Bellringing

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

There was an abrupt end to peals on the bells of Buckland Brewer parish church welcoming the arrival of 1978.

The team was only a quarter of the way through the peal when the rope of the second bells suddenly snapped on the bell wheel.

As it would have meant a new rope having to be spliced, the welcome stopped there and then – the first time in living memory such an incident has occurred.

But there was no denying the warmth of the welcome the New Year had already received at Buckland Brewer and on Torridgeside generally: in homes, clubs, pubs and in the streets people celebrated in traditional fashion the departure of yet another year and the arrival of a new one.

Brothers Roy and Leonard Blight and Leonard’s son David were among the Buckland Brewer ringers who welcomed in the New Year. Also in the picture – Miss Jennifer Mills, Dave Snowden and Albert Manning.

Gazette article dated 6 January 1978

Abbotsham Now Has Belles of the Bells

So enthusiastic were two young girls to learn the art of church bell ringing

that within a month of arriving at Abbotsham from Wellington in Somerset they had ‘won over’ two other young people and together the four of them began practising with bell ringers at Abbotsham Parish Church.

When, last September, the Moggridge family made their home at Abbotsham their two daughters – Peggy and Frances – were able to put into practice an interest they had held for some time. Another member of the family, Pamela, is also keen to learn bell ringing but at the moment is not strong enough.

The other two youngsters are Maureen Hockin and David Stapleton. Incidentally, all the girls are members of Abbotsham Parish Church Choir. All the Moggridge girls were members of Holcome Rogus Parish Church choir before coming to live at Abbotsham.

Seen in the picture are Mr Fred Fulford, Frances Moggridge, Mr Sydney Nicholls, Peggy Moggridge, Mr William Turner, Mr William Brooks, Mr Stanley Beckley, and David Stapleton.

The full article is dated March 15 1957

Ringers’ Jubilee Presentations

Brothers among recipients at Alwington

At the conclusion of a special ‘Ringers’ jubilee’ Evensong at St Andrew’s, Alwington’s Parish Chruch, at which the Archdeacon of Barnstaple, the Ven A F Ward, was the preacher, presentations were made to three ringers, two from Alwington and one from Clovelly, to mark their gold jubilee as ringers.

The recipients were Messrs Frank Daniel and Frank Bailey, who have rung together in Alwington tower since their initiation into the art, and Mr Walter Daniel, who is now captain of Clovelly tower. A third brother, Mr Alfred Daniel, who started ringing at the same time, was churchwarden and captain of ringers at Parkham until his death two years ago.

The presentations to the Alwington recipients were made by the Rector, Rev J E Lynn, who is also Rector of Parkham, and to Mr Walter Daniel by the Rural Dean, Rev R O H Eppingstone, who is Rector of Clovelly.

The Alwington ringers have had many successes in recent years, particularly this year as they now hold the Hartland Deanery Shield, the Torridge Valley Shield and the Clovelly Silver Cup.