Suffolk Guild of Ringers
Tuesday 23rd April 2024
Guild Peal Week 2009
I'm an optimist. I have to be. I support Ipswich Town and work in sales at a time when nobody wants to spend any money. But Suffolk Guild Peal Week is a real test of such optimism. There is so much that could go wrong, so much that I could miss if I'm not on the ball. To make matters worse, the lead-up to this year's extravaganza was dominated by huge snow-storms of the white stuff and over-cautious 'elf n' safety regulations.
I needn't have worried. The week was almost spring-like at times and thanks to the help of many, many people, the week ran almost perfectly.
Of course not everything went right. Peals were lost at Bury St Edmund's, Grundisburgh, Wilby and at Great Yarmouth where I'd dropped out thinking we'd got 11 only to discover that the band met 11 in my absence. As Homer would say, 'D'oh!'
Undoubtedly the highlights of the week were the numerous firsts, not least the seven first-pealers. Well done to all them, especially Philip and Craig the youngsters of the week. Impressively Philip went on to ring his second peal later in the week and went for his first on 8 in the lost attempt at Wilby.
Congratulations also to Gordon Slack on his first as conductor and to the returning peal ringers. David Rogers rang his first peal for 16 years and St John Perry his first after 37 years!
The main point of the week was for the type of achievements above, but for the statisticians (of whom I believe there are many in the ringing fraternity) there are some pretty impressive stats, particularly when compared to previous years.
When I re-introduced Suffolk Guild Peal Week just two years ago, we scored seven peals. This year we scored sixteen peals from twenty attempts. Over the course of the week, twenty different towers were used in those twenty attempts and in total seventy-two ringers partook in attempts, with Jonathan Stevens leading the way on five. Nine different conductors called the peals, With Winston Girling, Stephen Pettman and Jonathan Stevens leading the way with three a piece. And England threw away a test match in the West Indies.
My thanks to all who took part, to those who organised peals, called peals and allowed their bells to be used. My commiserations and apologies to those who lost peals. It was truly wonderful to see so many people have a go and get into the spirit of things.
Richard Munnings
Friday 13th February, 2009
Sunday 15th February, 2009
Ipswich, St Mary-le-Tower - 5008 Spliced Maximus.
Reydon - 5040 Plain Bob Minor.
Wickham Skeith - 5040 Cambridge Surprise Minor.
Monday 16th February, 2009
Tuesday 17th February, 2009
Rushmere St Andrew - 5040 Plain Bob minor.
Wednesday 18th February, 2009
Henley - 5056 Cambridge Surprise Major.
Ipswich, Old Stoke, The Wolery - 5040 Hull Surprise Minor.
Thursday 19th February, 2009
Kersey - 5152 Pudsey Surprise Major.
Friday 20th February, 2009
Thornham Magna - 5040 Grandsire Doubles.
Saturday 21st February, 2009
Horham - 5088 Yorkshire Surprise Major.
Rendham - 5040 Plain Bob Major.
Stradbroke - 5040 Surprise Minor.