[r-c] Bell News - Request for Info

[Alan Ellis]

Hi Everyone,

I've sent John a copy off-list.

Best wishes

Alan



Hoppie(s) wrote:

> Hi All
> 
> Firstly, sorry for cross posting and the fact that some of you will
> get this more than once. I doubt this subject will result in any sort
> of conversation and replies are best kept to me personally unless
> anyone wants to take it up.
> 
> Does anyone happen to have Bell News 1900 p317?  According to Roger
> Bailey's wonderful ringing.info site, within the Obituaries Index there
> is an obit for a John Hopwood of Ashton-u-Lyne.
> 
> Long reasons follow - you don't have to read this but you may find it
> interesting.
> 
> Fast forward now unless you need to sleep early!
> 
> I noticed the obit file some time ago now but thought nothing of it
> even though I was born in Ashton. Hopwood is quite a common name there
> (John even more so) and the likelihood of a ringing relation I thought
> was low.
> 
> However, my interest was heightened when the Ashton history was
> published (also referred to on ringing.info) and I found that the man
> rang peals, up to Cinques and Max.  Even so, no huge extra interest.
> 
> Three weeks ago by an amazing twist of fate (via Facebook AARRGGH- I
> supposedly deleted my profile 18 months ago. It obviously didn't
> work), I had an email from a long lost Cousin. I haven't been in touch
> for 38 years despite my efforts - divorces and name changes thwarted
> that. There are three of them, two girls in France and a lad in Aus.
> My Uncle lives in Paignton and is 89 and with what would seem to be
> terminal cancer.
> 
> One of the girls was over here this weekend so we pulled out all the
> stops to go to Paignton this weekend.  My 87 year old Mum also managed
> to make it by train from Salisbury (only 3 Hrs for her on the train -
> 6 for us by car).
> 
> You can imagine that long conversations re the old family ensued
> (lubricated by much wine I hasten to add). [Long family gossip section
> missing here]. My Uncle (also a John Hopwood) is an accomplished
> organist (even in his state he is still excellent) and has, although
> never a ringer, taken a keen interest in bells. He happened to mention
> that his Grandfather was a ringer in Ashton and also called John!
> Imagine my surprise!
> 
> So, it seems that this chap who rang peals at Ashton in the late 1800s
> is likely to be my Great Grandfather!  Little did I know, when I rang
> my first peal there, that he had rung one on the same bell! Different
> rope probably!
> 
> So, there we go, the reason for my request.
> 
> You can wake up now.
> 
> Regards and thanks for help in advance.
> 
> John Hopwood
> 
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