[Bell Historians] Early handbell ringing

[Chris Pickford]

Note a definitive answer, but an early reference I happened to remember - from Bill Cook's history of the College Youths:

The College Youths concluded their outing with a trip across to Calais on the Friday. They took their handbells with them, and rang" one Course of Cinques on the Hand Bells on Friday ye 2d of June 1732 at Calais in France & another when they were half Seas over". This would not, of course, have been the double-handed ringing practised on hand bells today; it was either single-handed ringing or 'lapping'. It is the earliest known mention of change ringing on handbells. 

Half seas over doesn't mean over-indulgence in alcoholic refreshment in this instance!

CP
           
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