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Compositions of the Decade 2000-2009 - 4 - Triples

2020-11-15T13:01:27Z

Grandsirerich: /* 1) Quick Six Triples – Philip Saddleton – Composition unrung (method first rung December 2004) */

__NOTOC__
===A Review by Philip Earis - continued===

The 1990s was a landmark time for triples. The first peal of bobs-only Stedman in 1995 was of course notable, though Andrew Johnson’s 10-part construction later that year was the crowning compositional glory. The decade finished with the 1999 publication of Philip Saddleton’s composition collection for Stedman and Erin triples, summarizing progress to date. It can be seen at http://www.ringing.info/stedman.pdf.

So what has happened in the past 10 years? Has it been simply a case of tying up a few loose ends? Well, no, not really. Whereas the 1990s saw compositional progress in a few familiar and simple methods, this has been expanded in the past decade, leading to developments across an interesting range of methods.

A driving motivation remains of producing peals consisting of pure triple changes (ie only using the changes 1,3,5 and 7). It is true that the compositional challenge of bobs-only Erin triples remains unsolved - the likely suspects have invested quite a lot of time into the problem, so far without tangible success. However, a key theme of recent years has been the creation of interesting new triple-change compositions, as we shall see.

Triples composing is arguably the most mathematically-intense stage. Compositions are almost exclusively based around 5040 change extents – there is no room for the selectivity of higher stages, nor typically the flexibility offered by multi-extent blocks at lower stages. Things have to work for a good reason, and hence beauty and elegance are often evident.

The innovative new compositions I have selected below have come from a fairly small community of composers. The formidable triples-ringing strength of the Birmingham band has been very evident, and indeed a driver for many of the compositional developments.

==1) Quick Six Triples – Philip Saddleton – Composition unrung (method first rung December 2004)==

“Quick six” triples, as the name suggests, has 30-change divisions consisting of quick sixes. It was the winning touch in the “Triples Eisteddfod” in Birmingham in December 2004.

The notation is:
3.1.7.1.3.1.3.1.7.1.3.1.3.1.7.1.3.1.3.1.7.1.3.1.3.1.7.1.3.7

It's a beauty. Philip Saddleton, its creator, regards it “the most straightforward construction” of an extent of triples. And he’s a man who should know.

5040 Quick Six Triples 
123456 4 6 7
----------------
415263 - - -
642315 - -
465312 -
514623 - -
256314 - -
524316 -
351264 - - -
632451 - -
361452 -
153624 - -
216453 - -
321546 - -
----------------
Repeat

In Philip’s words:

“The coset graph for the Scientific group using these three place notations consists of five hexagons with other links and this Hamiltonian cycle is easily found. The blocks can be linked by replacing two quick sixes (the last two for the composition below) by two slow sixes, traversing the hexagons in reverse, and cunningly joining two blocks without introducing any false rows”

Who wouldn't love traversing hexagons in reverse? Whilst extremely tidy, my feeling remains that a call only acts on one row, meaning the composition would be better described as spliced.

In a similar concept, see also compositional choice “Artistic Triples” later in this article.

''(Correction: Philip Saddleton points out that he "...first produced a composition in the early 1980s - we went for it in Cambridge but lost it after five parts of six. I think that the method was first discovered by John Carter". Eddie Martin adds that "...A.J. Pitman certainly published 5040s of it in the 1920s". So the case for including Quick Six as something innovative seems rather reduced. It still remains unpealed, though. Richard Pullin adds: "Pitman published the principle in RW 1922 [p543] in a rotated form with 5413726 as the first lead end. However, J. W. Parker responded to say that he had already devised the principle 'some years ago,' with an accompanying composition. Parker's rotation of the principle was in its ideal form as used by Philip Saddleton, being perfectly symmetrical and with Plain Hunt lead ends. So the version of the principle given by Philip is the same as the one originally devised. Both Parker and Pitman's compositions used in-course singles)''

==2) Titanic Triples – Alan Burbidge – January 2005==
Titanic is sort of Stedman reduced – it consists of one row of right-hunting on three followed by one row of wrong-hunting on three. The notation for a division is simply 7.1.7.3 – this gives a course with two types of “six”.

The cinques was first pealed in 1987, but the past decade saw the first composition of an extent of Titanic Triples – a tour-de-force 3-part composition by Alan Burbidge, which is reproduced from the St Martin’s Guild website as below.

''(Correction: Richard Grimmett points out that "Eddie Martin came up with the first composition of Titanic Triples. I failed to call it and asked Alan to come up with something I would cope better with. Hence the composition you included")''

5040 Titanic Triples 
1234567 A B C
4352167 - - -
2534167 - B6 -
4315267 - - -
5123467 - - -
3241567 - - -
1423567 - B6 -
3254167 - - -
4523167 - B6 -
3215467 - - -
5142367 - - -
2415367 - B6 -
5134267 - - -
4321567 - - -
1253467 - - -
3542167 - C*
2453167 - B6 -
- B6
3521467 B6* -
1245367 - - -
5432167 - - -
2314567 - - -
3 times
7th unaffected
6th sub observation 
Can be transposed for 1/2 observations with normal start.
1 unaffected, 2 sub observation 
Standard
A S8, S13
B S1, 3, S7, S8, S12
C 3, S5, S6, S7, S10, 12, 13 
Variations
B6 S1, 3, 6, S7, S8, S12
B6* S3, 6, S7, S8, S12
C* S1, S3, S5, S6, S7, S10, 12, 13 
- denotes standard course 
861 calls (255 bobs, 606 singles)

==3) “In course doubles” Triples - Andrew Johnson – October 2006 / November 2009 (Unrung)==

Building on his Doubles “composition of the decade”, where he produced a very neat in-course 120 of doubles with each row occurring once at each stroke, Andrew Johnson has extended the concept to produce a lovely true triples extent.

The triples principle takes the same notation as the doubles, replacing two “5s” in the notation with “7s”. This thus becomes the first triples principle with 24-change divisions, and very nice it is too.

e.g. 1.3.5.1.3.5.1.3.7.3.5.3.1.3.5.1.3.5.1.3.7.3.1.3

The principle results in an extent in B-blocks, where a B-block is one of these 120 change courses.

5040 Unnamed Triples 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
-------------------
- - - - - - - - |
- - - - - - - - |
- - - - - - - |A
- - - - - - - - |
- - - - - - - - |
- - - - - : |
-------------------
5A
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - s - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - s - -
- :
-------------------
method = 1.3.5.1.3.5.1.3.7.3.5.3.1.3.5.1.3.5.1.3.7.3.1.3
bob = 5 replacing 7
single = 345 replacing 7

5040 (Different) Unnamed Triples 
2314567 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4
-----------------------------------
2341576 s - - - - - -
6231754 s - - - - - - - - -
4627315 - - - - - - - - - - - -
1563427 - - - - - - - - - -
3154627 - - - - - - - - - - -
5642371 - :
-----------------------------------
7564132 - - - - - - - - - - |
2751643 - - - - - - - - - - - - |
4376251 - - - - - - - - - - |A
6432751 - - - - - - - - - - - |
3725614 - : |
-----------------------------------
2314567 5A
-----------------------------------
method = 3.1.7.3.1.5.3.1.3.1.3.5.3.1.7.3.1.5.3.1.3.5.3.5
bob = 5 replacing 7
single = 34567 replacing 7

In Andrew’s words, “The starts of the second method is chosen so the starts for bells in the plain course is close to Stedman in feel - with quick and slow work. I'm not sure why I chose the starts/rotation of the first - possibly for 46s or 567s in the plain course. 567 singles don't work well as you rapidly run false. The methods are asymmetric so in general you need in-course singles to avoid having to ring methods backwards. If you single in B-blocks then you can have out of course singles (c.f. Grandsire ?)”

Andrew also feels there’s scope for compositional improvement (principally more consecutive plain leads) – watch this space…

==4) 5040 Artistic Triples – Eddie Martin – Rung June 2009==

Eddie’s description of this new pure triples extent tells you all you need to know:

“To be truly artistic, a method along the lines of 'Scientific Triples' really ought to be able to get 5040 in pure triple changes. What is needed is a direct shunt from one lead block to another, without involving any other lead blocks. I’ve looked at various possibilities & the only one that I can find is to substitute two consecutive quick sixes for two consecutive slow ones. (This will work in ‘Quick six Triples except for being two slow in lieu of two quick!) So I looked for something a bit more challenging than ‘quick six triples’ & came up with the following:

Plain = 7.1.7.1.7.3.7.3.7.1.3.1.7.3.7.3.1.3.1.3.7.3.1.3.1.3.7.1.7.1 gives 5671234
x = 7.1.7.1.7.3.7.3.7.1.3.1.7.3.7.1.3.1.3.1.7.1.3.1.3.1.7.1.7.1 gives 5641327 
5040 Artistic Triples 
1234567 3 5 6
---------------------
6521347 x x x
3512647 x
5641327 x x
--------------
2563147 x x
1536247 x
5243167 x x
--------------
6125437 x x x
4152637 x
1635427 x x
--------------
2164537 x x
5146237 x
3215467 x x x
---------------------
6423157 x x x
1432657 x
4653127 x x
--------------
2461357 x x
3416257 x
4251367 x x
--------------
6324517 x x x
5342617 x
3614527 x x
--------------
2365417 x x
4356217 x
1234567 x x x
----------------------

The composition was rung in hand by the Birmingham band in June 2009, building on their prior achievement of ringing the first peal on Scientific in hand the previous November.

In a development based on Scientific triples on a slightly different tangent, in April 2009 Colin Wyld used Scientific as the starting point for a composition of spliced, adding its reverse (1.7.1.7.1.7.1.5.1.5.1.7.1.7.1.7.1.7.1.5.7.1.7.1.5.1.7.1.3.7, “New Scientific”) into the mix.

Whenever a double (place notation is 347 replacing the final 7ths place) is called there is a change of method and whenever there is a change of method there must be a double. He produced a regular 7-part composition:

S, 2N, 3S, N, 4S, 2N, 5S, N, 2S, 3N (there is a call at the part end so that the next part can start with Scientific)
Part end 5362714

He described things more fully at http://www.bellringers.org/pipermail/ringing-theory_bellringers.net/2009-April/002964.html.

Intriguing, Colin left the Fermat-esque comment at the end of his post,

“…I have produced two more compositions based on combinations of 12 lead, 4 lead, 3 lead and 2 lead splices. I haven't worked out the specific arrangements but there is the potential for 40+ methods.
The second has no calls except changes of method and triple changes throughout. I will submit these when I can get the formatting sorted out”

I am still waiting for these new compositions to appear – they would surely have made this article if published.

==5) 21-part Stedman Triples - Richard Grimmett – November 2004==

Richard generated a list of 13778 compositions of Stedman triples that have a 21-part structure. These can be seen at: http://www.smgcbr.org/ringing/composition/stedman7/21part/sted21coll.htm.

The compositions make use of two similar blocks – one that cyclically rotates through the bells, whilst the other rotates through the rounds -> queens -> tittums transition.

This idea is very nice, and a direct analogue of the 54-part peals of Caters developed by me and Ander Holroyd in early 2003. In fact, looking at Richard’s website, it looks like Brian Price got there with Stedman triples compositions on this plan even earlier. ''(Addition: Richard Grimmett adds that "Andrew Johnson also has one, published in 7-part format in the stedman collection")''

Nevertheless, a nice development. The first composition in Richard’s collection, which has a maximum of 3 consecutive calls, is given as an illustrative example:

5040 Stedman Triples
Contains 351 calls. 231 bobs, 120 singles. 
2314567 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-------------------------------------
2361574 s - - |
4231576 - s - - |A
7264531 - - |
5216374 s - s - - - |
-------------------------------------
7156342 s s - - |
2716354 - s s - - |B
5742316 - - |
3764152 s - s - - - |
-------------------------------------
7431526 5B
5732461 A
6143572 6B
5647123 A
2314567 6B
-------------------------------------

==6) Innovative original triples – Ander Holroyd (peal attempted 2007)==

Continuing the theme of Dixonoid compositions, Ander Holroyd has a very clever extent of original triples. All bells plain hunt, with a silent handstroke bob (5 in the notation instead of 7) made after bells 1,2 or 3 lead. This gives a course of 210 changes, with a simple extent resulting from ringing the 24 courses of this. The different courses are obtained with omits and doubles (34567) – the only slight shame being a “pure“ triples extent cannot be produced.

5040 Triples 
54 89 1234567
--------------
1 1 7546
D 1327456
2 (1) 4765
--------------
6 part
(1) in parts 1,3,5 only

(See http://www.math.ubc.ca/~holroyd/comps/o7.txt for more)

In November 2009 Alan Burbidge produced an extent he describes as “Variable treble Grandsire triples”. Here, the “calls” reset the notation to the beginning of a lead of Grandsire triples, with a new treble.

Alan has produced both a 10-part and a 7-part composition – as with the Holroyd composition, both of these (and indeed any composition on this plan) need special singles.

Whilst I’m sure it is interesting to ring, I feel this concept feels a bit more contrived and perhaps lacks the clever design framework of the Holroyd approach. I might be missing something.

Alan is currently writing an article for the Ringing World about the composition, and so on request I haven’t reproduced the composition in this article.

==7) Stedman Triples without adjacent calls - Eddie Martin – November 2009==

I think all rung Stedman triples compositions have adjacent calls – clearly with twin-bob and B-block compositions this is a rather fundamental property.

Eddie Martin has produced a very simple 10-part composition that avoids adjacent calls completely. It’s arguably the quickest ever Stedman triples composition to learn. The only drawback in the third type of call used, which disrupts the frontwork:

5040 Stedman Triples 
Each course called 1s 5s 8s 10s 12*
12* = bob if marked ‘-‘ or places 12567 if marked “x”
2314567
- 2461357
- 2156437
- 2635147
x 6534217
x 5431627
-* 5123467
10 part 
Ring x instead of bob marked * in parts 3 and 8

Eddie has produced other examples of compositions without adjacent calls which just have two types of call (though these also have the 12567 call)

==8) Erin Triples - Eddie Martin - June 2006==

A very neat 5-part composition of Erin Triples. Whilst there are exact 5- and 10- part compositions of Erin by Andrew Johnson in Philip Saddleton’s 1999 collection, Eddie’s exudes appeal to me, again due to the elegant regularity of the courses

1234567
----------------------------
3562417 s2 s4 (24 changes)
4356217 A B
2435617 A B
6243517 A B
5624317 A B
4627153 A B*
5123467 A* B
----------------------------
5-part 
A (84 changes) = 3 5 s7 9 11 s14
A*(72 changes) = 1 3 s5 7 9 s12
B (84 changes) = 5 s7 9 s14
B*(72 changes) = 5 s7 9 s12

==9) Stedman triples composition that is symmetric about calls – Philip Saddleton – December 2004==

Another characteristic of Stedman triples (and Stedman at higher stages, but not doubles) is that it is a rare example of method which is not symmetric about the (traditional) calls.

Philip Saddleton countered my assertion with the argument that pairs of bobs give a symmetrical lead. To produce an extent, he joined twin bob courses with calls at the half-six:

5040 Stedman Triples (T Thurstans arr T Brook arr PABS) 
1234567 2 3 4
-----------------
6354127 - - |A
234516 - 2 - |
-----------------
5123467 3A
-----------------
6325417 - - s |B
135246 - 2 - |
-----------------
4-part 
p=3.1.7.3.1.3.1.3.7.1.3.1
b=3.1.5.3.1.3.1.3.5.1.3.1
s=3.1.7.3.1.347.1.3.7.1.3.1

==10) 10080 Triples – (Stedman - Rod Pipe – attempted December 2008; Erin – Philip Saddleton – rung August 2005)==

Rod Pipe has produced a 7-part 10080 of Stedman triples with each row occurring once at handstroke and once at backstroke.

2314567 6352147 S 7615324 - 2174635 - 4725163 1763245 -
3425167 - 3261547 - 6573142 S 1423756 7541236 S 7314652
3451276 S 3215647 - 6534721 1437265 S 7512436 - 7346152 -
4132567 S 2534176 5462317 4712365 – 5274136 - 3671425 S
4125367 - 2547361 5423671 S 4726153 5243761 3612754
1543267 - 5723416 S 4356217 S 7645231 2357416 S 6237145 S
1536472 5734216 - 4362571 S 7652431 - 2374516 - 6271345 -
5617324 7452316 - 3247615 6273514 3421765 2163745 -
5673124 - 7421563 3276451 S 6235714 - 3417256 S 2134657
6351742 S 4176235 2634751 - 2567341 S 4732156 - 1426357 -
6314527 4162753 S 2645317 2574613 4725361 1465273
3462175 1245637 6521473 5421736 7543216 S 4517632
3427651 1256473 S 6514273 - 5417236 - 7532416 - 4576123 S
4736251 - 2614573 - 5467132 4752163 S 5274316 - 5641732 S
4762351 - 2647135 5473621 4726531 5241763 5617423 S
7245613 6723451 4356712 S 7643215 2157463 - 6752134
7256413 - 6734215 S 4367521 S 7632415 - 2174563 - 6723541
2674513 - 7462315 - 3745612 S 6274351 S 1426735 7365241 -
2645731 S 7421653 3751426 6245713 1463257 7354612
6523417 4175236 7132564 2567431 S 4315672 3471526
6534217 - 4152763 S 7125364 - 2573614 4356127 S 3415726 -
5462371 S 1247563 - 1576243 5321746 3641527 - 4537162 S
5427613 1276435 1562743 - 5317246 - 3612475 4576321
4756213 - 2614735 - 5217643 - 3752146 - 6237154 5643712 S
4762531 S 2643157 5276134 S 3721564 S 6271354 - 5637421 S
7243615 6321475 S 2653741 7136245 2163754 - 6754312 S
7236415 - 6317254 2637514 S 7164352 2137645 S 6741523
2674315 - 3762145 S 6725314 - 1473652 - 1726354 S 7162435
2643751 S 3721645 - 6751243 1436752 - 1763254 - 7124653 S
6325417 7136254 S 7162543 - 4617325 S 7315642 1476235 S
6354217 - 7165342 7124635 4673125 - 7354126 1463752
3461572 1573642 - 1476253 S 6341725 - 3471562 S 4315627
3415672 - 1534726 1465732 6312457 3415762 - 4352176
4537126 5412367 4517623 S 3265174 4536127 3247561
4571362 S 5423167 - 4576132 S 3251674 - 4562371 3276415
5143762 - 4356271 5643721 2136547 S 5247613 2634715 -
5136427 4367512 5632417 2164375 5271436 2647351 S
1652374 3745621 S 6254317 - 1423675 - 2153764 6725413
1623574 - 3756412 S 6241573 1437256 2137564 - 6751234
6315274 - 7631524 2167435 4712356 - 1726345 7 part

''(Clarrification: Richard Grimmett point outs that, "The 10,080 of stedman triples by Rod Pipe was composed on 12/06/80". I felt that as the composition hadn't previously been published, and indeed was rung for the first time on 2/12/9 - see http://www.campanophile.co.uk/view.aspx?93313, it qualified it for the scope of the article. Richard subsequently elaborated on the composition, saying "It consists of RWP's No1, and its exact reversal. A part of the original is joined to a part of the reversal by a pair of singles. By joining a part with its reversal you would end up in rounds at the end rather than at a cyclic part-end. But by omitting a pair of sixes with their associated calls (sps) in the reversal the partends are shifted and a full 7 part is realised. Plainly losing 2 sixes per part is not desirable - so in one part alone you single in at the same point an entire plain course (the 7 lots of 2 sixes otherwise missed out)")''

Philip Saddleton also produced a 10080 of bobs-only Erin Triples that was rung in August 2005

10080 Erin Triples 
1234567
-------
4561732 a | |
1365247 b | |
6243517 c |X |
1435267 d | |
6251437 e | |
5432167 c | |
------- |
2165734 a | |A
5361427 b | |
5423176 f | |
4631275 2g | |
5627413 h |Y |
4312576 j | |
3625174 2g | |
4617352 h | |
4512367 k | |
-------
1234567 4A
-------
2154367 Y |B
3451267 X |
-------
1234567 4B
------- 
a = 2.4.5.8.10.11.12 (12)
b = 1.6.8.9.12 (12)
c = 2.4.5.6.7.9 (9)
d = 2.4.5.6.7 (8)
e = 3.4.5.6.8 (8)
f = 5.6.8 (9)
g = 1.3.4.5.6.8 (9)
h = 1.4.5.7.12 (12)
j = 1.2.3.5.8.9.11 (12)
k = 1.2.3 (5)

Next: [[Compositions of the Decade 2000-2009 - 5 - Major]]

==See Also==
*[[Compositions of the Decade 2000-2009 - 1 - Introduction]]
*[[Compositions of the Decade 2000-2009 - 2 - Doubles]]
*[[Compositions of the Decade 2000-2009 - 3 - Minor]]
*[[Compositions of the Decade 2000-2009 - 5 - Major]]
*[[Compositions of the Decade 2000-2009 - 6 - Caters]]
*[[Compositions of the Decade 2000-2009 - 7 - Royal]]
*[[Compositions of the Decade 2000-2009 - 8 - Cinques]]
*[[Compositions of the Decade 2000-2009 - 9 - Maximus]]
[[Category: Composition Reviews]]

Erin

2013-03-09T17:49:52Z

Grandsirerich: Created page with 'Erin is a principle, with a stage family ranging from Minimus to Septuples. Erin Minimus is unusual in being the only member of the Erin family to be rung on an even number of be…'

Erin is a principle, with a stage family ranging from Minimus to Septuples.
Erin Minimus is unusual in being the only member of the Erin family to be rung on an even number of bells.

Erin bears are very strong similarity to the principle Stedman. The latter is constructed of alternately 'quick' and 'slow' sixes, whereas Erin is composed of the 'slow' type only. Consequently, the two principles bear similarities and differences.
A course of Erin is half the length of a course of Stedman on the same number of bells. The dodging in 4-5 upwards is identical in the two principles, although the front work differs between them (in Stedman there are two different types of front work, but only one in Erin). The types of calls used in Erin are also identical to Stedman's Principle.
Erin has a Plain Bob type coursing order.

The principle was first known to have been devised in about 1908 by the eminent composer Gabriel Lindoff.
Then residing in Ireland, Lindoff chose to name his principle after that country.
The first peal of the principle was Erin Triples, rung at Gateshead, County Durham, on June 5th 1909.
Caters quickly followed suit in July at North Shields. The first peal of Erin Cinques was at Newcastle under Lyme in 1924.

Erin is an interesting principle for composers. An extent of Erin Doubles is not possible with the standard singles (i.e: those used in Stedman Doubles). Erin Minimus, in contrast, forms a neat extent with no calls needed.
The first peal of Erin Triples was composed by Joseph W Parker, and this 5040 remains popular today. Most of the other compositions of Erin Triples were on a similar course plan. More recently there have been many interesting new plans explored, including 7-parts, and arrangements with only two singles. It is still not known whether a bobs-only extent is possible. Extents of Erin Triples have to be on a Regular Course End Plan, and B-Block type peals are not possible as they are in Stedman Triples. As B-Blocks are a fundamental feature of Stedman Triples bobs-only compositions, this could be a severe handicap for Erin where a bobs-only solution is concerned.
Peals of Caters and Cinques are usually rung with the back bells in the 'Tittums' and 'Handstroke Home' positions- with additions- as in Stedman. From Triples onwards, any touch bearing a course with one lone bob runs false.

Notable Achievements

2011-03-18T21:07:06Z

Grandsirerich: /* Higher Numbers First Peals */

This section lists some of the notable achievements in the world of ringing.

Because peal details are officially recorded and are readily available, statistics for peals are much easier to find that other statistics, so many of the achievements below relate to peals. However, additions of other notable achievements are very welcome if you know the details, and if you have photos of the individuals or bands, even better.

==Prolific Peal Ringers==
'''Colin M Turner''' became the first person to ring 5000 peals on 24 Jun 2007 in just 31 years. This amounts to 25,338,418 changes, and this is just for the successful ones. There are many other records encompassed in this. The peals were rung with 1,152 people at 3,074 towers, and Colin has rung over 200 peals a year since 1991, the most being 303 (recorded in the Guinness Book of Records). He has rung over 2,000 different methods, including the Surprise alphabet on 6, 8, 10 & 12 at least twice at each stage.

'''Elisabeth A G Bowden''' became the first lady to reach 4000 peals with a peal at [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?112996 Easthampstead]on 23 Dec 2010. It was her 1000th for the Gloucester & Bristol Diocesan Association.

'''Revd F E Robinson''' was the first person to reach 1000 peals. This was on 9 Aug 1905 according to his records but he may have missed some of his earlier peals.

'''Andrew B Mills''' became the youngest to ring a 1000 on 14 Feb 1991 when he conducted Shelford Delight Minor at Shelford at the age of 23yrs 8months.

Andrew Craddock's [http://www.pealbase.co.uk Pealbase] includes details of all ringers who have rung '''1000 or more peals'''.

==Gregarious Peal Ringers==

The Change-ringers list in February 2008 discussed who was the most gregarious peal ringer. At that time and using Pealbase data going back to 1973 Andrew Craddock revealed that '''John Pladdys''' topped the list with 1911 ringers and '''Elisabeth A G Bowden''' was the highest ranking lady in 5th place and 1646
ringers.

==Fast Learners==

'''Peter Davey''' rang a handbell peal of Plain Bob Minor at the age of 17 on Thursday, 28 August 2008 less than 5 days after being taught to ring [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=70638]

'''Victoria J M Wilby''' rang her first peal on 09 Apr 1998 6 months after her first lesson and then rang a quarter of Stedman Cinques at the Pier Head on the first anniversary of her first ringing lesson.

'''Jennifer A Murch''' rang her first peal on 30 June 2007, 24 weeks after learning to ring. Whilst a student at Hull University she rang her 49th peal on Monday, 1 December 2008, being Yorkshire S Maximus inside [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=74998]. She was elected to the [http://www.ascy.org.uk/mem2000- College Youths]in 2009 and rang her [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=89157 first peal] for the Society on 19 Sep 2009.

'''Stefan Smith''' had his first handling lesson at 4pm on Sunday, 28 December 2008. By 4:45pm he was capable of ringing the Tenor to [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=76285 this Quarter Peal], with minimal aid from a strapper, but Stefan did all the work of the handstrokes.

==Progression of Later Learners==
Older people CAN learn to ring and excel!!! This section is for examples of people who started to learn as adults and have made some reasonable progress and/or contribution.

'''Harry Stewart''' learnt to ring at Melbourne, Derbys at the age of 79 and rang rounds for the first time on his 80th birthday for Sunday service. He progressed to rounds and call changes on twelve and plain hunting on seven. Whilst visiting family he joined in practices and outings in Kent, and even rang at Canterbury Cathedral. He had to give up as Parkinson's disease became too much for him and sadly he died on 30 March 2008.

'''Bill Titmarsh''' learnt to ring at Clenchwarton, Norfolk at the age of around 73. Whilst not progressing beyond rounds and call changes he displayed remarkable commitment and fortitude. Despite suffering from arthritic and rheumatic conditions which meant that he could hardly hold a coffee mug, as well as a host of other health problems, including a poor heart, new heart valves, bypasses, and God knows what else (literally) he attended every Sunday until he could no longer physically stand. He died in April 2003 and a peal was rung in celebration of his life [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=11648]

'''Helen Beaumont''' started ringing reluctantly at the age of 51 in 2003 as chaperone to her daughter (who has since given up). Since then, with the assistance of many friends and all the ringing she can get, she has rung several quarters from Plain Bob Doubles to [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=68973 Grandsire Caters] and [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=63045 Plain Bob Royal] inside. Her first peal was at Abingdon, Oxfordshire on 6 Jun 2009, ringing inside to [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/view.aspx?84435 Grandsire Caters]

'''Karl S Ryder''' took up ringing at the age of 40 in 2003. His [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=36116 first peal] was trebling to Yorkshire S Major on 19 Mar 2006 at West Bridgford, Nottingham. He is Tower Captain of that active tower and a regular ringer at Nottingham St Mary where he has rung several quarters of Surprise Royal inside and trebled to Surprise Maximus eg [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=36116 Pudsey]. On the 08/08/08 he took part in quarters of each of the Standard 8 S Major, ringing inside to all except Bristol.

'''Mike Lewis''' took up ringing as a "supporting Dad", at the age of 44 in St' Elvan's church, Aberdare, S.Wales on 4th July 2007. By December he had progressed to Bob Doubles touches and rang his 1st quarter in Jan 2008. Since then he has rung in 8 quarter peals (up to Jan 2009) and become the steeplekeeper at St' Elvan's and was temporary Tower Captain for a short while. Besides winning the "Leslie Evans Trophy" from the Swansea & Brecon Guild for most improved ringer in 2008, he also carried out work to renew the ringing room floor in a nearby tower as well as changing a clapper and several broken stays at Aberdare (including one of his own). He has gained all 4 badges in the STA bell club awards scheme and is working towards the S&B DGBR profiency certificate. Now ringing Stedman Doubles and attempting Bob Triples and Major, and looking forward (!) to his 1st Peal attempt.

'''Tony Lees'''* first started to ring in Autumn 1992 in Thrumpton, Notts (a 6cwt 6 in a very small village) at the age of 45. He rang his first quarter covering in Barton, Notts (11cwt) in April 1994, and first peal trebling to mixed minor in October 1996. After being encouraged on scoring his 3rd peal, Cambridge S Major in May 2004 he got serious about attempting to progress as far as possible. As at January 2010 he has rung a total of 37 peals including Spliced S Minor (16m), Yorkshire S Royal and Grandsire Caters inside, and boosted by 59 during 2010, 226 quarter peals (two of which he has conducted) including 8 spliced S Major atw, Glasgow Major, most of the standard 8 Surprise Royal, Grandsire Cinques and Little Bob Maximus (see Campanophile for most recent performances). His first qtr of Surprise Max (Yorkshire) was scored in Sep 2010. Following a handbell course run by the Society of Sherwood Youths he rang his [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/view.aspx?95227 first quarter in hand] on 6 January 2010.

*(I have taken the liberty to add my details to demonstrate that with persistence, endeavour, the grace and patience of many others, the help of some in general and one in particular, that someone with no special talents can make some headway beyond the proverbial "plain bob doubles". There are others who started at a later age and have made really remarkable progress (see below). Their details should be an encouragement to both other ringers and their tutors. I fully support the approach explained by [http://edc.cccbr.org.uk/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=22&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a | Heather Peachey] and the use of [http://edc.cccbr.org.uk/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=22&p=570#p570 | Simulators] Tony Lees.)

'''Iris Margaret Elsie Lemare''' was born in London on 27 September 1902. She was musically gifted and
became the first woman to conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra, in 1937. She also was an active walker, swimmer and skier. It is believed she took up bell ringing in her mid-50's at the York Arts Centre under Harold Walker. By 1958 she had joined the Minster band and rung her [http://www.yacr.org.uk/pealdetail.php?id=12951 first peal]. Over the next 23 years she rang over 700 peals at all stages (minor to maximus) and a wide range of common and not so common methods including [http://www.yacr.org.uk/pealdetail.php?id=5298 Lemare Surprise Major] for her 79th birthday. Her [http://www.yacr.org.uk/pealdetail.php?id=5345 final peal] was 8 spliced major in the December of 1981. She died in Askham Bryan, near York on 23 April 1997. A web search will bring up many hits and there is an obituary at [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-iris-lemare-1261255.html]. David Potter's obituary of Iris Lemare was in the Ringing World of May 16th 1997.

'''Prudence Fay''' took up ringing at age 50, rang her first tower and handbell peals in 1995. She has rung Glasgow, Belfast, Norman Smith's 23 on tower (148 peals) and handbells (94 peals), totalling 242 peals as at January 2010.

==Young Peal Ringers==

A number of youngsters have rung peals prior to their teens. The following are some examples:

'''Henry J W Pipe''' rang his first peal being 5040 Plain Bob Minor [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?102350] on handbells (1-2) on Monday, 31 May 2010 at the age of 7 years 105 days.

'''Jonathan Carpenter''' rang his first peal (Plain Bob Minor) aged 7 at Warfield, Berks, on 19th June 1982. He was the youngest ringer to ring a working bell to a peal replacing '''Paul Jopp''' who rang his first peal at the age of 8 on 4 Nov 1966 ringing inside to Plain Bob Minor on the Stoulton Campanile. This itself was the first peal conducted by '''Andrew Jopp''' at the age of 13.

'''Paul Jopp''' went on to ring and conduct his first peal of Surprise, being Cambridge Minor, when he rang the 2nd at S Nicholas, EARLS CROOME, Worcs on Thu Apr 23 1970. It was also the first of Surprise for the ringers of the 3rd and 4th (Barbara Luckes and Andrew Jopp).

'''Alex F Byrne''' rang the treble to Plain Bob Minor for his first peal whilst only 9 on 15 Dec 1979 at Hinton Waldrist, Oxon. He then went on to conduct his 6th peal, ringing an inside bell to Plain Bob Minor on 29 May 1981 at Berkeley, Glos and thus probably becoming the '''youngest person to call a peal''' at the age of 11.

'''Victoria K Johnstone''' rang her first peal aged 11, 9 months after her first lesson in order to beat her elder brother on Sunday February 26, 2006 at Oakington, Cambridgeshire.

'''Jemma L Mills''' on Sunday, 7 January 2007 rang her first peal on the 'Pot Bells' at Shelford, Nottingham at the age of 9 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?45841], becoming possibly the youngest girl to ring a peal this century. The band consisted of 3 generations of the Mills family. She followed this performance with a peal of Major on Sunday, 1 June 2008 at Clifton, Nottingham [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?66849].

'''Thomas A F Keech''' rang his first peal on Sunday, 30 November 2008 at Campton, Beds whilst still aged 10 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?74903]. He is the youngest Bedfordshire ringer to ring a peal since '''Jeremy Piron''' (Grandsire Triples at Maulden in July 1969), who was a month younger. At the age of 7 he rang on the 16 at the Swan Bells, Perth WA and he may be the youngest person to ring in Australia.

'''Robert Stafford''', aged 10, rang the treble to a peal of Plain Bob Major on 21 March 1927 at Whitley Bay. (with thanks to Bill Butler's [http://pealbase.co.uk "On This Day"])

'''Andrea P L Pygott''', aged 11 rang Bristol Major on the 2nd for her first peal on Friday 14th August 2009 at St Mary, Barnsley [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?87509].

'''Edward R Mack''', aged 12, on Saturday, 30 June 2007 rang his first peal at his first attempt, being Yorkshire S Royal on the 4th at St Peters, St Albans [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?52222].

'''Tom and James Perrins''' both rang their first peals before reaching their teens. Tom rang his first peal, Grandsire Doubles, on 5th April 2003 just before his eleventh birthday. James rang his first peal, the Standard 8 major on the 2nd, at the age of 12 on Saturday 28 March 2009 at St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?80694]. 82 year old Thomas Goodyer rang the 4th raising the question of whether this is the biggest age difference in a peal of 8-spliced. On Friday, 3 April 2009 again at St Andrew's the brothers and Tom rang inside to a quarter peal of Cambridge Surprise Maximus [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?81014]

'''Fraser J Murray''', aged 11, rang inside to Cambridge S Minor for his first peal on Sunday, 28 June 2009 at Halifax [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=85339]. On Saturday July 4 he rang his second peal, again inside, to 3 minor methods at Saltaire [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?85623]

'''Harriet J Dodd''', at the age of 10 years 134 days, rang her [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?69147 first peal] trebling to Grandsire Caters at St Mary, Bishopstoke, Hampshire on Saturday July 26, 2008. On Saturday, 4 December 2010 at the same tower she rang the same bell to [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?112106 Stedman Caters].

Although 15 at the time the first peal of '''Alice White''' on 12th Feb 1896 is notable as being the first peal rung by a woman. She rang the treble to a peal of Grandsire Triples at her home tower, St Michael's Basingstoke. (with thanks to Bill Butler's [http://pealbase.co.uk "On This Day"]).

On the 1st December 1912 there was a handbell peal of Grandsire Doubles in the belfry of the church at Great Hampton, Worcestershire.
The ringers were '''Ellen M Johnson''' (12 years old), '''Joseph D Johnson''' (13 years old), and '''Ruth Johnson''' (10 years old). Joe conducted it. The '''Johnsons''' were a very large (9 children) family from Hinton on the Green, Worcestershire. Lots of the children rang many handbell peals, usually conducted by Joe- who also called the first peal on the present bells of Worcester Cathedral. In later years, handbell peals of Kent Treble Bob Royal were rung at Hinton. Other siblings included '''Amy Johnson''', the first lady to ring 500 peals, and '''Florence Johnson''' who married the great Tom Lewis of St. Johns, Worcester.

==Young Quarter Peal Ringers==

'''Henry Pipe''', aged just 6, rang his first quarter peal on Tuesday 26 January 2010 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/view.aspx?96006 Plain Bob Minor in hand]

'''Ewan Hull''' at the age of 7 rang his [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/view.aspx?94627 first quarter] on the treble at Ss Philip and James, Clifton, York on Monday, 28 December 2009.

'''Thirza de Kok''', from Dordrecht in the Netherlands, rang her first tower bell on her own during a visit to All Saints Sapcote in August 2009. On Saturday February 20th 2010 at the age of 9 she returned to that tower to ring her [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?97696 first quarter peal], following her father’s footsteps of 24 years ago. The quarter was called by Thirza's brother Harm Jan (aged 13). On Saturday 28 August 2010, still at the age of 9, she rang her [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?106619 first quarter of major] in her home town.

'''Rosemary Hall''' at the age of 9 rang [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?88963 her first quarter] being the treble to Plain Bob Doubles on Sunday, 13 September 2009 at Old Brampton, Derbyshire.

'''Harriet J Dodd''' at the age of 9 rang [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?55590 her first quarter] being the treble to Plain Bob Doubles on Thursday, 27 September 2007 at St Mary, Bishopstoke, Hants. She has since gone on to ring many quarter peals and a few peals.

==Older Peal Ringers==

On 14 September 1973, George E Symonds (b.1875 d.1974) rang a peal of Kent Treble Bob Royal at Grundisburgh, Suffolk, aged 98 years 1 month.

[http://www.pealbase.co.uk Pealbase] includes details of nine other people who have rung peals at the '''age of 90 or more'''.

==Firsts as Conductor==
'''John R Leary''' is the only person to have conducted all his first peals at every stage from Doubles to Maximus. He started in the 1960's and completed the achievement with a peal Doubles at All Cannings, Salisbury on 17 Apr 1995. More about him can be read at [http://archive.salisburyjournal.co.uk/2007/4/5/311446.html]

'''Jennifer E Butler''' conducted Roddy Horton's split-tenors one-part composition of Bristol, Belfast, London and Glasgow at the age of 17, being her first as conductor and 10th towerbell peal (8 Jan 2005 Thornhill).

'''Alexandra A Prabhakar's''' first peal as conductor was Holt's Original [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=59805 5,040 Grandsire Triples] on 26 December 2007

'''Thomas M Perrins''' called his first peal, Grandsire Triples, at the age of 12 yrs 9 mths on Sunday January 16, 2005 at St Mark's, Darling Point, New South Wales

==Feats of Learning and Method Complexity==
The pinnacle of method learning and complexity for advanced ringers on eight bells are all-the-work peals of 23 methods, the maximum in a normal length peal. Most usually these methods are learnt by ringing a series of peals which gradually build up to 23 methods. The first of these compositions was produced by Norman Smith, and rung 31 December 1966. It has since been rung almost 500 times by over 850 ringers. Stephen D Chandler subsequently produced a similar composition of 23 much more difficult methods.

Learning more than 23 methods takes the challenge to a much higher level, as it becomes very easy to confuse one method with another, and forget some methods as new ones are learnt. Taking this learning exercise to 100 methods requires considerable experience, mental agility, and an exceedingly good memory, not withstanding the challenge of keeping this up continuously for 10 hours. On Friday, 28 October 2005 a peal of '''22400 Spliced Surprise Major, 100 methods, all the work''' was rung by an ASCY band at the Loughborough Bell Foundry in 10h 48 (6) with. 699 changes of method. Composed by: Paul Needham 1 Stephanie J Warboys 2 Philip J Earis 3 John N Hughes-D'Aeth 4 Robin O Hall 5 Andrew J Graham 6 Simon J L Linford (C) 7 David J Pipe 8 David C Brown Longest peal of Spliced Surprise. Most Spliced Surprise Major methods all the work [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=31837]

The longest peal of Spliced Surprise Royal was rung at St Thomas, Oxford where an Ancient Society of College Youths band rang 56 methods, all the work (503 COM) being '''20160 Spliced Surprise Royal''' on Thursday, 18 March 2010 in 11h 19m [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?98573]

Rigel Surprise Maximus is one of the most challenging Maximus methods rung, with an apparently random blue line. On handbells, the ringers have to contend with their two bells making point blows in the middle of the rows rarely synchronised with one another. On 14 January 2006, a peal of '''12672 Rigel Surprise Maximus''' was rung on handbells [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=34156].

On 13th October 1984 at Shoreditch the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths rang '''all Surprise Maximus methods''' that had been rung up to the end of the previous year giving rise to a peal of 8000 Spliced Surprise Maximus in 170 methods in 5 hours and 40 minutes. [http://www.cccbr.org.uk/rc/tower_higher.php]

Scientific is a principle, where there is no hunt bell to act as a guide, and is probably the hardest Triples method. On 12 November 2008 the first peal of ''' 5040 Scientific Triples''' in hand was scored by St. Martin's Guild for the Diocese of Birmingham 1-2 William T Bosworth 3-4 Charles A S Webb 5-6 Mark R Eccleston 7-8 Alan S Burbidge (c) [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=74077]

Minor methods present their own challenge as many methods can be rung in a short time. A feat of composition, conducting and ringing was achieved on Friday 24 Oct 1969 when a Peal of '''5040 Spliced Treble Bob Minor''', comprising '''210 Treble dodging methods''' with a '''change of method every lead''', was rung. At the time it was the '''most methods rung to a peal'''. The feat was repeated on Sunday 24 Oct 2004 2h45 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=22325]. [http://www.southwelldg.org.uk/guild/210_treble_dodging.htm#Comps Click] for a background to the history of these peals.

The '''most methods rung all the work on tower bells''' was scored on on Saturday, 25 September 2010 when 147 minor methods were rung, giving 20160 changes, by the Ancient Society of College Youths at St Paul, Jewellery Quarter in 9 hours 37 minutes. John S Warboys provided the composition and it was rung by 1 Richard B Grimmett, 2 David J Pipe (C), 3 Philip J Earis, 4 Simon J L Linford, 5 Michael P A Wilby, 6 John M Thurman [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?107923]

A silent and non conducted peal of Stedman Triples was rung at Meldreth, Cambridgeshire on 15th December 1980. It was twice the length of a usual peal and the band had to learn two very complex compositions, the first by John Noonan (http://ringing.org/main/pages/peals/composers/compositions?surname=Noonan&forenames=J) and the second by G Wilfred Slack (http://ringing.org/main/pages/peals/composers/compositions?surname=Slack&forenames=G%20Wilfred)

==Higher Numbers First Peals==
Ringers whose first peals were on 12 or more bells.
{| style="color:blue;background-color:#ffffdd;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
! Date
! Name
! Tower
! Method
! Notes
|-
| 13 February 1937
| Albert M Tyler
| Tewkesbury, Glos
| Stedman Cinques
| Age 13
|-
| 18 May 1986
| Eleanor J Kippin
| Bristol, St Stephen
| Stedman Cinques
|  
|-
| 6 Sep 1987
| Michael P A Wilby
| London, St Sepulchre
| Stedman Cinques
|  
|-
| 24 Sep 1987
| Deborah L Blake
| Bedford, St Paul
| Stedman Cinques
|  
|-
| 30 Jan 1993
| Alison M Brookbanks
| Towcester
| Cambridge S Maximus
|  
|-
| 31 Dec 1994
| Luke M Atwell
| Towcester
| Little Bob Maximus
|  
|-
| 31 Dec 1994
| Joanna L Woolley
| Towcester
| Little Bob Maximus
| Rang inside
|-
| 21 Jul 1995
| Hannah L Wilby
| Towcester
| Bristol S Maximus
| Age 11
|-
| 2 Aug 1997
| Brett C Masters
| Towcester
| Cambridge S Maximus
| Rang inside
|-
| 21 Feb 1998
| Caroline Newman
| Bristol, St Mary Redcliffe
| Spliced S Maximus (5m)
| Rang inside
|-
| 9 Jan 1999
| Jennifer E Henson
| Towcester
| Bristol S Maximus
|  
|-
| 5 Jun 1999
| Joanne L Henson
| Towcester
| Yorkshire S Maximus
|  
|-
| 4 Aug 2000
| R Clive Henson
| Towcester
| Yorkshire S Maximus
| Rang inside
|-
| 21 Oct 2001
| D Paul Mason
| Leicester, St Margaret
| Yorkshire S Fourteen
| Rang tenor
|-
| 9 Nov 2002
| Tessa K Beadman
| Guildford, Cathedral
| Spliced S Maximus (5m)
| Rang inside
|-
| 11 Jan 2003
| David W Kipling
| Llandaff Cathedral
| Stedman Cinques
|
|-
| 5 Jun 2005
| Simon A Bond
| Preston Minster
| Plain Bob Maximus
|
|-
| 5 Jun 2005
| Robert V Criddle
| Preston Minster
| Plain Bob Maximus
|
|-
| 14 Oct 2006
| Siân E Kipling
| Llandaff Cathedral
| Stedman Cinques
|
|-
| 20 Dec 2008
| Anthony C Furnivall
| New York, Trinity Church
| Erin Cinques
|
|-
| 20 Dec 2008
| Anthony P Micocci
| New York, Trinity Church
| Erin Cinques
|
|-
| 20 Dec 2008
| Jeremy C Bates
| New York, Trinity Church
| Erin Cinques
|
|}
 

==Longest Peals==

On Sunday, 6 May 2007 in 24h09 (9 in B), '''72000 Treble Dodging Minor''' (100m) 1-2 Philip J Earis 3-4 Andrew J W Tibbetts (C)5-6 David J Pipe. The longest peal yet rung [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=50258].

A '''full of extent of major''' was first rung at Leeds in Kent by 14 ringers under James Barham on April 7 and 8, 1761

The only full extent so far rung on 8 tower bells '''by one band of ringers''' was at Loughborough Bell Foundry on Saturday 27 July 1963, in 17 hours and 58 minutes. '''40320 Plain Bob Major''' Composed by: C Kenneth Lewis, Conducted by: Robert B Smith 1 Brian J Woodruffe 2 John M Jelley 3 Neil Bennett 4 Frederick Shallcross 5 John C Eisel 6 John Robinson 7 Brian Harris 8 Robert B Smith This is the greatest number of changes ever to be rung to a tower bell peal and was the ninth attempt in as many years. 8 umpires monitored the performance.

Setting record lengths has long been a challenge to ringers and the progression of long length peals over the years for various methods and stages is summarised by the [http://www.cccbr.org.uk/rc/rc.php Peal Records Committee].

==Fastest Peals==

The fastest '''tower bell peal''' is believed to be that rung by St Martin's Guild, Birmingham at Hadstock, Essex, S Botolph
Sat Dec 14 1991 '''1h13''' (2 3/4) being 5040 Cambridge S Minor(7 extents)1 Tim J Peverett, 2 Anthony M Daw, 3 Julia R Cater, 4 Andrew J Mitchell, 5 David G Hull (C), 6 David J Pipe Ref: RW 1992 p. 111

The above is possibly the only tower where one peal has taken over twice as long as another of the same length (eg 19 Apr 1996 in 2h 31min, 12 minor methods)

A contender for the '''fastest handbell peal''' is that rung by the Iceni Society in Cambridge on Thursday, 4 May 2006 in '''0h59m''' (8 in C#) being 5040 Old Oxford Delight Minor 1-2 Philip J Earis, 3-4 David J Pipe (C), 5-6 Jeremy W Spiller

==Most Peals in a day==

The most peals rung in a day currently stands at 15, on handbells, with Andrew Tibbetts (conducted them all) and Philip Earis ringing in all of the peals. The peals were all minor and they were assisted by Cherril Thompson (rang in 5) and Jeremy Spiller (rang 10).

Starting at 10am on Saturday, 27 June 2009 a band comprising of Paul J Pascoe, Ian J Carey, Richard Harrison, Benjamin J Carey, Peter W J Sheppard, Edward P D Colliss, Christopher C P Woodcock and Andrew B Mills rang 10 peals of S Major at Marston Bigot, Somerset (20lbs) starting with [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=85311 9 spliced] and then ringing each of the methods individually, concluding the next day at 8.23am with a successful peal of [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=85320 Yorkshire]. This beat the previous record of 9 peals rung in 2000 and was achieved despite the need to [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=85317 re-hang the tenor] after peal 6. The peals are accredited to The Fellowship of Narnia Youths.

==Heavy Bell Ringers==

'''Peter Border''' on Saturday, 13 August 1966 [http://www.manxcat.org.uk/cathedral/peals.htm]and '''Andrew B Mills''' on Saturday, 8 December 2007 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=59074] are the only ringers to single handedly turn in the 82cwt Liverpool tenor to peals, both ringing Cambridge S Maximus. Subsequently Liverpool Cathedral has taken the accolade of having had rung the heaviest and longest 10 bell peal on Tuesday, 28 August 2007 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=54440] and then heaviest 8 bell peal on Saturday, 15 November 2008 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=74170]

'''Andrew B Mills''' also rang in the 4 peals of S Maximus in one day in London as part of an ASCY band on 11 June 2005 finishing with ringing the tenor to Cambridge S Maximus at Cornhill (42cwt).

==Double-handed Towerbell Ringing==

On 19 Sep 1901 the first double-handed peal on tower bells was performed by '''James W. Washbrook''' who rang 3 and 4 to a peal of Grandsire Triples at Arklow, Ireland. [http://www.bellringingireland.org/East/Arklow/Home.html]. This performance received criticism from the editor of The Bell News, Harvey Reeves and others, who doubted that the peal could have been struck accurately Washbrook repeated the performance the following week in the presence of some of the best ringers in Ireland. (ref: [http://pealbase.co.uk/ Bill Butler's "On this day"]).

On 29 Apr 1961 the '''first tower bell peal to be rung with only three ringers''' took place at Preston Candover, Hants. The peal of Plain Bob Minor was rung by Tony Price 1-2, Frank C Price 3-4 with Frank T Blagrove ringing 5-6 and conducting. (ref: [http://pealbase.co.uk/ Bill Butler's "On this day"]).

On 22 Aug 1964 the '''first peal of Major to be rung by only four ringers''' was scored being Plain Bob at Balcombe, Sussex (9cwt). 1-2 Tom Chapman 3-4 Frank C Price (conductor) 5-6 Frank T Blagrove and 7-8 Tony Price.

On 17 Oct 1981 Jill M. Liddle became the '''first woman''' to ring two tower bells to a peal when she rang Bob Minor at Rushbury, Salop (ref: [http://pealbase.co.uk/ Bill Butler's "On this day"]).

On 18 Jan 1990 '''6 ringers''' rang a peal of 5016 Plain Bob Maximus at Lockington, Leics (14-1-1) in 3hrs 2min (Arr RBS). 1-2 Peter LR Hayward 3-4 Paul Jopp 5-6 Robert B Smith 7-8 Frank C Price 9-10 Alan Cattell '''11-12 Andrew B Mills''' (ref Front Page RW 16/3/90). A year later the ringer of the tenors rang 4-5 at Limerick (23 Apr 1991 Grandsire Triples) but the most challenging performance is probably ringing '''2-3 to Norman Smith's 23 spliced''' for the Southwell Diocesan Guild at Kinsbury, Warwickshire on 9th July 1991 (5152 in 3hr 6m 17cwt). 1 Andrew D Higson '''2-3 Andrew B Mills''' 4 Frances Dodds 5 David J Pipe 6 David G Hull 7 David G Adams 8 Paul Needham. Conducted by David G Hull. Most Spliced major methods yet rung double-handed. The most methods currently rung double-handed is 196 Spliced Plain Minor at Millcroft Campanile by Jeremy W Spiller

On 29 Mar 2002* a band of '''6 ringers''' rang the first '''double handed peal of Bristol Surprise Maximus''' on the Piltdown House Campanile in 3 hours and 7 minutes (RW ref 4747.0388) 1-2 Andrew J Mitchell 3-4 Stephen J Mills 5-6 Michael P A Wilby 7-8 David J Pipe 9-10 Andrew B Mills 11-12 Anthony M Daw TENOR 22lb 7oz in Eflat *The website shows the date as Friday April 29th 2002 [http://www.piltdown.org.uk/campanilepeals.htm]

'''Peter L R Hayward''' became the first person to ring '''two non-adjacent''' bells to a peal when he rang the treble and fourth to a peal of Plain Bob Minor at Ossington, Notts on 24 Jul 1980. He has since rung peals of minor on every possible combination of pairs of bells (adjacent and non-adjacent).

==Emulating Ringers of the Past==

'''Richard B Grimmett''' on Tuesday, 6 February 2007 conducted a peal of Stedman Triples wearing a blindfold throughout, emulating W H Barber's achievement at Gateshead on February 21st, 1908. [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=46938].

Herbert Knight became the first person to conduct a peal of Stedman Triples whilst blindfolded on 12th October, 1907. He used Thurstan’s One-Part peal and it was his eight attempt. Ref: [http://pealbase.ismysite.co.uk/pealbase/ Bill Butler's blog]

==Handbell Peals==

===Sixteen Bells, Eight Methods===
The '''greatest number of S methods to a peal on sixteen bells''' was rung in MELBOURNE, Derbys on Mon Jun 9 1997 3h49 (18). 5056 Spliced Surprise Sixteen (8m: 768 Newgate; 704 York; 640 Ealing, Parkhurst, Sawley, Wembley; 576 Feering; 448 Leatherhead: 78 com.) Composed by David J Marshall. 1-2 Rupert A Clarke 3-4 Robert B Smith (C) 5-6 John M Jelley 7-8 Simon C Melen 9-10 Paul Jopp 11-12 Roland H Cook 13-14 David J Marshall 15-16 Christopher M Wulkau [http://derbyda.org.uk/performances/peal/dda1997.htm]

===Four in hand===
On Mon Nov 4 1991 in 3h (12)in Sawley, Derbys a peal of 5040 Yorkshire Surprise Royal (Arr RBS) was rung with the following 4 ringers: 1-2 Paul Jopp 3-4 Robert B Smith (cond) 5-6 John Jelley '''7-8-9-0 Simon C Melen''' (ref "four in hand" Page 1100,1156 RW 1991). Possibly the only other occasion that such a feat was accomplished was on 21st October 1926 when '''Edward Hims rang 1,2,3,4''' to a peal of Stedman Doubles at Bicester. ref Bill Butler's [http://pealbase.ismysite.co.uk/pealbase/ On This Day]

==Tapping Peals==
'''Arthur T. Morris''' on 26th August, 1921 tapped out a peal of 5600 London S Major on handbells (ref article by Joe Roast in the RW in 1976)

'''Elijah Roberts''' on 30th June 1833 tapped 5016 Stedman Cinques on handbells at Birmingham. Henry Cooper called the bobs, and Henry Johnson was a witness. (ref: Edward Martin and further details from Bill Butler's [http://www.pealbase.co.uk "On this day" ]). He surpassed this peformance on 23rd March 1837 when he tapped 19,440 Kent Treble Bob Maximus, taking 13 hours and 43 minutes. (ref RW1911/514)

'''Harry Withers''' in Birmingham tapped several peals out. It is also understood that he did about 3 hours of Kent Treble Bob 20 but ran out of time. This would have been circa 1910 (ref: Richard Grimmett).

'''Samuel Thurston''' on 1st July 1809 tapped on handbells plain courses of Bob Triples, Bob Major, Reverse Bob Major, Double Bob Major and Grandsire Caters. A contemporary account notes: "This was considered to be the greatest performance ever completed by one man in the world." (ref: Bill Butler's Blog [http://www.pealbase.co.uk "On this day" ])

===On a Piano===

'''John Harrold''' could play Bob Major on the piano when he was a young lad in the 1970s (Martin Kirk).

'''Harry Withers''' also played a plain course of Scientific Triples, possibly on a piano, which was the first time that it had been heard! (ref: Edward Martin).

'''Roger Baldwin''' could play Bristol Major on the piano and still hold a conversation whilst he was at Nottingham University in the 1970's recalls Pat Halls.

'''Laurie Wey''' used to play Cambridge Max on the piano according to what Tony Nunn has heard.

== Singing Ringing ==

'''Clement Glenn''' used to entertain Southwell Guild meetings by singing touches of Stedman Triples.
He would invite listeners to put the bobs in, but there were never any volunteers. (David Marshall)

===On a Saxaphone===

'''Mr W C Hunt''' played a course of Duffield on a saxophone as part of the entertainment at the Society of Sherwood Youths 1926 annual dinner in Nottingham (RW1926/90) (with thanks to Bill Butler's [http://pealbase.co.uk/|"On This Day"])

==Walking to Ring a Peal==
Possibly not so unusual at the time ringers of the Society of Sherwood Youths on Tue May 23 1820 '''walked from Nottingham to Chesterfield, approx 28 miles''', to ring a peal for the "opening of the bells".
[[Category: Articles]]

Notable Achievements

2010-10-04T20:21:38Z

Grandsirerich: /* Young Peal Ringers */

This section lists some of the notable achievements in the world of ringing.

Because peal details are officially recorded and are readily available, statistics for peals are much easier to find that other statistics, so many of the achievements below relate to peals. However, additions of other notable achievements are very welcome if you know the details, and if you have photos of the individuals or bands, even better.

==Prolific Peal Ringers==
'''Colin M Turner''' became the first person to ring 5000 peals on 24 Jun 2007 in just 31 years. This amounts to 25,338,418 changes, and this is just for the successful ones. There are many other records encompassed in this. The peals were rung with 1,152 people at 3,074 towers, and Colin has rung over 200 peals a year since 1991, the most being 303 (recorded in the Guinness Book of Records). He has rung over 2,000 different methods, including the Surprise alphabet on 6, 8, 10 & 12 at least twice at each stage.

Andrew Craddock's [http://www.pealbase.co.uk Pealbase] includes details of all ringers who have rung '''1000 or more peals'''.

==Gregarious Peal Ringers==

The Change-ringers list in February 2008 discussed who was the most gregarious peal ringer. At that time and using Pealbase data going back to 1973 Andrew Craddock revealed that '''John Pladdys''' topped the list with 1911 ringers and '''Elisabeth A G Bowden''' was the highest ranking lady in 5th place and 1646
ringers.

==Fast Learners==

'''Peter Davey''' rang a handbell peal of Plain Bob Minor at the age of 17 on Thursday, 28 August 2008 less than 5 days after being taught to ring [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=70638]

'''Victoria J M Wilby''' rang her first peal on 09 Apr 1998 6 months after her first lesson and then rang a quarter of Stedman Cinques at the Pier Head on the first anniversary of her first ringing lesson.

'''Jennifer A Murch''' rang her first peal on 30 June 2007, 24 weeks after learning to ring. Whilst a student at Hull University she rang her 49th peal on Monday, 1 December 2008, being Yorkshire S Maximus inside [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=74998]. She was elected to the [http://www.ascy.org.uk/mem2000- College Youths]in 2009 and rang her [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=89157 first peal] for the Society on 19 Sep 2009.

'''Stefan Smith''' had his first handling lesson at 4pm on Sunday, 28 December 2008. By 4:45pm he was capable of ringing the Tenor to [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=76285 this Quarter Peal], with minimal aid from a strapper, but Stefan did all the work of the handstrokes.

==Progression of Later Learners==
Older people CAN learn to ring and excel!!! This section is for examples of people who started to learn as adults and have made some reasonable progress and/or contribution.

'''Harry Stewart''' learnt to ring at Melbourne, Derbys at the age of 79 and rang rounds for the first time on his 80th birthday for Sunday service. He progressed to rounds and call changes on twelve and plain hunting on seven. Whilst visiting family he joined in practices and outings in Kent, and even rang at Canterbury Cathedral. He had to give up as Parkinson's disease became too much for him and sadly he died on 30 March 2008.

'''Bill Titmarsh''' learnt to ring at Clenchwarton, Norfolk at the age of around 73. Whilst not progressing beyond rounds and call changes he displayed remarkable commitment and fortitude. Despite suffering from arthritic and rheumatic conditions which meant that he could hardly hold a coffee mug, as well as a host of other health problems, including a poor heart, new heart valves, bypasses, and God knows what else (literally) he attended every Sunday until he could no longer physically stand. He died in April 2003 and a peal was rung in celebration of his life [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=11648]

'''Helen Beaumont''' started ringing reluctantly at the age of 51 in 2003 as chaperone to her daughter (who has since given up). Since then, with the assistance of many friends and all the ringing she can get, she has rung several quarters from Plain Bob Doubles to [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=68973 Grandsire Caters] and [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=63045 Plain Bob Royal] inside. Her first peal was at Abingdon, Oxfordshire on 6 Jun 2009, ringing inside to [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/view.aspx?84435 Grandsire Caters]

'''Karl S Ryder''' took up ringing at the age of 40 in 2003. His [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=36116 first peal] was trebling to Yorkshire S Major on 19 Mar 2006 at West Bridgford, Nottingham. He is Tower Captain of that active tower and a regular ringer at Nottingham St Mary where he has rung several quarters of Surprise Royal inside and trebled to Surprise Maximus eg [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=36116 Pudsey]. On the 08/08/08 he took part in quarters of each of the Standard 8 S Major, ringing inside to all except Bristol.

'''Mike Lewis''' took up ringing as a "supporting Dad", at the age of 44 in St' Elvan's church, Aberdare, S.Wales on 4th July 2007. By December he had progressed to Bob Doubles touches and rang his 1st quarter in Jan 2008. Since then he has rung in 8 quarter peals (up to Jan 2009) and become the steeplekeeper at St' Elvan's and was temporary Tower Captain for a short while. Besides winning the "Leslie Evans Trophy" from the Swansea & Brecon Guild for most improved ringer in 2008, he also carried out work to renew the ringing room floor in a nearby tower as well as changing a clapper and several broken stays at Aberdare (including one of his own). He has gained all 4 badges in the STA bell club awards scheme and is working towards the S&B DGBR profiency certificate. Now ringing Stedman Doubles and attempting Bob Triples and Major, and looking forward (!) to his 1st Peal attempt.

'''Tony Lees'''* first started to ring in Autumn 1992 in Thrumpton, Notts (a 6cwt 6 in a very small village) at the age of 45. He rang his first quarter covering in Barton, Notts (11cwt) in April 1994, and first peal trebling to mixed minor in October 1996. After being encouraged on scoring his 3rd peal, Cambridge S Major in May 2004 he got serious about attempting to progress as far as possible. As at January 2010 he has rung a total of 37 peals including Spliced S Minor (16m), Yorkshire S Royal and Grandsire Caters inside, and boosted by 59 during 2010, 226 quarter peals (two of which he has conducted) including 8 spliced S Major atw, Glasgow Major, most of the standard 8 Surprise Royal, Grandsire Cinques and Little Bob Maximus (see Campanophile for most recent performances). His first qtr of Surprise Max (Yorkshire) was scored in Sep 2010. Following a handbell course run by the Society of Sherwood Youths he rang his [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/view.aspx?95227 first quarter in hand] on 6 January 2010.

*(I have taken the liberty to add my details to demonstrate that with persistence, endeavour, the grace and patience of many others, the help of some in general and one in particular, that someone with no special talents can make some headway beyond the proverbial "plain bob doubles". There are others who started at a later age and have made really remarkable progress (see below). Their details should be an encouragement to both other ringers and their tutors. I fully support the approach explained by [http://edc.cccbr.org.uk/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=22&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a | Heather Peachey] and the use of [http://edc.cccbr.org.uk/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=22&p=570#p570 | Simulators] Tony Lees.)

'''Iris Margaret Elsie Lemare''' was born in London on 27 September 1902. She was musically gifted and
became the first woman to conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra, in 1937. She also was an active walker, swimmer and skier. It is believed she took up bell ringing in her mid-50's at the York Arts Centre under Harold Walker. By 1958 she had joined the Minster band and rung her [http://www.yacr.org.uk/pealdetail.php?id=12951 first peal]. Over the next 23 years she rang over 700 peals at all stages (minor to maximus) and a wide range of common and not so common methods including [http://www.yacr.org.uk/pealdetail.php?id=5298 Lemare Surprise Major] for her 79th birthday. Her [http://www.yacr.org.uk/pealdetail.php?id=5345 final peal] was 8 spliced major in the December of 1981. She died in Askham Bryan, near York on 23 April 1997. A web search will bring up many hits and there is an obituary at [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-iris-lemare-1261255.html]. David Potter's obituary of Iris Lemare was in the Ringing World of May 16th 1997.

'''Prudence Fay''' took up ringing at age 50, rang her first tower and handbell peals in 1995. She has rung Glasgow, Belfast, Norman Smith's 23 on tower (148 peals) and handbells (94 peals), totalling 242 peals as at January 2010.

==Young Peal Ringers==

A number of youngsters have rung peals prior to their teens. The following are some examples:

'''Henry J W Pipe''' rang his first peal being 5040 Plain Bob Minor [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?102350] on handbells (1-2) on Monday, 31 May 2010 at the age of 7 years 105 days.

'''Jonathan Carpenter''' rang his first peal (Plain Bob Minor) aged 7 at Warfield, Berks, on 19th June 1982. He was the youngest ringer to ring a working bell to a peal.

'''Victoria K Johnstone''' rang her first peal aged 11, 9 months after her first lesson in order to beat her elder brother on Sunday February 26, 2006 at Oakington, Cambridgeshire.

'''Jemma L Mills''' on Sunday, 7 January 2007 rang her first peal on the 'Pot Bells' at Shelford, Nottingham at the age of 9 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?45841], becoming possibly the youngest girl to ring a peal this century. The band consisted of 3 generations of the Mills family. She followed this performance with a peal of Major on Sunday, 1 June 2008 at Clifton, Nottingham [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?66849].

'''Thomas A F Keech''' rang his first peal on Sunday, 30 November 2008 at Campton, Beds whilst still aged 10 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?74903]. He is the youngest Bedfordshire ringer to ring a peal since '''Jeremy Piron''' (Grandsire Triples at Maulden in July 1969), who was a month younger. At the age of 7 he rang on the 16 at the Swan Bells, Perth WA and he may be the youngest person to ring in Australia.

'''Andrea P L Pygott''', aged 11 rang Bristol Major on the 2nd for her first peal on Friday 14th August 2009 at St Mary, Barnsley [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?87509].

'''Edward R Mack''', aged 12, on Saturday, 30 June 2007 rang his first peal at his first attempt, being Yorkshire S Royal on the 4th at St Peters, St Albans [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?52222].

'''Tom and James Perrins''' both rang their first peals before reaching their teens. Tom rang his first peal, Grandsire Doubles, on 5th April 2003 just before his eleventh birthday. James rang his first peal, the Standard 8 major on the 2nd, at the age of 12 on Saturday 28 March 2009 at St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?80694]. 82 year old Thomas Goodyer rang the 4th raising the question of whether this is the biggest age difference in a peal of 8-spliced. On Friday, 3 April 2009 again at St Andrew's the brothers and Tom rang inside to a quarter peal of Cambridge Surprise Maximus [http://www.campanophile.co.uk//view.aspx?81014]

'''Fraser J Murray''', aged 11, rang inside to Cambridge S Minor for his first peal on Sunday, 28 June 2009 at Halifax [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=85339]. On Saturday July 4 he rang his second peal, again inside, to 3 minor methods at Saltaire [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?85623]

Although 15 at the time the first peal of '''Alice White''' on 12th Feb 1896 is notable as being the first peal rung by a woman. She rang the treble to a peal of Grandsire Triples at her home tower, St Michael's Basingstoke. (with thanks to Bill Butler's [http://pealbase.co.uk "On This Day"]).

On the 1st December 1912 there was a handbell peal of Grandsire Doubles in the belfry of the church at Great Hampton, Worcestershire.
The ringers were '''Ellen M Johnson''' (12 years old), '''Joseph D Johnson''' (13 years old), and '''Ruth Johnson''' (10 years old). Joe conducted it. The '''Johnsons''' were a very large (9 children) family from Hinton on the Green, Worcestershire. Lots of the children rang many handbell peals, usually conducted by Joe- who also called the first peal on the present bells of Worcester Cathedral. In later years, handbell peals of Kent Treble Bob Royal were rung at Hinton. Other siblings included '''Amy Johnson''', the first lady to ring 500 peals, and '''Florence Johnson''' who married the great Tom Lewis of St. Johns, Worcester.

==Young Quarter Peal Ringers==

'''Henry Pipe''', aged just 6, rang his first quarter peal on Tuesday 26 January 2010 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/view.aspx?96006 Plain Bob Minor in hand]

'''Ewan Hull''' at the age of 7 rang his [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/view.aspx?94627 first quarter] on the treble at Ss Philip and James, Clifton, York on Monday, 28 December 2009.

'''Thirza de Kok''', from Dordrecht in the Netherlands, rang her first tower bell on her own during a visit to All Saints Sapcote in August 2009. On Saturday February 20th 2010 at the age of 9 she returned to that tower to ring her [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?97696 first quarter peal], following her father’s footsteps of 24 years ago. The quarter was called by Thirza's brother Harm Jan (aged 13). On Saturday 28 August 2010, still at the age of 9, she rang her [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?106619 first quarter of major] in her home town.

==Older Peal Ringers==

On 14 September 1973, George E Symonds (b.1875 d.1974) rang a peal of Kent Treble Bob Royal at Grundisburgh, Suffolk, aged 98 years 1 month.

[http://www.pealbase.co.uk Pealbase] includes details of nine other people who have rung peals at the '''age of 90 or more'''.

==Firsts as Conductor==
'''John R Leary''' is the only person to have conducted all his first peals at every stage from Doubles to Maximus. He started in the 1960's and completed the achievement with a peal Doubles at All Cannings, Salisbury on 17 Apr 1995. More about him can be read at [http://archive.salisburyjournal.co.uk/2007/4/5/311446.html]

'''Jennifer E Butler''' conducted Roddy Horton's split-tenors one-part composition of Bristol, Belfast, London and Glasgow at the age of 17, being her first as conductor and 10th towerbell peal (8 Jan 2005 Thornhill).

'''Alexandra A Prabhakar's''' first peal as conductor was Holt's Original [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=59805 5,040 Grandsire Triples] on 26 December 2007

'''Thomas M Perrins''' called his first peal, Grandsire Triples, at the age of 12 yrs 9 mths on Sunday January 16, 2005 at St Mark's, Darling Point, New South Wales

==Feats of Learning and Method Complexity==
The pinnacle of method learning and complexity for advanced ringers on eight bells are all-the-work peals of 23 methods, the maximum in a normal length peal. Most usually these methods are learnt by ringing a series of peals which gradually build up to 23 methods. The first of these compositions was produced by Norman Smith, and rung 31 December 1966. It has since been rung almost 500 times by over 850 ringers. Stephen D Chandler subsequently produced a similar composition of 23 much more difficult methods.

Learning more than 23 methods takes the challenge to a much higher level, as it becomes very easy to confuse one method with another, and forget some methods as new ones are learnt. Taking this learning exercise to 100 methods requires considerable experience, mental agility, and an exceedingly good memory, not withstanding the challenge of keeping this up continuously for 10 hours. On Friday, 28 October 2005 a peal of '''22400 Spliced Surprise Major, 100 methods, all the work''' was rung by an ASCY band at the Loughborough Bell Foundry in 10h 48 (6) with. 699 changes of method. Composed by: Paul Needham 1 Stephanie J Warboys 2 Philip J Earis 3 John N Hughes-D'Aeth 4 Robin O Hall 5 Andrew J Graham 6 Simon J L Linford (C) 7 David J Pipe 8 David C Brown Longest peal of Spliced Surprise. Most Spliced Surprise Major methods all the work [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=31837]

The longest peal of Spliced Surprise Royal was rung at St Thomas, Oxford where an Ancient Society of College Youths band rang 56 methods, all the work (503 COM) being '''20160 Spliced Surprise Royal''' on Thursday, 18 March 2010 in 11h 19m [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?98573]

Rigel Surprise Maximus is one of the most challenging Maximus methods rung, with an apparently random blue line. On handbells, the ringers have to contend with their two bells making point blows in the middle of the rows rarely synchronised with one another. On 14 January 2006, a peal of '''12672 Rigel Surprise Maximus''' was rung on handbells [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=34156].

Scientific is a principle, where there is no hunt bell to act as a guide, and is probably the hardest Triples method. On 12 November 2008 the first peal of ''' 5040 Scientific Triples''' in hand was scored by St. Martin's Guild for the Diocese of Birmingham 1-2 William T Bosworth 3-4 Charles A S Webb 5-6 Mark R Eccleston 7-8 Alan S Burbidge (c) [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=74077]

Minor methods present their own challenge as many methods can be rung in a short time. A feat of composition, conducting and ringing was achieved on Friday 24 Oct 1969 when a Peal of '''5040 Spliced Treble Bob Minor''', comprising '''210 Treble dodging methods''' with a '''change of method every lead''', was rung. At the time it was the '''most methods rung to a peal'''. The feat was repeated on Sunday 24 Oct 2004 2h45 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=22325]. [http://www.southwelldg.org.uk/guild/210_treble_dodging.htm#Comps Click] for a background to the history of these peals.

The '''most methods rung all the work on tower bells''' was scored on on Saturday, 25 September 2010 when 147 minor methods were rung, giving 20160 changes, by the Ancient Society of College Youths at St Paul, Jewellery Quarter in 9 hours 37 minutes. John S Warboys provided the composition and it was rung by 1 Richard B Grimmett, 2 David J Pipe (C), 3 Philip J Earis, 4 Simon J L Linford, 5 Michael P A Wilby, 6 John M Thurman [http://www.campanophile.com/view.aspx?107923]

A silent and non conducted peal of Stedman Triples was rung at Meldreth, Cambridgeshire on 15th December 1980. It was twice the length of a usual peal and the band had to learn two very complex compositions, the first by John Noonan (http://ringing.org/main/pages/peals/composers/compositions?surname=Noonan&forenames=J) and the second by G Wilfred Slack (http://ringing.org/main/pages/peals/composers/compositions?surname=Slack&forenames=G%20Wilfred)

==Higher Numbers First Peals==
Ringers whose first peals were on 12 or more bells.
{| style="color:blue;background-color:#ffffdd;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="1"
! Date
! Name
! Tower
! Method
! Notes
|-
| 18 May 1986
| Eleanor J Kippin
| Bristol, St Stephen
| Stedman Cinques
|  
|-
| 6 Sep 1987
| Michael P A Wilby
| London, St Sepulchre
| Stedman Cinques
|  
|-
| 24 Sep 1987
| Deborah L Blake
| Bedford, St Paul
| Stedman Cinques
|  
|-
| 30 Jan 1993
| Alison M Brookbanks
| Towcester
| Cambridge S Maximus
|  
|-
| 31 Dec 1994
| Luke M Atwell
| Towcester
| Little Bob Maximus
|  
|-
| 31 Dec 1994
| Joanna L Woolley
| Towcester
| Little Bob Maximus
| Rang inside
|-
| 21 Jul 1995
| Hannah L Wilby
| Towcester
| Bristol S Maximus
| Age 11
|-
| 2 Aug 1997
| Brett C Masters
| Towcester
| Cambridge S Maximus
| Rang inside
|-
| 21 Feb 1998
| Caroline Newman
| Bristol, St Mary Redcliffe
| Spliced S Maximus (5m)
| Rang inside
|-
| 9 Jan 1999
| Jennifer E Henson
| Towcester
| Bristol S Maximus
|  
|-
| 5 Jun 1999
| Joanne L Henson
| Towcester
| Yorkshire S Maximus
|  
|-
| 4 Aug 2000
| R Clive Henson
| Towcester
| Yorkshire S Maximus
| Rang inside
|-
| 21 Oct 2001
| D Paul Mason
| Leicester, St Margaret
| Yorkshire S Fourteen
| Rang tenor
|-
| 9 Nov 2002
| Tessa K Beadman
| Guildford, Cathedral
| Spliced S Maximus (5m)
| Rang inside
|-
| 11 Jan 2003
| David W Kipling
| Llandaff Cathedral
| Stedman Cinques
|
|-
| 5 Jun 2005
| Simon A Bond
| Preston Minster
| Plain Bob Maximus
|
|-
| 5 Jun 2005
| Robert V Criddle
| Preston Minster
| Plain Bob Maximus
|
|-
| 14 Oct 2006
| Siân E Kipling
| Llandaff Cathedral
| Stedman Cinques
|
|-
| 20 Dec 2008
| Anthony C Furnivall
| New York, Trinity Church
| Erin Cinques
|
|-
| 20 Dec 2008
| Anthony P Micocci
| New York, Trinity Church
| Erin Cinques
|
|-
| 20 Dec 2008
| Jeremy C Bates
| New York, Trinity Church
| Erin Cinques
|
|}
 

==Longest Peals==

On Sunday, 6 May 2007 in 24h09 (9 in B), '''72000 Treble Dodging Minor''' (100m) 1-2 Philip J Earis 3-4 Andrew J W Tibbetts (C)5-6 David J Pipe. The longest peal yet rung [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=50258].

A '''full of extent of major''' was first rung at Leeds in Kent by 14 ringers under James Barham on April 7 and 8, 1761

The only full extent so far rung on 8 tower bells '''by one band of ringers''' was at Loughborough Bell Foundry on Saturday 27 July 1963, in 17 hours and 58 minutes. '''40320 Plain Bob Major''' Composed by: C Kenneth Lewis, Conducted by: Robert B Smith 1 Brian J Woodruffe 2 John M Jelley 3 Neil Bennett 4 Frederick Shallcross 5 John C Eisel 6 John Robinson 7 Brian Harris 8 Robert B Smith This is the greatest number of changes ever to be rung to a tower bell peal and was the ninth attempt in as many years. 8 umpires monitored the performance.

Setting record lengths has long been a challenge to ringers and the progression of long length peals over the years for various methods and stages is summarised by the [http://www.cccbr.org.uk/rc/rc.php Peal Records Committee].

==Fastest Peals==

The fastest '''tower bell peal''' is believed to be that rung by St Martin's Guild, Birmingham at Hadstock, Essex, S Botolph
Sat Dec 14 1991 '''1h13''' (2 3/4) being 5040 Cambridge S Minor(7 extents)1 Tim J Peverett, 2 Anthony M Daw, 3 Julia R Cater, 4 Andrew J Mitchell, 5 David G Hull (C), 6 David J Pipe Ref: RW 1992 p. 111

The above is possibly the only tower where one peal has taken over twice as long as another of the same length (eg 19 Apr 1996 in 2h 31min, 12 minor methods)

A contender for the '''fastest handbell peal''' is that rung by the Iceni Society in Cambridge on Thursday, 4 May 2006 in '''0h59m''' (8 in C#) being 5040 Old Oxford Delight Minor 1-2 Philip J Earis, 3-4 David J Pipe (C), 5-6 Jeremy W Spiller

==Most Peals in a day==

The most peals rung in a day currently stands at 15, on handbells, with Andrew Tibbetts (conducted them all) and Philip Earis ringing in all of the peals. The peals were all minor and they were assisted by Cherril Thompson (rang in 5) and Jeremy Spiller (rang 10).

Starting at 10am on Saturday, 27 June 2009 a band comprising of Paul J Pascoe, Ian J Carey, Richard Harrison, Benjamin J Carey, Peter W J Sheppard, Edward P D Colliss, Christopher C P Woodcock and Andrew B Mills rang 10 peals of S Major at Marston Bigot, Somerset (20lbs) starting with [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=85311 9 spliced] and then ringing each of the methods individually, concluding the next day at 8.23am with a successful peal of [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=85320 Yorkshire]. This beat the previous record of 9 peals rung in 2000 and was achieved despite the need to [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=85317 re-hang the tenor] after peal 6. The peals are accredited to The Fellowship of Narnia Youths.

==Heavy Bell Ringers==

'''Peter Border''' on Saturday, 13 August 1966 [http://www.manxcat.org.uk/cathedral/peals.htm]and '''Andrew B Mills''' on Saturday, 8 December 2007 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=59074] are the only ringers to single handedly turn in the 82cwt Liverpool tenor to peals, both ringing Cambridge S Maximus. Subsequently Liverpool Cathedral has taken the accolade of having had rung the heaviest and longest 10 bell peal on Tuesday, 28 August 2007 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=54440] and then heaviest 8 bell peal on Saturday, 15 November 2008 [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=74170]

'''Andrew B Mills''' also rang in the 4 peals of S Maximus in one day in London as part of an ASCY band on 11 June 2005 finishing with ringing the tenor to Cambridge S Maximus at Cornhill (42cwt).

==Double-handed Towerbell Ringing==

On 19 Sep 1901 the first double-handed peal on tower bells was performed by '''James W. Washbrook''' who rang 3 and 4 to a peal of Grandsire Triples at Arklow, Ireland. [http://www.bellringingireland.org/East/Arklow/Home.html]. This performance received criticism from the editor of The Bell News, Harvey Reeves and others, who doubted that the peal could have been struck accurately Washbrook repeated the performance the following week in the presence of some of the best ringers in Ireland. (ref: [http://pealbase.co.uk/ Bill Butler's "On this day"]).

On 29 Apr 1961 the '''first tower bell peal to be rung with only three ringers''' took place at Preston Candover, Hants. The peal of Plain Bob Minor was rung by Tony Price 1-2, Frank C Price 3-4 with Frank T Blagrove ringing 5-6 and conducting. (ref: [http://pealbase.co.uk/ Bill Butler's "On this day"]).

On 22 Aug 1964 the '''first peal of Major to be rung by only four ringers''' was scored being Plain Bob at Balcombe, Sussex (9cwt). 1-2 Tom Chapman 3-4 Frank C Price (conductor) 5-6 Frank T Blagrove and 7-8 Tony Price.

On 18 Jan 1990 '''6 ringers''' rang a peal of 5016 Plain Bob Maximus at Lockington, Leics (14-1-1) in 3hrs 2min (Arr RBS). 1-2 Peter LR Hayward 3-4 Paul Jopp 5-6 Robert B Smith 7-8 Frank C Price 9-10 Alan Cattell '''11-12 Andrew B Mills''' (ref Front Page RW 16/3/90). A year later the ringer of the tenors rang 4-5 at Limerick (23 Apr 1991 Grandsire Triples) but the most challenging performance is probably ringing '''2-3 to Norman Smith's 23 spliced''' for the Southwell Diocesan Guild at Kinsbury, Warwickshire on 9th July 1991 (5152 in 3hr 6m 17cwt). 1 Andrew D Higson '''2-3 Andrew B Mills''' 4 Frances Dodds 5 David J Pipe 6 David G Hull 7 David G Adams 8 Paul Needham. Conducted by David G Hull. Most Spliced major methods yet rung double-handed. The most methods currently rung double-handed is 196 Spliced Plain Minor at Millcroft Campanile by Jeremy W Spiller

On 29 Mar 2002* a band of '''6 ringers''' rang the first '''double handed peal of Bristol Surprise Maximus''' on the Piltdown House Campanile in 3 hours and 7 minutes (RW ref 4747.0388) 1-2 Andrew J Mitchell 3-4 Stephen J Mills 5-6 Michael P A Wilby 7-8 David J Pipe 9-10 Andrew B Mills 11-12 Anthony M Daw TENOR 22lb 7oz in Eflat *The website shows the date as Friday April 29th 2002 [http://www.piltdown.org.uk/campanilepeals.htm]

'''Peter L R Hayward''' became the first person to ring '''two non-adjacent''' bells to a peal when he rang the treble and fourth to a peal of Plain Bob Minor at Ossington, Notts on 24 Jul 1980. He has since rung peals of minor on every possible combination of pairs of bells (adjacent and non-adjacent).

==Emulating Ringers of the Past==

'''Richard B Grimmett''' on Tuesday, 6 February 2007 conducted a peal of Stedman Triples wearing a blindfold throughout, emulating W H Barber's achievement at Gateshead on February 21st, 1908. [http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=46938]

==Handbell Peals==

===Sixteen Bells, Eight Methods===
The '''greatest number of S methods to a peal on sixteen bells''' was rung in MELBOURNE, Derbys on Mon Jun 9 1997 3h49 (18). 5056 Spliced Surprise Sixteen (8m: 768 Newgate; 704 York; 640 Ealing, Parkhurst, Sawley, Wembley; 576 Feering; 448 Leatherhead: 78 com.) Composed by David J Marshall. 1-2 Rupert A Clarke 3-4 Robert B Smith (C) 5-6 John M Jelley 7-8 Simon C Melen 9-10 Paul Jopp 11-12 Roland H Cook 13-14 David J Marshall 15-16 Christopher M Wulkau [http://derbyda.org.uk/performances/peal/dda1997.htm]

===Four in hand===
On Mon Nov 4 1991 in 3h (12)in Sawley, Derbys a peal of 5040 Yorkshire Surprise Royal (Arr RBS) was rung with the following 4 ringers: 1-2 Paul Jopp 3-4 Robert B Smith (cond) 5-6 John Jelley '''7-8-9-0 Simon C Melen''' (ref "four in hand" Page 1100,1156 RW 1991). At the time it was believed to be the first peal (other than Minimus) in which one ringer has rung four in-hand though there is a possibility that it has been achieved in Stedman Doubles with one other ringer.

==Tapping Peals==
'''Arthur T. Morris''' on 26th August, 1921 tapped out a peal of 5600 London S Major on handbells (ref article by Joe Roast in the RW in 1976)

'''Elijah Roberts''' on 30th June 1833 tapped 5016 Stedman Cinques on handbells at Birmingham. Henry Cooper called the bobs, and Henry Johnson was a witness. (ref: Edward Martin and further details from Bill Butler's [http://www.pealbase.co.uk "On this day" ]). He surpassed this peformance on 23rd March 1837 when he tapped 19,440 Kent Treble Bob Maximus, taking 13 hours and 43 minutes. (ref RW1911/514)

'''Harry Withers''' in Birmingham tapped several peals out. It is also understood that he did about 3 hours of Kent Treble Bob 20 but ran out of time. This would have been circa 1910 (ref: Richard Grimmett).

'''Samuel Thurston''' on 1st July 1809 tapped on handbells plain courses of Bob Triples, Bob Major, Reverse Bob Major, Double Bob Major and Grandsire Caters. A contemporary account notes: "This was considered to be the greatest performance ever completed by one man in the world." (ref: Bill Butler's Blog [http://www.pealbase.co.uk "On this day" ])

===On a Piano===

'''John Harrold''' could play Bob Major on the piano when he was a young lad in the 1970s (Martin Kirk).

'''Harry Withers''' also played a plain course of Scientific Triples, possibly on a piano, which was the first time that it had been heard! (ref: Edward Martin).

'''Roger Baldwin''' could play Bristol Major on the piano and still hold a conversation whilst he was at Nottingham University in the 1970's recalls Pat Halls.

'''Laurie Wey''' used to play Cambridge Max on the piano according to what Tony Nunn has heard.

== Singing Ringing ==

'''Clement Glenn''' used to entertain Southwell Guild meetings by singing touches of Stedman Triples.
He would invite listeners to put the bobs in, but there were never any volunteers. (David Marshall)

===On a Saxaphone===

'''Mr W C Hunt''' played a course of Duffield on a saxophone as part of the entertainment at the Society of Sherwood Youths 1926 annual dinner in Nottingham (RW1926/90) (with thanks to Bill Butler's [http://pealbase.co.uk/|"On This Day"])

==Walking to Ring a Peal==
Possibly not so unusual at the time ringers of the Society of Sherwood Youths on Tue May 23 1820 '''walked from Nottingham to Chesterfield, approx 28 miles''', to ring a peal for the "opening of the bells".
[[Category: Articles]]