Tag Archives: Walworth

Isle of Dogs and Walworth bands benefit from Summer School

It was a real pleasure to help with the Middlesex CA and London DG Summer School today and Tuesday this week. Seventeen new ringers have been learning to handle, most of them from scratch, and now, on day 4, most of them are now handling a bell on their own. The group includes two new ringers from Isle of Dogs and two new ringers from Walworth

Taught in three groups of six or seven, each day each new ringer is getting about one and half hours of 1:1 rope time with an instructor on the six dumb-bells. We even had about a third of the pupils ringing rounds for the first time this afternoon on the simulators. The remainder of the time is spent ringing handbells and on other ringing related activities.

Tomorrow it’s more practice at bell control, including tidying up ringing up and down. Most of the new ringers should reach Level 1 of Learning the Ropes tomorrow. There is already talk of holding some regular follow up sessions to supplement teaching in their local towers, and we do hope that many will be able to reach Level 2 and Level 3 of Learning the Ropes by this time next year.

There is certainly an awful lot of enthusiasm and camaraderie amongst the students, and it would be really good to maintain this and produce some excellent ringers to strengthen local bands, not just at Isle of Dogs and Walworth, but also across London. The teachers are also gaining a lot from working together and picking up tips from each other, and seeing the pupils make such rapid progress is so rewarding.

New talent coming through

The Isle of Dogs quarter peal band (l to r) Emma, Roger, Andrew, Graham, Rod, Paul.

We have quite a few ringers working their way up the ladder, and it can be quite difficult arranging quarter peal attempts for them. However, as the first few become more experienced it becomes easier and easier, as you have a larger pool of ringers to draw on.

This weekend we had enough ringers to attempt four quarter peals, two on Saturday morning at Walworth, either side of an Ordination service, and then two simultaneous attempts on Sunday evening at Isle of Dogs at Rotherhithe.

The weekend got off with a hiccup as we lost the first attempt for Bob Doubles less than 100 changes from the end. This would have been Paul Harding’s first inside. After the service we went for Grandsire Triples, but this had to be cut short as the ordination service had over-run by about 45 minutes, and four of the band needed to get away to ring for a wedding at Isle of Dogs. But we did ring a very good touch of 336 changes – a quarter of a quarter!

The wedding at Isle of Dogs was also quite unexpected as the bride only rang us up at 8.30 that morning asking us if we could ring. There had been a mix up over the booking and we had not been asked, however she was really keen to have the bells rung for her big day. And if the bride goes to that trouble at 8.30 am on her wedding day what can you do? Fortunately, by the miracle of the internet and the number of ringers we have to call on, we were able to field a team of seven ringers ready to ring out at 2.00pm. The bride and the vicar were very  pleased indeed!

On Sunday Emma Roberts rang her first quarter by ringing the treble at Isle of Dogs to Bob Doubles very well indeed, and Melanie Powell rang her first quarter of Grandsire Doubles inside at Rotherhithe, at more or less the same time.

All things considered, quite a successful weekend, and we look forward to ringing more quarters more frequently from now on, especially as we had eighteen different ringers take part in the four attempts, and we have a number of other people waiting in the pipeline to progress and join in.  Exciting times.

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St Peter’s Day at Walworth

It was such a treat to have the bells ringing out so beautifully for St Peter’s Day on Sunday – thanks so much to you and the team! It really made a difference to the festive feel of the day, and I hope really did alert parishioners to the significance of the day and indeed of the procession making its way around the parish. It’d be lovely to combine again at some point. With joy,

Father Andrew Moughtin-Mumby
Rector of St Peter’s, Walworth
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On Sunday 29th June, there was a large congregation to hear the bells, as we attempted a quarter peal of Plain Bob Minor as the procession left the church after the festival mass. Eva was ringing the treble, and it would have been Eva’s first of minor, also Drew’s who was ringing the 5th. As St Peter’s are so light and manageable, you are able to do things which would not be possible on heavier rings of bells.

The ringing soon settled down, but we lost the quarter after about 300 changes as two bells crossed over. We did try again, but as often happens, the ringing the second time was not as good, so we decided to ring the bells down after about half an hour’s ringing. Never the less the parish appreciated their bells being rung, especially as nowadays they are rarely rung, and not on Sundays. It was also good to probe the boundaries, and certainly the band could have scored a quarter. It shows that we can move on to ring more minor, rather than so much doubles.

Reading the plaque in the ringing room, it was also the 13th anniversary to the day of the completion of the restoration and the bells being dedicated, so perhaps there will be better luck next time!

Walworth