<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3c.org/TR/1999/REC-html401-19991224/loose.dtd">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6001.18203" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The record of what was for long understood to
be the first ever handbell peal is in the Notebook of John Alfred Parnell
(the self-styled "Gothick Traveller"), which is kept in the Sheffield
Cathedral Ringers Library.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There are two entries on one page of the Notebook
detailing this first peal and a further one a month or so later of Oxford TB
Royal. The complete entries are as follows: </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(A):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm; PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>On Wednesday Evening Octb<SUP>r</SUP> 30th 1811 was Rung</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>on a Musical Peal of 8
Hand Bells at the House</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>of M<SUP>r</SUP> William
Booths in Bailey Lane Sheffield —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>by the Saint Peters
Independent Youths of this —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Cutlery & Hardware
Town Sheffield a true &</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>complete Peal of
<U>Oxford Treble Bob Major </U>—</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Composed of <U>5,088</U>
Musical Changes the time —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>2 Hours & 34 Minutes
by the 4 following Artists —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Treble & 2
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Hudson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>3 & 4 M<SUP>r</SUP>
William Booth</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>5 & 6 M<SUP>r</SUP>
Henry Grayson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>7 & Tenor
M<SUP>r</SUP> George Hudson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Conductor of this
Peal M<SUP>r</SUP> George Hudson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2><BR>(B):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>On Tuesday
Decb<SUP>r</SUP> 3rd 1811 was Rung on the Hand —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bells at Mr William
Booths House in Bailey Lane</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sheffield Yorkshire a
most Noble Peal in that —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2>Intricate and
Scientific Method <U>Oxford Treble Bob</U></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><U>Royal</U>
(<U>or Treble Bob 10 in</U>) by the much Celebrated</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Independent Youths of
Sheffield in Yorkshire Con-</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>taining a Peal of
<U>5,000</U> Changes exact which —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>was boldly Struck and
Nobly brought round in —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>2 Hours & 57 Minutes
by the following Artists viz —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Treble & 2nd
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Hudson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>3rd & 4th
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Booth</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>5th & 6th
M<SUP>r</SUP> Henry Grayson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>7th & 8th
M<SUP>r</SUP> George Hudson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>9th & Tenor
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Rowin</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Conductor of the
Peal M<SUP>r</SUP> Henry Grayson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>This is the Noblest
Performance ever Completed on</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>the Hand Bells in the
British Dominions —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Of direct relevance to the current discussion of
double-handed ringing is the following record of the first handbell peal of
Oxford TB Maximus, which implies that the Sheffield ringers had adopted
double-handed ringing when the London ringers were still lapping the
bells!:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(C):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm; PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>On Monday Night Novb<SUP>r</SUP> 24<SUP>th</SUP> 1816 —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Was Rung on a Musical
Peal of twelve Hand</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bells a Complete
<U>5,280</U> Changes in the Intricate</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2>Method of <U>Old
Oxford Treble Bob Maximus</U></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>which was boldly
performed by only Six of</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>the Saint Peters
Independent Youths of</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sheffield and Nobly
brought Round in —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>3 Hours & 33 Minutes
being the —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>greatest Performance on
the Hand bells</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>each Artist two that the
Ringing World</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>can Record and totally
out of the Weak</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><U>System</U> the
<U>Londoners</U> <U>Introduced of </U>—</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><U>Changing</U> or
<U>Lapping</U> the <U>Hand-Bells</U> —</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>These bold Heroes Rung
in the following Order</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>viz Treble & Second
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Hudson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2>Third & Fourth
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Booth a <U>Cutler</U></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fifth & Sixth
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Rowin —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Seventh & Eighth
M<SUP>r</SUP> George Hudson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ninth & Tenth
M<SUP>r</SUP> John Lomas —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Eleventh & Tenor
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Hall</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Conductor of the Peal
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Hudson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Other relevant quotes from Parnell's Notebook
are: </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>(D):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>On Monday the 16th
October 1809 was</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Rung on a fine &
Musical Peal of twelve Hand-Bells at</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>the Talbot Inn in Derby
by the Sheffield Society of St</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2>Peters Youths a
Complete Course of <U>Oxford Treble Bob</U></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><U>Maximus</U>
which was Performed by the following Artists viz —</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Treble & 2nd
M<SUP>r</SUP> Samuel Gardner —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>3rd & 4th
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Booth —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>5th & 6th
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Rowin —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>7th & 8th
M<SUP>r</SUP> Joseph Grayson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>9th & 10th
M<SUP>r</SUP> Henry Grayson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>11th & Tenor
M<SUP>r</SUP> Samuel Shirt —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>This was the first
Course on Treble Bob Maximus (12 in)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Containing <U>528</U>
Changes ever Rung in the County of</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Derby and before a large
concourse of Brother Bob Ha[nds]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>(E): [This from a visit
to Shrewsbury in 1811] </FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>N.B. The Sheffield
Youths gave good Specimens</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2>on Hand Bell
Intricate <U>Oxford Treble Bob</U></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><U>12 in</U> and
Steadman Cinque Change —</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ringing at Shrewsbury
this Visit —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Finally, also from the
Parnell Notebook, but reporting handbell ringing in Norwich is:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>(F): </FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hand Bell Ringing
Norwich</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>On the 9<SUP>th</SUP>
Day of February 1822</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>was Completely Rung upon
a fine —</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2>Musical Peal of 8
Hand bells M<SUP>r</SUP></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fabian Stedman Quarter
Peal</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>of Tripples comprising
<U>1,260</U> Changes</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>by 4 of S<SUP>t</SUP>
Peter Mancroft Company</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>at Norwich The Bobs
Arranged &</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Conducted by
M<SUP>r</SUP> Sam<SUP>l</SUP> Thurston</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Treble 2<SUP>nd</SUP>
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Tuck</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>3 and 4 M<SUP>r</SUP>
Friederick Wate[?]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>5 and 6 M<SUP>r</SUP>
Samuel Thurs[ton]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>7 and Tenor
M<SUP>r</SUP> William Ma[?]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Norwich
City</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>The leader of the
ringing in Sheffield in the early nineteenth century was William Booth, a
table-knife cutter, whom Ernest Morris says was the grandfather of Charles Henry
Hattersley, who led ringing in Sheffield in a much later age. Bailey
Lane, the road where William Booth lived and where the peals were rung, still
exists. The Sheffield ringers were considering organising a
celebration in Sheffield in 2011 of the first handbell peal - but
perhaps we are 30 odd years too late!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards to
all,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><FONT face=Arial size=2>Michael
Platt.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>