[Bell Historians] The first half muffled peal

[David Beacham]

Worcester, All Saints, lays claim to the earliest-known muffled peal, viz:

The Worcester Journal, Thursday 31 January 1750/51:

"Yesterday being the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of King Charles I, the
same was observed here in a suitable Manner. A long peal, with the bells
muffled, was rung at the Parish Church of All Saints, and another Peal, in
the same Manner, was rung at St Martin's."

The Goucester Journal, Tuesday 5 February 1750/51:

"We hear from Worcester, that the whole Peal of Grandsire-Triples conatining
5040 Changes, was lately rung in Thre Hours and One Minute, at the Parish
Church of All-Saints in that City, by a Society of Ringers, who never
attempted it before."

This information was provided to me by Cyril Wratten.

This peal is the earliest-known peal in Worcestershire.

DB


----- Original Message -----
From: "LOVE, Dickon" <DrLove at s...>
To: "Bell Historians (E-mail)" <bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com>;
<Change-ringers at b...>
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 9:30 AM
Subject: [Bell Historians] The first half muffled peal


> I came across a reference from the old peal book of the Society of Bromley
> Youths recording a peal on 15th Jan 1817 of Grandsire Triples at Bromley.
It
> was rung half-muffled (referred to as the bells being "dumb") in memory of
> William Chapman, a ringer at Bromley for 43 years having rung in over 60
> peals. The footnote says "... being the first Dumb Peal of this kind ever
> rang in this kingdom".
>
> So... can anyone confirm any earlier half-muffled peals? Or perhaps his
was
> indeed the first. We may put a small peal board up in Bromley Posh to
record
> this.
>
> DrL