THE CATHEDRAL BELLRINGERS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2515, 29 April 1882, Page 3

THE CATHEDRAL BELLRINGERS.

At a quarter-past seven o'clock Inst evening, at a postponed practice, a preliminary peal of six bells was rung, the thirty-one changes being taken in succession, followed by the trio of heavy bells, of which one weighs 37owt. The third exercise consisted of a tolling of the full complement of ten bells, for the first time since New Year’s Day, and passed off without a hitch. It has been suggested that, if the louvre boards were smaller and of less vertical inclination, the sound would be more divided, reaching to a radius of some ton miles during favoring winds, and would not be so powerful in the immediate neighborhood of the Cathedral. With this view a proposition has been submitted to adopt the use of Venetian louvre boards, which may bo raised or depressed at the master’s option.—At eight o’clock a meeting of the ringers was held in the ringing chamber. The Bev. B. A. Lingard presided, and eighteen members were present. The chairman read a report from the Chapter dealing with the resolutions passed by the ringers a fortnight ago and forwarded to the Chapter, The report, dated Christ’s College, 22nd instant, stated—(l) That under the circumstances the Chapter regretted they could not sanction the ringers’ proposal to have open practice, as a rule, once a week until 10 p.m.; (2), the Chapter sanctioned practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one hour, namely, from 7 to 8 p.m.; (3), the Chapter sanctioned ringing at open practice after 8 p.m. on any evening, provided others were not disturbed, the question of disturbance or otherwise to be determined by the president, in conjunction with any member of the Chapter; (4), the Chapter wished that no person should take part in open practice unless, in the master’s opinion, the ringer had attained to tolerable proficiency, as it appeared that open practice by those who were not fairly proficient was not allowed in England, being by authorities on bellringers considered unnecessary for beginners, and as such practice must be an annoyance to the citizens ; and {5) the Chapter, through the secretary, Mr Oottorill, intimated that they would shortly determine what steps could be taken to make the louvreboards more satisfactory. The payment of a shilling by visitors attending the ringing chamber during evening practice hours was sanctioned, the fees to be handed over to the Bellringers’ Society, In reply to a question, the chairman said he had been given to understand that the ringing was deemed annoying by those who bad practised the “ Messiah” in the smaller Oddfellows’ Kail. On Mr Becchy’s motion, seconded by Mr Guntrip, the Chapter’s report was accepted. Some members present took occasion to give utterance to expressions of confidence in the present master, and the proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman.