chepstow
Towers: Birmingham St Philip's and at Edgbaston
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
Birmingham and District Amalgamated Society
Birmingham Association
10/11/1916
Stephen Cooper Place of Birth: Leicester
Began ringing at: Leicester
First peal tower: St. Margaret, Leicester
Central Council of Church Bellringers18/02/1905
Maurice Cooper Roll of Honour tower: Glossop01/09/1918
Albert Richard Coppock Place of Birth: Nottingham
First peal tower: Holy Trinity, Lenton
Towers: St. John, Beeston, Nottingham for 14 years
Location mentioned in obituary: Nottingham
Central Council of Church Bellringers
Society of Sherwood Youths
28/03/1937

Peal Statistics

Statistics sourced from the annual reports of the Council Peal Analysis Committee will be shown here

The tables will need to be digitised first. A job for 2024.

Peal board photos

Total records: 3

Wellington Cathedral, New Zealand 04/04/1891

Details

King's Norton, West Midlands 25/11/1893

Details

Stoney Stanton, Leics. 28/04/1923

Details

Peals

For those who have a pealbase login, the society analysis has totals since 1910.

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