Suffolk Guild of Ringers
Thursday 18th April 2024
Guild Peal Week 2008
Whilst Peal Week 2007 was a story of valiant failure and bad luck as much as firsts and success, of course there were the tales of losses as peals at Elveden, Wilby and Orford were lost, but the overall story was of a hugely successful week that smashed the records set by last year's week. All four districts were represented by ringers, conductors and towers in the fourteen attempts, a huge credit to the ringers involved.
All in all, 52 members took part in the fourteen attempts, called by 9 different conductors in 13 different towers. Mary Dunbavin, Mary Garner, Peter Harper, Stephen Pettman and Brian Whiting led the way with 4 peals apiece with Stephen being the leading conductor, calling 4 peals. David McLean, Richard Moody, Paul Norris, Chris Nunn and Paul Stannard were the unlucky folk to have lost the peal (or peals in Paul Stannard's case) they were in. However, the main purpose of the week was to give people peal opportunities they might not usually get or even think about and get some firsts and to this end Peal Week 2008 succeeded. Particular mention must go to Nigel Smith for ringing his first peal, Kate Eagle for calling her first peal, Mary Garner for calling her first on 8, David Lee for his first inside, Gordon Slack and Janet Sheldrake for their first on 10 and Geoffrey Clement for his first of 8-Spliced Surprise Major. Richard Moody also went for his first peal but this unfortunately came to a premature end.
Although an organisational nightmare at times as at various points people were unable to make peals due to job interviews, new jobs, injury and even jury service, it was a pleasure to arrange as everyone pulled together and made themselves as available as possible. My thanks have to go to all who rang (some at very short notice), who gave over their bells, who organised peals, babysitters and long-suffering partners, especially those of the non-ringing variety.
Finally, having given my best wishes for a recovery to our Peal Secretary Christine Knight in last years Peal Week report, it is fantastic that Christine was able to ring in one of the peals, her second since her recent comeback. Welcome back Christine!
| Aldeburgh, Suffolk, SS Peter & Paul | |||
| Sunday 10th February 2008 2h43 (11cwt) | |||
| 5152 Nettleden Surprise Major | |||
| Comp. S Humphrey | |||
| 1 | Mary S Garner | 5 | J Barry Pickup |
| 2 | Katharine J Salter | 6 | Katherine J Eagle |
| 3 | Mary E Dunbavin | 7 | Richard T L Rapior |
| 4 | Roger L K Whittell | 8 | Alan P Mayle (C) |
| 100th peal together - 2 & 5. First peal in the method by all and for the guild. |
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| Grundisburgh, Suffolk, St Mary the Virgin | |||
| Sunday 10th February 2008 2h43 (8cwt) | |||
| 5184 Bristol Surprise Major | |||
| Comp. R I Allton | |||
| 1 | Adrian Knights | 5 | James P Hollins |
| 2 | Brian E Whiting | 6 | Richard J Munnings |
| 3 | Louis P H Suggett | 7 | Peter W Harper |
| 4 | Bruce Wakefield | 8 | Stephen D Pettman (C) |
| First Bristol: 3. For Guild peal week. |
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| Tostock, Suffolk, St Andrew | |||
| Sunday 10th February 2008 2h22 (5cwt) | |||
| 5040 Plain Bob Minor (7 different extents) | |||
| 1 | Mary Allum | 4 | Carl Melville |
| 2 | Ruth Suggett | 5 | Josephine M Beevor |
| 3 | Cherril C Thompson | 6 | Winston S Girling (C) |
| A farewell peal for Carl, moving to Yorkshire. For Suffolk Guild Peal Week. |
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| Rendham, Suffolk, St Michael | |||
| Wednesday 13th February 2008 2h47 (10 cwt) | |||
| 5088 Yorkshire Surprise Major | |||
| Comp. N J Pitstow | |||
| 1 | Ruth Sugget | 5 | Peter W Harper |
| 2 | Mary S Garner (C) | 6 | Louis P H Suggett |
| 3 | Mary Allum | 7 | Jonathan J Steven |
| 4 | Kevin S Hohl | 8 | Brian E Whiting |
| For Suffolk Guild Peal Week. 1st on 8 as conductor. 1st Yorkshire Major: 6. 1st surprise major: 1. |
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| Old Stoke, Ipswich, The Wolery, Suffolk | |||
| Wednesday 13 February 2008 1h44 (9lb) | |||
| 5040 Spliced Surprise Minor (12 methods: 720 each: Carlisle, Cunecastre. 360 each: Chester, Munden, Alnwick, Newcastle, Whitley, Morpeth, Canterbury, Northumberland, Sandiacre, Wooler. 41 com ATW) |
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| 1 | Michael J Edwards | 4 | Richard J Munnings |
| 2 | Ruth Eagle | 5 | George E Thoday |
| 3 | Mary E Dunbavin | 6 | David G Salter (C) |
| For Suffolk Guild Peal Week. | |||
| Offton, Suffolk, St Mary | |||
| Thursday 14th February 2008 2h48 (8cwt) | |||
| 5152 Spliced Surprise Major (8m: 896 Rutland; 672 each Bristol, Cambridge, Lincolnshire, Superlative, and Yorkshire; and 448 each London and Pudsey; 125 com, atw) |
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| Comp. R W Lee | |||
| 1 | Barry J Dixon | 5 | Thomas G Scase |
| 2 | Anne M Brechin | 6 | Mary E Dunbavin |
| 3 | Stephen D Pettman (C) | 7 | Brian E Whiting |
| 4 | Rev. Geoffrey P Clement | 8 | Michael G Clements |
| First 8 Spliced: 4 A thanksgiving for the life of Shirley M Drew. For Guild peal week. |
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| Grundisburgh, Suffolk, St Mary the Virgin | |||
| Friday 15 February 2008 in 2h48 (8cwt) | |||
| 5004 Grandsire Caters | |||
| Composed by: S D Pettman | |||
| 1 | Stephen D Pettman (C) | 6 | Gordon E Slack |
| 2 | Jonathan J Stevens | 7 | Jason Busby |
| 3 | Anne M Brechin | 8 | Kevin S Hohl |
| 4 | Peter W Harper | 9 | Donald C Price |
| 5 | Janet R Sheldrake | 10 | Brian E Whiting |
| First on 10: 5,6 First Grandsire Caters: 4 First Grandsire Caters on a working bell: 7 Birthday compliment to Don Price. For Guild peal week. |
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| Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk Cathedral Church of St. James (Norman Tower) |
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| Saturday 16th February 2008 3h23 (27cwt) | |||
| 5184 Grandsire Caters | |||
| Comp. Ernest Morris | |||
| 1 | Michael J Edwards | 6 | Louis P H Suggett |
| 2 | Cherril C Thompson | 7 | Mary E Dunbavin |
| 3 | Joan Garrett | 8 | Ian M Holland |
| 4 | Lawrence R Pizzey | 9 | Barry J Dixon |
| 5 | Timothy P Hart (C) | 10 | Phillip J Wilding |
| First of Caters: 6. Rung in memory of John Knight, former Mayor and leader of Bury St Edmunds Borough Council. An enthusiastic supporter of the Cathedral and Diocesan matters. |
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| Hartest, Suffolk, All Saints | |||
| Saturday 16 February 2008 2h48 (9cwt) | |||
| 5040 Plain Bob Minor (Seven different extents) |
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| 1 | Richard A Knight | 4 | David S Lee |
| 2 | Christine A Knight | 5 | Neville F Whittell |
| 3 | Lynda K Lee | 6 | Alan P Mayle (C) |
| First peal inside: 4 In memory of Ernest Robinson of Derby, uncle of 3 who died 9th February 2008. Rung by a SW district band during Guild peal week. |
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| Monewden, Suffolk, St Mary | |||
| Saturday 16th February 2008 2h32 (6cwt) | |||
| 5040 Doubles 11m/1p: (1-2) Stedman, (3-7) St Simon’s B, (8) St Simon’s B, St Nicholas B. (9) St Osmund’s B., (10) St Osmund’s B, St Remegius B., (11-15) St Martin’s B. (16) St Martin’s, Winchendon Place, (17) Eynsbury B., (18) Eynsbury B., Huntley Place, (19-22) Plain B., (23-26) Plain B., Reverse Canterbury Pleasure B., (27) St Simon’s B., St Martin’s B., (28) St Simon’s B., St Martin’s B., St Nicholas B., Winchendon Place, (29) St Simon’s B., St Martin’s B., St Osmund’s B., Eynsbury B., (30) St Simon’s B., St Martin’s B., St Osmund’s B., Eynsbury B., St Nicholas B., Winchendon Place, St Remegius B., Huntley Place, (31-42) Grandsire, 10 extents, 1 240) |
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| 1 | David I Stanford | 4 | Thomas G Scase |
| 2 | Mary S Garner | 5 | Stephen D Pettman (C) |
| 3 | Katherine J Eagle | 6 | Nigel J Smith |
| First attempt: 6 For Guild peal week. |
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| Pettistree, Suffolk, St Peter & St Paul | |||
| Saturday 16 February 2008 2h38 (7 cwt) | |||
| 5040 Surprise Minor Cambridge (1,3,5&7) Ipswich 2, Beverley 4, Surfleet 6 |
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| 1 | Alan W Rogers | 4 | Peter W Harper |
| 2 | Ruth Eagle | 5 | Richard J Munnings |
| 3 | Mary S Garner | 6 | Katherine J Eagle (C) |
| First peal as conductor. For Suffolk Guild Peal Week. |
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Richard J Munnings