The Bicester Branch are sad to announce the death of one of its long-standing and much loved members, Cliff East, whose funeral was held on Wednesday 3 July. At his funeral Jill Bailey read a poem written by John Harris, also a long-standing Branch member and Vice President, during the late 80s and we reproduce it here (with kind permission from his family):
OLD CLIFFORD AND HIS MERRY BAND
Old Clifford and his merry band
are the best of ringers in the land
they ring with pride, they ring with care,
sometimes they ring beyond compare!
On Friday nights they do their best
while poor old Clifford takes his rest
the calls are made, the bells do sound
though sometimes they will not come round.
Let’s “go again” the captain shouts
but try and leave those clashes out
bob and single he cries in heed
two bells to go, now treble lead!
Come on you kids, it’s your turn now
you have a go, I’ll wipe my brow
please put that chewing gum away
‘cos mucky gum won’t mend that stay!
There’s time left now for one more touch
but what we ring won’t matter much
let’s ring some Stedman captain please
shouts Les who’s nearly on his knees.
The Stedman finds its way back round
with one or two familiar sounds
now gently down the treble calls
and perfectly, in rounds, they fall
It’s 90 minutes of real good fun
before old Clifford’s work is done
to ringers dwelling in this land
I recommend old Clifford’s band.
Composed by John Harris in the late 1980s