Canon JJ Raven

[jim phillips]

I am with David Cawley regarding the Revd H T Ellacombe who was particularly
scathing about 'round ringing' likening it to a child practising the gamut.
I consider that Ellacombe was a ringer. David also asks "what makes a
ringer?" To my mind someone who has learnt to handle a bell and can ring
rounds and call changes is a ringer. John Camp's remark regarding the
historian Fred Sharpe is unfortunate. I have been present when Fred Sharpe
was invited to and rang the sixth to the Sunday morning touch at St Paul's
Cathedral many years ago - an indication of Fred Sharpe's ability.
Last week in Cornwall I came across the 'Eastern Society' who are a group
or ringers in that part of the County whose art is in raising the bells in
peal, ringing rounds for 6/7 minutes then falling the bells in peal. All
done with perfection as the aim. They hold keenly fought competitions and
will decide amongst themselves as and where to hold the competition. All
the arrangements are done by word of mouth and normally six or seven, maybe
more, teams are involved. 'Proper judges' are invited and are hidden from
view as in any ringing competition. Ringing is a rich heritage and this
scene is part of it.