Quarter Peals Report 2009


Quarter Peal report 2009

 

2009 was not quite as good a year for quarter peals in the Lincoln Guild area, in fact the total was the lowest since 2003. 476 have been recorded in the Ringing World, Central Branch Newsletter, on Campanophile and various Branch websites, 8 of them being on handbells (minimus to Major). Over 230 were rung on Sundays or for Services on other days. 178 were rung in the Central Branch at 35 different towers, 113 in 14 Northern Branch towers, 91 in 38 Southern, 59 in 11 West Lindsey, 27 in 14 Eastern and 7 in 4 Elloe Deaneries Branch towers. 21 were rung by visiting ringers. The leading towers this year were Market Deeping with 34, Elsham 28 and Barrow-on-Humber 22 quarters. There were no new towers this year, but Burton-le-Coggles last appeared in 1996, Stickney in 2000, Waltham 2001 and Braceborough 2002. 6 towers have appeared in my records at least once every year since I started doing these reports in 1985.

Again the most popular method rung was Plain Bob with 169 (Minimus to Maximus), then Grandsire 46 (Doubles to Cinques) and Cambridge Surprise 43 (Minor to Maximus). A total of 59 individual methods (14 of them were new methods, rung for the first time) and 76 were in more than one method. 179 of the quarters were of Doubles, 132 Minor, 83 Major, 23 Triples, 17 Cinques, 12 Caters, 9 Minimus, 7 each Royal and Maximus and 5 of Singles.

I noted the following people as having rung their first quarters: Janet Lambert, Jenny Kirkby, Diana Power, Shaun Power, Philippa Stokoe, Alix Harland, Malcolm Sargeant Madie Anna Bogosian, Cathy Robertson, Jill Andrews, Brian Blackburn, Libby Pugsley, Janet Crafer, Rae Todd, Joshua Douglas, Sam Black, Chloe Reynolds, Melissa Blanchard, Alistair Cherry, Louis Frith, Sam Cook, Janice Elley, Bridget Jones-Crabtree, Sue Stirling and Stewart Mason. Well done all of you, I hope you will go on to ring many more. 183 firsts of one sort or another were also noted.

84 different people called at least one quarter. Christopher Woodcock leads the list with 71, with Rt Rev Barry Peachey calling 61 and Michael Stracey 52. 18 ladies did some of the calling with Emma Southerington in charge on 23 occasions. Daniel Meyer, Tina Wells, Colin Watson, John Bundy, Gill Hardy, Sally-Anne Caunter and Andrew Groves all called their first, may you call many more. I quarter in 6 Minor methods was rung silent and non-conducted - now there's something for the rest of us to achieve!

Various Branches arrange Quarter Peal weeks or months - Make sure that you get involved next time! Also we have been asked to ring for St Georges Day (April 23) and Lincolnshire Day (October 1) so perhaps these might be suitable times.

Happy ringing to you all, go on get out there and ring some quarters as they are most definitely one of the best forms of practice.

Michael Stracey