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The Bellringers originally joined the Kent County
Change Ringers in 1885, the subscription was then 4d per week per
member.
List of members in 1885:-
F.G. Meyers (Schoolmaster) Captain
Richard Rogers } Uncles of John and the
late
John
Rogers
} Charles W. Rogers
Charles Rogers – Father of John
and
late Charles W. Rogers
Emery Mills
Henry Glover } Brothers of Mrs Meadway
Albert Glover }
George Pratt (Senr)
William Bishop (Honorary Member)
Frank Fletcher joined in 1886 at the
age of 12 years
and learned to ring, and always had 2nd bell.
There was a one day outing for the ringers yearly. In
1886 they visited St Alphage, Greenwich with its 10 bells, in 1887
Folkestone and in 1888 Maidstone and rang 10 bells at All Saints.
Maidstone was visited again and they rang at St Michaels and All Angels, Tonbridge Road.
In 1891 the ringers went to Tonbridge Parish Church. After this date
no records of visits can be found.
On New Years Eve the members had a supper at "The
White Swan" and adjourned to the church at 11.45 p.m. to ring the
Old Year out and the New Year in.
George Pratt and his five sons rang for a Sunday Service
one Sunday in 1910.
From people of the Village it is learned that the
following have been bellringers:-
Sidney Smith (rang as a boy was
ultimately Captain)
Albert Smith } brothers of above
Joe Smith }
George Smith } sons of Sidney Smith
W.S. Smith }
Charles W. Rogers } sons of Charles
Rogers
John
Rogers }
Jim Stephens
George Stephens
Bill Stephens
Bill Glover ( brother of Mrs Meadway)
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During the years that Sidney Smith was
Captain of the Bellringers he introduced hymn playing on the six
bells, of course the tunes were rather limited.
Henry Oliver who died in 1929 at the age of 90 years, was
for many years a bellringer.
Jack Cole of Berry’s Maple, started bellringing in
1910. He was for a time Vice-Captain of the team and in 1936
became Captain, Secretary and Treasurer. Those in the team at that
time were:-
J. Reynolds
J. Tester
R. Tomkins
S. Berry
D. Berry
E. Evans
S. Evans
F. Cole
L. Sharman
In addition to Sunday ringing, the team at that time rang
at 6 o’clock on Christmas morning and Easter Sunday morning, a
muffled peal on Armistice Day.
By Government order all church bells remained silent
throughout the Second World war. They could be rung only as a warning
in the event of invasion.
After the War Denis Berry formed a team of bellringers as
follows:-
D. Berry (Captain)
J. Robinson
J. Rogers
S. Evans (Jnr)
D. Evans
L. Evans
F. Packnell
J. Packnell
G. Jennings (Jnr)
T. Duckworth
A. Farnham
P. Dunkley
J.V. Muller
R.M. Villiers
T. Austin
Miss Lorna Berry
Miss Joan Packnll
Miss Annette Villiers
Miss Ann Martin (junior ringer) |