20th Century Memories of Ledbury Bell Tower & Spire

Bell Tower & Spire

Chronological extracts from Ledbury TILLEY's Almanacks - Photographs & Memories

1897

April 13 an alarming report on the condition of the Church Spire was read from Mr. Lloyd OSWELL. It was decided to ask for estimates for the restoration.

May 15 Mr. BLACKBURN’S (Nottingham) tender, to restore the Church spire at a cost of nearly £400, was accepted.

March 18 at a meeting of the Ledbury Church Restoration Committee, it was decided to repair the spire and re-hang the bells. At a subsequent meeting a letter was read from Dr. WOOD, making an offer on behalf of himself and two brothers to undertake the cost of the restoration of the bells and chimes, as a memorial to their late uncle, Mr. E. J. WEBB. The offer was gratefully accepted.

August 19 a very successful Jubilee fete was held in the Upper Hall Grounds, in aid of the Church Restoration Fund. Over £81 was realized.

1898

February 1 The Ledbury Bellringers had their Annual Supper at the Masonic Hall.

February 28 By the end of the month the stained glass window to the memory of the late Mr. E. J. WEBB, J.P., in the south aisle of Ledbury Church, had been completed, and subsequently a brass plate was placed on the wall near the Vestry door, stating that Messrs. WOOD Bros. had restored the Church bells.

October 3 The ancient custom of ringing the curfew at 8 o’clock at night was revived in Ledbury.

1900

September 30 The new Church Clock and Chimes (a different tune every day), were completed by this date. The new chimes were placed in the tower by the WOOD Family as a Memorial to their late Father and Mother, Mr. and Mrs. Miles ASTMAN WOOD, of Orchardleigh, Ledbury.

1901

January 22 Queen Victoria died at 6.30 p.m. Mufﬂed peals on the Church bells.

February 2 Funeral of Queen Victoria; day of mourning; muffled peals; business suspended; procession of the town’s societies to the Parish Church. Funeral Services at the various Chapels.

June 19 Festival of the Hereford Diocesan Guild of Bellringers at Ledbury.

1905

The Ledbury FREE Press Newspaper

All kinds of games were played in the churchyard - pitch and toss, rounders, tipcat, nine holes, leap frog and even marbles, by grown up men, on all days of the week, and this was not unusual on Sundays. On a certain tomb at the back of the tower were placed the jars and cups when little crowds of men got together to spend their time drinking. The curfew was rung at six o'clock in the morning and eight o'clock at night, in accordance with ancient custom, but it has apparently ceased altogether now. The bell ringers then were John WARGENT, Thomas BOWKETT, Benjamin HEATH, Charles BOWKETT, John FLEETWOOD, Andrew BOSLEY, John MORRIS, Charles LANGFORD, Joseph LOAD and others. It was the custom in the belfry then to have 'the ringers' jar or barrel, this consisted of 4 1/2 gallons of beer or cider, which was trammed on one of the steps in the ringing chamber and after a peal, a horn of beer or cider was handed round to each ringer. It was supposed in those days that the ringing went better if intoxicating liquors were handed around.

1909

January 13 New Band of Bellringers formed for Ledbury Church. Mr. T. WILLIAMS, Foreman.

1910

Church Belfry Perseverance Crowned With Success
Hereford Diocesan Guild 5040 changes. In this tower was rung Groves Variation of Parker's twelve part Peal of Grandsire Triples, on Thursday December 8th 1910, in 3 hours and 8 minutes

1911

Back Row - G MORRIS, W MANSELL, T WILLIAMS, D OWEN, J DANCE, Thomas DAVIS
Front Row - W P BARRY, ( Churchwarden ), Rev F W CARNEGY ( Rector ), T DANCE, F HYNER

2016
Jo Edge - Brenda Hill Thank you for posting this lovely photo, still working through the DAVIS Family Tree info you gave me!!!!

Lynne Robinson - Thanks for sharing this wonderful photo

Carole Phillips - lovely photo mate keep them coming xx

Jenny Lawrence - I've got this one at home. T Dance is my great grandfather and J Dance my great great uncle. The board is still on the wall in the ringing chamber. My great grandfather was a carpenter and I often wonder if he made the board.

Jo Edge - My mum Audrey is always telling me the story of when she was a child her dad used to take them to the church, he used to ring the bells, then he would take the kids for a walk up to the conigree wood, then back to ring the bells again.

Jenny Lawrence - Hereford Diocesan Guild 5040 changes, In this tower was rung Groves Variation of Parker's twelve part Peal of Grandsire Triples, on Thursday December 8th 1910, in 3 hours and 8 minutes. Then the list of names, Conducted by T Williams, First on the bells by a local band. Rev Carnegy Rector, Curate, Bastow and Barry Churchwardens. Can't quite make out the last 2 names, I will look when I go up the tower next, they may be local ancestors. A full peal is over 5040 different changes of the bells, rung in rows of 8 without any rows being the same. The conductor has the job of calling the method and making sure everyone is right, no mean feat! Parker's Twelve Part variation of Grandsire Triples is the name of the method (music) It is a long tradition to put up peal boards in towers, but this one is quite grand for this area. The fact that it was rung by locals is quite an achievement. When I go up next time I will photo the other board which has a lot of local names on it.

Jenny Lawrence - What was your grandad's name Jo

Jo Edge - Denzil DAVIS son of Thomas DAVIS who is in this picture!

Brenda Hill - My dad George Davis brother to Denzil and Jim Davis were also bellringers at Ledbury a family affair.

Brenda Hill - Your Great-Grandad Thomas Davis also had a son Thomas Giles who was Jane Limbs Grandad or it could have been Giles Thomas.

June 24 Coronation of King George V. General Holiday and Rejoicings throughout the Country. In Ledbury, Services were held in the morning in the Parish Church and other places of worship. School Children, numbering nearly 1,000, were supplied with Tea and a local Coronation Medal. Sports, open to all, were held. The Bells were rung, and the Town Band played throughout the day. A Bonfire on Dog Hill closed the day’s proceedings. Public Swimming Baths were also advocated as a permanent Memorial. The subject came on for discussion in September.

1935

May 6 This was a memorable day in the history of Ledbury when the Silver Jubilee of His Majesty King George V. was celebrated in a manner worthy of the town’s ancient traditions. Throughout the day the inhabitants gave themselves up to a continual round of festivities in a programme arranged by a Citizens’ Committee. The day dawned brilliantly ﬁne and the celebrations started with a peal on the Parish Church bells. The programme of the day’s events comprised: Parade of public bodies; Thanksgiving service in the Parish Church; Dinner for old folks in the Feathers Assembly Room; Carnival procession through the town; Boxing exhibitions by Ledbury A.B.A.; Tea in the Drill Hall and Church Room for all children; Sports in the Recreation Ground for boys and girls; Old-time dances in High Street; Bonﬁre and display of fireworks on Dog Hill. Ledbury Town Band rendered selections of music throughout the day and the final event of the day’s rejoicings was a popular dance held at the Feathers Hotel.

June 29 The work of repairing the tower and spire of Ledbury Parish Church was brought to a conclusion during the week. The repairs included the pointing of the tower and spire and the placing of several copper bands to strengthen the spire, the total cost of the work being about £300.

July 2 There was a large attendance at the Biddulph Arms ground to witness a cricket match between Ledbury Cricket Club and a team composed of Ledbury Urban Councillors, and a very interesting game resulted in a win for the Cricket Club by 176-107. The proceeds of the match were in aid of the fund for repairing the Parish Church tower and spire, and realised £4 3s. 6d.

October 3 Organised by the local branch of the C.E.M.S. in aid of the Church tower and spire repair fund, a “Gift Day” was held at the Parish Church and realised the sum of £88 12s. 6d.

October 15 Social evening at the Church Room, organised by Ledbury G.F.S. in aid of the Parish Church spire repair fund.

1940

June 10 It having been decided by the Military Authorities that the use of church bells be prohibited except to give warning of parachutists or other air-borne enemy troops, the bells of Parish Churches in Ledbury district are now silent.

1942

November 15 For the first time since June of 1940, the welcome sound of Ledbury Church bells were heard as they rang a merry peal to celebrate the recent British victory in the Battle of Egypt. Today was also observed as Civil Defence Day, there being a church parade of all Ledbury Civil Defence Services personnel.

1949

January 18 Members of the Ledbury and district branch of Hereford Diocesan Guild of Bellringers held their annual meeting, and during the afternoon rang touches of Grandsire, Bob-major and Bob-minor on the Parish Church bells.

1950

April 13 At the annual parochial meeting in connection with the Parish Church it was announced that an appeal was about to be launched for the sum of £1,500 towards the restoration and reconstruction of the church bells.

2019

Bell Restoration Project target £300,000 - For further details on the tower & the bells restoration project visit Ledbury Bells website.

2020

2021

Visit to the Bell Tower

Sources

1897 - 1979 Ledbury Tilleys Almanacks - Herefordshire History
1905 The Ledbury FREE Press George WARGENT Recollections of Ledbury
Photographs are credited to the owners where possible
Edited Memories in italics are from members of the Old Ledbury Facebook Group
Cuttings are from Old Ledbury Reporter Newspapers
History of Ledbury in the 19th Century