R.I.P. Melvyn Rose

With much regret we announce the death on Friday 27th February of Melvyn Rose of Epworth. who died after a short illness a few days short of his 85th birthday.

Melvyn was the long-time Tower Captain at Epworth and Belton-in-the-Isle of Axholme and correspondent for Owston Ferry. He was a faithful and committed member of the church and had served as churchwarden at Belton prior to moving to Epworth. There he served as Tourism Officer, in which role he conducted numerous visits to St Andrew's church by visiting parties interested in the history of the Wesley family. His proudest achievement was the full reordering and restoration of the church and the bells, a massive undertaking for which he was project lead and for which he obtained the faculties and funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other sources.

Melvyn rang his first peal, treble to seven minor methods in June 1961, at Owston Ferry. He went on to ring 321 peals (conducting 25), of which 246 were for this Guild. His finest peal-ringing accomplishment was the peal in 105 methods at Kirton In Lindsey in 1977. Melvyn retired from his role as Ringing Master and from active ringing in 2020 but continued in the formal post of Tower Captain at Belton and Epworth until the very end. In this he was highly respected and served the ringers well as the main link with the church authorities. He always came up to the ringing gallery on Sunday mornings at Epworth and he will be sadly missed.

Keith Butter
Guild Master