Geoff Bromfield - Obituary


Obituary: Geoffrey Bromfield (1945-2008)

Sadly in April we had to say goodbye to Geoff Bromfield....

For many decades Geoff Bromfield was the leading light of  bell-ringing in the two churches, St Peter’s and St Mary’s, at Barton on Humber, Lincolnshire. He was born and educated in the town and after leaving school was employed as an industrial chemist, first at Lysaght’s Steel Works in Scunthorpe, and latterly at the Lindsey Oil Refinery on the Humberbank.

In 1958 he was taught to ring at St. Peter’s Church and in 1973 he took over as Tower Captain at both towers, a post he continued to hold until just before he died. He rang the first of his 126 peals in 1960 and in total rang 113 peals on tower bells and 13 in hand.

He was a loyal member of The Lincoln Diocesan Guild, which he joined in 1959, and he served on numerous committees, as well as being Ringing Master for the Northern Branch of the Guild.

In 1999-2000 he worked hard to restore ringing on the eight bells at his favourite St Peter’s Church following that Church's closure in the 1970’s. The resumption of ringing at midnight on 31 December 1999 brought him great pleasure.

When Handbell ringing was revived in Barton in the 1990’s Geoff became a keen member of the band – a solid and reliable performer on his favourite trebles. His delight at the completion of a peal in hand reflected his enjoyment of a newly-found skill.

When not ringing Geoff’s interests over the years had included finishing the Daily Telegraph Crossword, keeping chickens, geese and bees, or racing around the countryside on either his bicycle or his motor bike.

During his ringing career and his last illness, he received the constant support of Linda and he was delighted when his son, Stephen, recently began his degree course in Chemistry at York University.

He would be happy to know that as he left St Mary’s Church for the last time, it was his band of ringers that rang the bells half muffled for him.

[In Memoriam Peal & Quarters appear elsewhere]