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The history of bellringers & bellringing - Ringing Societies


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St. Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers for the Diocese of Birmingham and associated societies

Associated societies have a green background.

Society NameDescriptionsFrom (year)To (year)Web site
St. Philip's Society

Birmingham. Later became the Birmingham District Amalgamated Society [Research by John Harrison.]

Birmingham and District Association1889
Birmingham Amalgamated Society1889
Society of St. Martin's Youths

The precursor of St. Martin's Society of Change Ringers [Research by John Harrison.]

17551880
Holt Society of Aston18791888
St. Martins Guild of Change Ringers for Birmingham18801888
Birmingham and District Amalgamated Society

This society was led by John Carter and was an expansion of the St. Philip's Society, Birmingham [Research by John Harrison.]

18891906
St. Martin's Guild of Change Ringers for Birmingham, Aston and the surrounding districts.

Henry Johnson was the Presiding Ringing Master. The society was later renamed to St Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers for the Diocese of Birmingham [Research by John Harrison.]

18891906
St. Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers for the Diocese of Birmingham

The former St. Martin's Guild of Change Ringers for Birmingham, Aston and the surrounding districts was renamed in January 1906, shortly after the creation of the Diocese of Birmingham [Research by John Harrison.]

The St Martins Guild of Change Ringers for Birmingham amalgamated with the Holts Society of Aston on 9th October 1888 (see Bell News 26th June 1889, page 541). Shortly afterwards on the 9th February 1889 a meeting held in the White Swan hostelry in Edmund Street, Birmingham agreed an amalgamation of the Birmingham and Districts Association with the Birmingham Amalgamated Society to form the Birmingham and District Amalgamated Society (see Bell News 2nd March 1889, page 601).
The creation of the St Martin's Guild for the Diocese of Birmingham was discussed following the creation of the new Diocese (see Bell News 29th July 1905, page 246). This resulted in the St Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers for the Diocese of Birmingham being founded in January 1906. [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Certificates Collection by Chris Ridley.]

founded 1906
Formerly: Society of St Martin's Youths (1755-1889); St Martin's Guild for Birmingham, Aston & Districts(1889-1906)
Subsumed: Birmingham & District Amalgamated Society (1881-1906) [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]

1906https://stmartinsguild.org/

Photo

Books in the Council Library

TitleAuthorDateNotesAcquisition Number
St Martin's Guild for the Diocese of BirminghamNewsletter No 1 (Feb 1990) - No 4 (Sep 1990), No 6 (Apr 1991), No 7 (Feb 1992)2072
Annual Reports 1990-2011/12 (no report or directory published 2003/4 and no report for 04), 2012/13, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17 2020 (New A4 series), 20213882
Rules1930s? 3316
Peal BookJoseph Riley1798-1833Photocopy of MS peal book containing decorative records of 22 peals. Original held by St Martin's Guild, Birmingham 3431
List of peals1755-1902A list of peals in the peal books of the Guild and its predecessor Societies to 1902, compiled by C J Pickford in 1984 1490
St Martin's Guild, Birmingham Contents of libraryn.d.See also 1703 and 2327 below 1131
St Martin's Guild, Birmingham Contents of library1985 - 1991See also 1131 above and 2327 below 1703
St Martin's Guild, Birmingham Catalogue of printed books1995See also 1131 and 1703 above 2327

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

NamePlace(s)Other societiesDate of death
J Alan Ainsworth Central Council of Church Bellringers 
Henry Bastable Place of Birth: Pensnett, Staffs
Began ringing at: Handsworth
First peal tower: St. Mary, Handsworth
Towers: St. Martin's Parish Church,Birmingham and the Cathedral Churches of St Philip and St. Chad, Parish Church of SS Peter & Paul, Aston
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
18/01/1899
George Ernest Fearn Place of Birth: Birmingham
Began ringing at: Deritend, Birmingham
First peal tower: Stone, Worcestershire
Towers: King's Norton, 1929-1936; St. Martin's and Birmingham Cathedral 1929-1974.
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
20/05/1974
William Henry Godden Place of Birth: Southampton
Began ringing at: Birmingham
First peal tower: St. Mary, Handsworth, Staffs.
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
Birmingham Diocesan Guild28/08/1927
Terence Ralph Hampton Location mentioned in obituary: BirminghamAncient Society of College Youths
Central Council of Church Bellringers
04/08/2015
Frank Eric Haynes Place of Birth: Trumpington
Began ringing at: Trumpington
Towers: Great St. Mary's, Cambridge; St. Martin's Birmingham
Location mentioned in obituary: Cambridge
Ancient Society of College Youths
Central Council of Church Bellringers
12/11/1991
Michael W Lowndes Began ringing at: Harborne
First peal tower: St Chad's Birmingham
Towers: Bedford St Paul
Towers: Newport Pagnell
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
Ancient Society of College Youths
Bedfordshire Association
Oxford Diocesan Guild
26/07/2016
John McDonald Place of Birth: Erdington, Birmingham
Began ringing at: Erdington Abbey
First peal tower: Erdington Abbey
Towers: St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham from 1967; St Martin, Birmingham from 1976.
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
Ancient Society of College Youths20/01/2004
Roderick Wilgress Pipe Place of Birth: Ipswich
Began ringing at: Grundisburgh
First peal tower: Grundisburgh
Towers: King's Norton, St. Philip's, Birmingham and St. Martin's Birmingham
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
Ancient Society of College Youths
Birmingham University Society
01/04/2011
Councillor Alfred Padden Smith Place of Birth: West Bromwich
Began ringing at: St. Mary, Handsworth, Birmingham
First peal tower: St. Mary, Handsworth
Towers: St. Martin's, Birmingham 1897 onwards
07/12/1965

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 Boards

Birmingham, Moseley (St Mary), W Mids 15/02/1905

Details

Boldmere 28/09/1907

Details

Boldmere 21/12/1913

Details

Boldmere 02/11/1957

Details

Lapworth, Warks 01/06/1963

Details

Shrewsbury, St Chad 19/04/1986

Details

Birmingham, Moseley (St Mary), W Mids 04/05/1993

Details

Shirley, W Mids 04/12/1993

Details

Shirley, W Mids 21/12/2002

Details

Birmingham (St Paul), W Mids 25/11/2005

Details

Boldmere 13/11/2007

Details

Birmingham (St Paul), W Mids 28/11/2015

Details

St. Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers for the Diocese of Birmingham and associated societies

Associated societies have a green background.

Society NameDescriptionsFrom (year)To (year)Web site
St. Philip's Society

Birmingham. Later became the Birmingham District Amalgamated Society [Research by John Harrison.]

Birmingham and District Association1889
Birmingham Amalgamated Society1889
Society of St. Martin's Youths

The precursor of St. Martin's Society of Change Ringers [Research by John Harrison.]

17551880
Holt Society of Aston18791888
St. Martins Guild of Change Ringers for Birmingham18801888
Birmingham and District Amalgamated Society

This society was led by John Carter and was an expansion of the St. Philip's Society, Birmingham [Research by John Harrison.]

18891906
St. Martin's Guild of Change Ringers for Birmingham, Aston and the surrounding districts.

Henry Johnson was the Presiding Ringing Master. The society was later renamed to St Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers for the Diocese of Birmingham [Research by John Harrison.]

18891906
St. Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers for the Diocese of Birmingham

The former St. Martin's Guild of Change Ringers for Birmingham, Aston and the surrounding districts was renamed in January 1906, shortly after the creation of the Diocese of Birmingham [Research by John Harrison.]

The St Martins Guild of Change Ringers for Birmingham amalgamated with the Holts Society of Aston on 9th October 1888 (see Bell News 26th June 1889, page 541). Shortly afterwards on the 9th February 1889 a meeting held in the White Swan hostelry in Edmund Street, Birmingham agreed an amalgamation of the Birmingham and Districts Association with the Birmingham Amalgamated Society to form the Birmingham and District Amalgamated Society (see Bell News 2nd March 1889, page 601).
The creation of the St Martin's Guild for the Diocese of Birmingham was discussed following the creation of the new Diocese (see Bell News 29th July 1905, page 246). This resulted in the St Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers for the Diocese of Birmingham being founded in January 1906. [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Certificates Collection by Chris Ridley.]

founded 1906
Formerly: Society of St Martin's Youths (1755-1889); St Martin's Guild for Birmingham, Aston & Districts(1889-1906)
Subsumed: Birmingham & District Amalgamated Society (1881-1906) [Research and observations associated with the Council Library Badge Collection by Chris Ridley.]

1906https://stmartinsguild.org/

Photo

Books in the Council Library

TitleAuthorDateNotesAcquisition Number
St Martin's Guild for the Diocese of BirminghamNewsletter No 1 (Feb 1990) - No 4 (Sep 1990), No 6 (Apr 1991), No 7 (Feb 1992)2072
Annual Reports 1990-2011/12 (no report or directory published 2003/4 and no report for 04), 2012/13, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17 2020 (New A4 series), 20213882
Rules1930s? 3316
Peal BookJoseph Riley1798-1833Photocopy of MS peal book containing decorative records of 22 peals. Original held by St Martin's Guild, Birmingham 3431
List of peals1755-1902A list of peals in the peal books of the Guild and its predecessor Societies to 1902, compiled by C J Pickford in 1984 1490
St Martin's Guild, Birmingham Contents of libraryn.d.See also 1703 and 2327 below 1131
St Martin's Guild, Birmingham Contents of library1985 - 1991See also 1131 above and 2327 below 1703
St Martin's Guild, Birmingham Catalogue of printed books1995See also 1131 and 1703 above 2327

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

NamePlace(s)Other societiesDate of death
J Alan Ainsworth Central Council of Church Bellringers 
Henry Bastable Place of Birth: Pensnett, Staffs
Began ringing at: Handsworth
First peal tower: St. Mary, Handsworth
Towers: St. Martin's Parish Church,Birmingham and the Cathedral Churches of St Philip and St. Chad, Parish Church of SS Peter & Paul, Aston
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
18/01/1899
George Ernest Fearn Place of Birth: Birmingham
Began ringing at: Deritend, Birmingham
First peal tower: Stone, Worcestershire
Towers: King's Norton, 1929-1936; St. Martin's and Birmingham Cathedral 1929-1974.
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
20/05/1974
William Henry Godden Place of Birth: Southampton
Began ringing at: Birmingham
First peal tower: St. Mary, Handsworth, Staffs.
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
Birmingham Diocesan Guild28/08/1927
Terence Ralph Hampton Location mentioned in obituary: BirminghamAncient Society of College Youths
Central Council of Church Bellringers
04/08/2015
Frank Eric Haynes Place of Birth: Trumpington
Began ringing at: Trumpington
Towers: Great St. Mary's, Cambridge; St. Martin's Birmingham
Location mentioned in obituary: Cambridge
Ancient Society of College Youths
Central Council of Church Bellringers
12/11/1991
Michael W Lowndes Began ringing at: Harborne
First peal tower: St Chad's Birmingham
Towers: Bedford St Paul
Towers: Newport Pagnell
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
Ancient Society of College Youths
Bedfordshire Association
Oxford Diocesan Guild
26/07/2016
John McDonald Place of Birth: Erdington, Birmingham
Began ringing at: Erdington Abbey
First peal tower: Erdington Abbey
Towers: St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham from 1967; St Martin, Birmingham from 1976.
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
Ancient Society of College Youths20/01/2004
Roderick Wilgress Pipe Place of Birth: Ipswich
Began ringing at: Grundisburgh
First peal tower: Grundisburgh
Towers: King's Norton, St. Philip's, Birmingham and St. Martin's Birmingham
Location mentioned in obituary: Birmingham
Ancient Society of College Youths
Birmingham University Society
01/04/2011
Councillor Alfred Padden Smith Place of Birth: West Bromwich
Began ringing at: St. Mary, Handsworth, Birmingham
First peal tower: St. Mary, Handsworth
Towers: St. Martin's, Birmingham 1897 onwards
07/12/1965

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 Boards

Birmingham, Moseley (St Mary), W Mids 15/02/1905

Details

Boldmere 28/09/1907

Details

Boldmere 21/12/1913

Details

Boldmere 02/11/1957

Details

Lapworth, Warks 01/06/1963

Details

Shrewsbury, St Chad 19/04/1986

Details

Birmingham, Moseley (St Mary), W Mids 04/05/1993

Details

Shirley, W Mids 04/12/1993

Details

Shirley, W Mids 21/12/2002

Details

Birmingham (St Paul), W Mids 25/11/2005

Details

Boldmere 13/11/2007

Details

Birmingham (St Paul), W Mids 28/11/2015

Details
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