Category: Quarter peal

Posted on

Quarter Peal at Middleton Stoney, 3 September 2021

I was very pleased to be part of the band that rang a Bob minor quarter peal yesterday at Middleton Stoney, most ably conducted by Alison Merryweather-Clarke, with Charlie Bates who returns to Uni this weekend and to whom the quarter is dedicated. Thank you Charlie, for your support this summer, best of luck with your studies and see you at Christmas if not before!

Thanks also to Andrew Goldthorpe, Anthony Williamson and Michael Haynes for making up the team.

The Ringing World BellBoard entry is here: https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1458695

Steve Vickars
4th September 2021

the band treble to tenor, left to right
Posted on

Quarter Peal at Kirtlington 1st March 2020

This afternoon at Kirtlington, a band completed a very nicely struck Quarter Peal of Grandsire Doubles, rung to celebrate the 32 years of service given by Jean Sambrook to Kirtlington Village Shop. The quarter, conducted expertly by Hugh Deam, was also Charlie Bates’ first inside to the method, supported by Teresa, Kathryn, Paul and Steve.

This was also Charlie’s final practical target for his ART Learning the Ropes Level 5, achieved in less than eighteen months after starting to learn to ring. Very many congratulations, Charlie!

The Bellboard record is at:  https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1333184

The team for Charlie’s quarter inside to Grandsire Doubles
Posted on

Quarter Peal in Memoriam Stephen Cameron 29th May 2019

A team of six ringers from our Bicester Branch, including Gareth from Charlton, gathered at Charlton on Otmoor to ring a Quarter Peal of Grandsire Doubles in memory of Stephen Cameron, Tower Captain, who very sadly passed away last month.

Thank you to Kathryn, Jeremy, Teresa, and Gareth for ringing a very nicely struck Quarter and thanks to Richard for conducting so assuredly. Big congratulations to Gareth for steady covering on his first Quarter! The first of many more, I’m sure!

The Bellboard entry is at:

https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1287828

Posted on

Branch Quarter Peal at Islip Wed 16th January 2019

Another Quarter Peal was successfully completed last Wednesday at Islip, this time in Plain Bob Triples, excellently conducted by Richard Haseldine.

Several firsts were achieved for this event, including first inside to Triples for Ellie and Kathryn, and first inside to method for Ellie, Kathryn , Jeremy and Steve.

We are most grateful for the assistance of Andrew Goldthorpe, who stepped in at short notice to ring treble.  Jan Haseldine and Michael McArthur made up the band.

It was also a bitter-sweet moment as this was Ellie’s final Branch Quarter Peal before she moves up to York to a new job. Very best wishes to you, Ellie, we will surely miss you!

The bellboard record is at:

https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1267464

The Bob Triples QP band

Posted on

Christmas Quarter Peal 27th December 2018

Six ringers from Bicester Branch, including our Ringing Master, Deputy Ringing Master, Secretary, Jan and Ellie successfully completed a quarter peal of Plain Bob Minor, conducted by Richard on Thursday evening, at Islip, to celebrate the Christmas period. Congratulations to Kathryn for her first minor quarter inside.

For further details, see the record  on Bellboard at: https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1264282

As well as being a Christmas quarter peal, this was also dedicated to Gill and Tony Summerfield’s upcoming 53rd wedding anniversary. Congratulations to them both!

The Quarter Peal band

Posted on

Grandsire Triples Quarter Peal at Kirtlington 6 May 2018

A very big thank you to Pat and Robert Newton, Neil Ephgrave, Michael and Alison from Witney and Woodstock Branch and Hugh from Oxford City and Kathryn ( who kept the secret that like myself, this would be her first Quarter to a Triples method) for helping ring a successful Quarter Peal at Kirtlington yesterday to commemorate  the tercentenary of our 3 oldest bells.

I had been intending to have a Quarter Peal rung with local ringers this year when I found out that the 3 oldest bells were cast in 1718. This also coincides with the first recorded Peal of Grandsire Triples rung in the same year. So when I  attended the Radley Course in April this year, the method had to be Grandsire Triples.

We completed the quarter despite a couple of “moments” where I tried to dodge off the wrong stroke,  but was guided back into the right place.

It was even appreciated by villagers and visitors to the afternoon service, such that 5 youngsters asked to see the bells after the service and to have a go.

The band for the Grandsire Triples Quarter Peal at Kirtlington

Posted on

80th Birthday Quarter Peal for Branch President 26 Jan 2018

On 26 January 2018, five members of the Bicester Branch and Louise Brown, a former resident of Bicester Branch, rang 1260 Grandsire Doubles in 37 minutes as an 80th birthday compliment to Willie Haynes, President of the Bicester Branch.

The details are:

1 Louise Brown                                4 Steve Vickars

2 Kathryn Grant                                5 Richard Haseldine (c)

3 Teresa Carter                                 6 Michael MacArthur

We rang at Islip where Willie had been ‘temporary’ Tower Captain from 1983-1993.  Apart from being President of the Bicester Branch, Willie has been a member of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers since 1951, as well as serving on many of its committees, and has been Tower Captain at Charlton-on-Otmoor for an impressive number of years.

Willie appeared to be very pleased with the team’s efforts, as he bought everyone a drink at the Red Lion afterwards.

Here’s to the next 80 years, Willie!

The band with the Birthday Boy!
The band with the Birthday Boy!

Posted on

In memory 3 December 2016

Today a quarter peal was rung in Islip – details below:

Oxford Diocesan Guild
Islip, Oxon
St Nicholas
Saturday 3 December 2016 in 47mins
1260 Grandsire Doubles

1   Sally Wale
2   Kathryn Grant
3   Ron Burgess
4   Keith Thomas
5   Anthony Cole (C)
6   Teresa Carter

In celebration of the life of Eileen Mary Grant 30/1121-03/12/2015, her beloved dog Lucy 24/01/2002-23/11/2016 and the marriage of her granddaughter Alexandra Durnford to Tim Johnson on 03/12/2016

Posted on

Bank holiday Firsts 30th May 2016

Many congratulations to 3 of our branch members who scored “firsts” in a quarter peal at Bicester on Monday 30th May (Spring Bank Holiday):

  • Anne Martin: 1st Quarter Peal (and it was “inside” too!)
  • Steve Vickars: 1st Quarter Peal
  • Jeremy Adams 1st Quarter Peal as conductor

After a nervous start (fully expected given 3 “firsts” being attempted) the ringing settled and we managed some good striking throughout the quarter peal. There were a few little hiccups but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. Anne wondered “is that it?” at the end – such had been the level of concentration she achieved. A fabulous achievement from all and a good step up in their respective ringing career ladders. A visit to a local watering hole followed!

Full details below (copied from www.campanophile.co.uk)

Oxford Diocesan Guild
Bicester, Oxon
St Edburg
Monday 30 May 2016 in 44
1260 Grandsire Doubles

1   Anthony Cole
2   Anne Martin
3   Ron Burgess
4   Richard Haseldine
5   Jeremy Adams (C)
6   Steve Vickars

Rung on front 6
2,6: 1st QP
5: 1st as conductor