Variants of Popular Methods

In August 2010, Daniel Graham asked the following question on the Change Ringers list.

Does anyone know if a list or table exists which details the surprise major methods which only have a slight variant to other surprise major methods? Examples such as Johannesburg being very similar to Lincolnshire.

Method variants

The more methods one knows, the easier it becomes to learn new ones, as parts can be learnt as the differences from a familiar method. For example, 7ths place bell Watford Surprise Major is identical to 7ths place Rutland Surprise, making one place bell fewer to learn. Another example is that Pudsey Surprise Major is Cambridge Surprise below the treble, so if you can ring by learning the grid of the method, or know the rules governing when to miss dodges or make places in Cambridge, this can be a great help in learning and staying right in Pudsey.

Some methods, however, are such trivial variations that you only need to learn the slight variation. For example, New Cambridge Surprise Major reverses the lead and dodge in 6ths place bell Cambridge to dodge and lead, causing a corresponding swap of seconds and dodge in 2nds place bell. Of course, the mirrors of these two leads (8ths and 2nds place bell) are similarly changed.

Typically such variants are inferior to their parent, as they often introduce less elegant blue line features, additional falseness, or inferior musical properties. However, this is not always the case. For example, Lessness Surprise Major is a variant of Uxbridge Surprise Major (first rung in 1937 and 1936 respectively), but is generally regarded as musically superior as it keeps the tenors dodging the right way round in 3-4 to give more roll-ups off the front.

Method variants are popular among some peal bands that like to introduce new method names, and be the first to ring a peal in a particular method, but wish to keep the learning to a minimum.

Below are examples of close variants of popular Surprise Major methods.

Variants of Cambridge Surprise Major

Method & variants	LH Group	Place Notation	FCH groups	First peal	Diagram
Cambridge Surprise	b	-38-14-1258-36-14-58-16-78	BDEe	11 February 1873	Diagram
New Cambridge Surprise	b	-38-14-58-1236-14-58-16-78	BEce	18 February 1822	Diagram
Putney Surprise	b	-38-14-58-1236-14-58-16.34.78	BEce	23 February 1963	Diagram
Southwell Surprise	b	-38-14-58.12.36-14-58-16-78	BDEce	16 January 1954	Diagram
Stand Surprise	b	-38-14-58.12.36-14-58-16.34.78	BDEce	5 May 1963	Diagram
Havant Surprise	b	-38-14-1258-36-14-58-16.34.78	BDEe	19 April 1963	Diagram
Mortlake Surprise	b	-38-14-1258-1236-12-1458-16-78	BDE	16 November 1968	Diagram
Zelah Surprise	b	-38-14-1258-36-34-1458-16-78	BDaY	19 November 1960	Diagram

Variants of Yorkshire Surprise Major

Method & variants	LH Group	Place Notation	FCH groups	First peal	Diagram
Yorkshire Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-12-38-14-78	Bc	14 February 1903	Diagram
Wye Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-12-38-14.56.78	BDc	12 February 1949	Diagram
Quedgeley Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-12-38-1456-78	BDc	30 September 1961	Diagram
Biddenden Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-12-38.56.14-78	BDc	26 March 1949	Diagram
Braunstone Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-12-38.56.14.56.78	BDc	3 November 1951	Diagram
I Can't Believe It's Not Yorkshire Surprise	b	-38-14-58-1678-78-1238-14-78	Bc	11 May 2003	Diagram
Flockton Surprise	b	-38-14-58-1678-78-1238-14.56.78	BDc	13 October 2005	Diagram

Variants of Lincolnshire Surprise Major

Method & variants	LH Group	Place Notation	FCH groups	First peal	Diagram
Lincolnshire Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-14-58-36-78	BLce	4 February 1928	Diagram
Vancouver Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-14-58-36.12.78	BLace	1 July 1963	Diagram
Gainsborough Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-14-58-1236-78	Bace	14 July 1954	Diagram
Zurich Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-14-58.12.36-78	BLace	12 July 1963	Diagram
Fordcombe Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-14-58.12.36.12.78	Bace	1 September 1956	Diagram
Nailstone Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-14-1258-36-78	BLce	17 December 1960	Diagram
Amsterdam Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-14-1258-36.12.78	BLace	26 July 1963	Diagram
Johannesburg Surprise	b	-38-14-58-16-14-1258-1236-78	Bace	6 June 1963	Diagram
Ilex Surprise	b	-38-14-1258-16-14-3458-36-78	BDLO	17 December 1999	Diagram
Aynho Surprise	b	-38-14-1258-16-14-3458-1236-78	BDOa	7 February 1970	Diagram
Fylingdale Surprise	b	-38-14-1258-16-14-3458.12.36.12.78	BDOa	3 September 1982	Diagram
Bovey Castle Surprise	b	-38-14-1258-16-14-123458-36-78	BDLO	18 August 2009	Diagram
Broadley Surprise	b	-38-14-1258-16-14-123458-1236-78	BDOa	30 April 2004	Diagram

Variants of Pudsey Surprise Major

Method & variants	LH Group	Place Notation	FCH groups	First peal	Diagram
Pudsey Surprise	b	-58-16-12-38-14-58-16-78	BcdY	15 March 1924	Diagram
Stourbridge Surprise	b	-58-16-12-38-14-58-16.34.78	BGcdY	17 December 1971	Diagram
Byron Surprise	b	34.58.34.16-12-38-14-58-16-78	BDdY	23 August 1969	Diagram

Variants of Superlative Surprise Major

Method & variants	LH Group	Place Notation	FCH groups	First peal	Diagram
Superlative Surprise	b	-36-14-58-36-14-58-36-78	Ed	5 November 1821	Diagram
Wight Surprise	b	-36-14-58-36-14-58-36.12.78	Ead	4 March 1967	Diagram
Alderney Surprise	b	-36-14-58-36-14-58-1236-78	Ead	20 October 1964	Diagram
Orkney Surprise	b	-36-14-58-36-14-58.12.36-78	Ed	17 September 1966	Diagram
Sheppey Surprise	b	-36-14-58-36-14-58.12.36.12.78	Ead	16 July 1977	Diagram
Guernsey Surprise	b	-36-14-58-36-14-1258-36-78	Ed	31 December 1963	Diagram
Thanet Surprise	b	-36-14-58-36-14-1258-36.12.78	Ead	15 December 1968	Diagram
Islay Surprise	b	-36-14-58-36-14-1258-1236-78	Ead	26 October 1963	Diagram
Purbeck Surprise	b	-36-14-1258-1236-14-58-36-78	Ed	26 August 1963	Diagram
Vyrnwy Surprise	b	-36-14-1258-1236-14-58-36.12.78	Ead	21 June 1964	Diagram
Caldy Surprise	b	-36-14-1258-1236-14-58-1236-78	Ead	12 June 1971	Diagram
Berwyn Surprise	b	-36-14-1258-1236-14-58.12.36-78	Ed	31 March 1982	Diagram
Glaslyn Surprise	b	-36-14-1258-1236-14-58.12.36.12.78	Ead	3 March 1982	Diagram
Oxney Surprise	b	-36-14-1258-1236-14-1258-36-78	Ed	16 September 1963	Diagram
Clwyd Surprise	b	-36-14-1258-1236-14-1258-36.12.78	Ead	11 April 1981	Diagram
Westray Surprise	b	-36-14-1258-1236-14-1258-1236-78	Ead	25 April 1964	Diagram
Wistaston Surprise	b	78.36-1478-58-36-14-1258-36.12.78	Ead	17 December 1994	Diagram
Superlative (Burton) Surprise	b	78.36.78.14-58-36-14-58.12.36.12.78	ad	29 April 1886	Diagram

Variants of Rutland Surprise Major

Method & variants	LH Group	Place Notation	FCH groups	First peal	Diagram
Rutland Surprise	f	-38-14-58-16-14-38-34-18	Bace	13 October 1923	Diagram
Llanfair P.G. Surprise	f	-38-14-58-16-14-38.56.34.56.18	BceY	4 June 1962	Diagram
Zeus Surprise	f	-38-14-58-16-14-1238-1234-18	BLce	8 March 1986	Diagram
Hera Surprise	f	-38-14-58-16-14-1238.56.1234.56.18	Bce	3 December 1992	Diagram
Heythrop Surprise	f	-38-14-58-1236-14-38-34-18	BDce	21 January 1956	Diagram
Bellerophon Surprise	f	-38-14-58-1236-14-38.56.34.56.18	BGce	13 July 1994	Diagram
Clare Surprise	f	-38-14-58-1236-14-1238-1234-18	Bce	24 April 1993	Diagram
Holne Surprise	f	-38-14-58-1236-14-1238.56.1234.56.18	BMce	21 August 2004	Diagram
Balcombe Surprise	f	-3458-14-58-1236-14-38-34-18	Dce	22 February 1975	Diagram

Variants of London Surprise Major

None identified.

Variants of Bristol Surprise Major

Method & variants	LH Group	Place Notation	FCH groups	First peal	Diagram
Bristol Surprise	m	-58-14.58-58.36.14-14.58-14-18	c	22 March 1901	Diagram
Dublin Surprise	m	-56-14.56-58.36.14-14.58-14-18	ac	21 January 1922	Diagram
Double Dublin Surprise	m	-56-14.56-58.36.14-34.58-34-18	ac	15 November 1930	Diagram
Reverse Dublin Surprise	m	-58-14.58-58.36.14-34.58-34-18	ac	6 December 1930	Diagram
Bristol Parkway Surprise	m	-3458-14.58-58.36.14-14.58-14-18	Dc	1 July 1995	Diagram
Bolsterstone Surprise	m	34.58-14.58-58.36.14-14.58-14-18	Dc	29 January 1972	Diagram
CCL Surprise	m	34.58-14.58-58.36.14-34.58-34-18	BDc	4 January 1997	Diagram

Variants of Uxbridge Surprise Major

Method & variants	LH Group	Place Notation	FCH groups	First peal	Diagram
Uxbridge Surprise	f	-38-14-56-16-34-58-14-58	Bac	15 February 1936	Diagram
Lessness Surprise	f	-38-14-56-16-12-58-14-58	Bac	22 February 1937	Diagram
Martin Surprise	f	-38-14-56-16-12-123458-14-58	Bac	8 July 2006	Diagram
Bovey Tracey Surprise	f	-38-14-56-16-34-123458-14-58	Bac	19 November 2007	Diagram
Morfa Mawddach Surprise	f	-38-14-56-16-34.12.3458-14-58	BFac	7 December 2002	Diagram
Cheesden Surprise	f	-38-14-56-16-1234-1258-14-58	BFac	22 September 1991	Diagram
Lubcloud Surprise	f	-38-14-56-16-1234-3458-14-58	BFac	28 April 1990	Diagram
Tillingham Surprise	f	-38-14-56-16.34-12.3458-14-58	Bac	16 July 1971	Diagram
Beer Surprise	f	-38-14-56-16.34-34.1258-14-58	Bac	4 December 1994	Diagram
Chigwell Row Surprise	f	-38-14-56-1236-12-58-14-58	BDKa	6 October 1984	Diagram
Yarkhill Surprise	f	-38-14-56-1236-34-58-14-58	BDKa	1 August 1997	Diagram
New Buckenham Surprise	f	-38-14-56-1236-1234-1258-14-58	BKPa	1 January 2009	Diagram
Jennycliff Surprise	f	-38-14-56-1236-1234-3458-14-58	BKPa	24 January 2009	Diagram
Zopf Surprise	f	-38-14-1256-16-12-1258-1234-58	BD	27 August 2009	Diagram
Francesca Surprise	f	-38-14-1256-1236-12-3458-14-58	BDK	18 October 2009	Diagram
Yedingham Surprise	f	-38-14-1256-1236-34-1258-14-58	BDK	1 October 2003	Diagram
Creeton Surprise	f	-3458-14-56-16-12-58-14-58	BDK	3 March 2010	Diagram

Variants of Ashtead Surprise Major

Method & variants	LH Group	Place Notation	FCH groups	First peal	Diagram
Ashtead Surprise	d	-58-16-56-36-34-38-14-78	ac	18 January 1932	Diagram
Qatar Surprise	d	-58-16-56-36-34-38-14.56.78	Dac	20 January 1990	Diagram
Nene Surprise	d	-58-16-56-36-34-38-1456-78	Dac	19 April 1969	Diagram
Royton Surprise	d	-58-16-56-36-34-38.56.14-78	Dac	9 February 1990	Diagram
Mumps Surprise	d	-58-16-56-36-34-38.56.14.56.78	Dac	10 March 1990	Diagram
Paraguay Surprise	d	-58-16-56-36-1234-1238-14-78	Eac	25 July 1998	Diagram
Sefton Surprise	d	-58-16-56-36.12.34.12.38-14-78	Eac	23 November 1988	Diagram
Stonehenge Surprise	d	-58-16-56-1236-34-1238-14-78	ac	1 August 1970	Diagram
Bolivia Surprise	d	-58-16-56-1236-1234-38-14-78	Eac	7 February 1999	Diagram
Colombia Surprise	d	-58-16-1256-36-34-1238-14-78	Dac	1977	Diagram
Guiana Surprise	d	-58-16-1256-36-1234-38-14-78	DEc	5 November 2002	Diagram
Craston Surprise	d	-58-16-1256-36-1234-38-14.56.78	DEc	21 October 2001	Diagram
Uruguay Surprise	d	-58-16-1256-1236-34-38-14-78	Dac	15 July 1996	Diagram
Zanzibar Surprise	d	-58-1456-56-36-12-1238-14-78	Bc	6 December 1968	Diagram
Asshstede Surprise	d	34.58.34.16-56-36-34-38.56.14.56.78	Da	27 January 1990	Diagram