With regret we have to inform of the passing of Alan Sturgess long time ringer and previously Captain of SS Peter & Paul Fareham who will be sadly missed.
The funeral will be held on Wednesday 27th February, 1.45pm at St Peter and Paul, Fareham. There will be general ringing from approx. 1pm.
For those wishing to make a contribution, please donate to “Fareham Bell Ringers” for the upkeep of the bells that Alan had rung for many years.
Dear all
Funeral details for Lawrence Francis Ensor.
Monday 23rd July.10.30 Portsmouth Cathedral High St Old Portsmouth, burial 12.00 noon at Warblington Cemetery nr Emsworth and after at Brookfield Hotel close by.
All welcome. Details: Lee Fletcher Funeral Director. Cosham.
If you would like to attend please email wpbells@gmail.com and you will be sent the contact address. Confirmation of attendance would be appreciated for planning.
Kind regards
Lisa
David Wilson’s funeral will be at 12pm, midday on Tuesday 26th June, followed by burial at Ringwood Cemetery at 1pm. There will be general ringing before the service from 11am and again after the service. As David had no close family we are arranging the tea afterwards, if anyone coming could help by bringing along cake, sausage rolls or quiche to make a good ringers tea in his honour we would be grateful.
There a further memorial evensong planned for few weeks time but I do not have a date for that yet.
thank you, Emma McNally (Ringwood Tower)
Dear All,
I can now let you know that David Wilson’s funeral will take place on Tuesday 26th June in Ringwood Parish Church at 12pm midday followed by burial at Ringwood Cemetery at 1pm.
I will let you know further details for ringing and other arrangements when we have finalised them with the church, please do pass this information on to any others who I may have missed,
best wishes,
Emma McNally
With great sadness we advise everybody of the death of Valerie Keel, Tower Secretary for Wonston, on Wednesday 4th April. There will be a Thanksgiving Service for Val on Friday 13th April, at 2.00 pm at Holy Trinity Church, Wonston, with ringing after the service.
From: The Wonston Bellringers
FUNERAL- Friday 2nd March at 1.30 – Ringing 1pm following the 12.15 Mass
I have just heard from his daughter that Mike Baverstock has died. He used to be a Sacred Heart Ringer many years ago.
Mike specifically asked Caroline if he could have the bells at his funeral. Caroline also learnt to ring alongside 2 other friends (one which was Ron Pikes daughter).
The funeral of Barbara Salmons will be at St Mary’s, Portsea (Portsmouth) on Monday 5th February at 1400. It is hoped that the bells will be available for ringing. More details will be posted when they are known
Barbara Salmons died this morning. She was previously a ringer at Portsmouth, and latterly Westbourne.
If anyone would like to be informed of funeral arrangements, please let me know.
Regards
David Mattingley
Ian passed away 9th November.
For all of Ian’s friends – you would be very welcome to attend the Cremation Service; it’s on Tuesday 28th November – 10 a.m. – at Poole Crematorium, Gravel Hill, Broadstone, Bournemouth, Poole BH17 9BQ
Family flowers only, please – donations to the local hospice LEWIS MANNING. Ian volunteered as a driver for many years and then later on worked in its local charity shop.
Any messages of condolence including cards for the family can be sent to Viv Nobbs through the usual channels, please.
Ian was a non-ringer BUT he was very supportive of ringing and loved the heritage of ringing. He was also keen on canals, traction engines and steam railways, something a lot of ringers seem to be interested in also.
Even though he lived in Poole, his main two ways of giving to the Isle of Wight’s ringing world was by helping with the fund raising and getting his hands dirty in local bell restoration projects (he had been a hands on volunteer at the major restoration work at Arreton and also at Ryde).
He was a member of The Society for the Preservation of Isle of Wight Church Bells for many years and, until ill-health struck, a regular on the gates at the Chale Show – hence the venue of St Andrew’s Church at Chale for a quarter peal on Saturday which is to be rung ‘open’ in his memory. He was proud to have been born a “Londoner” – so London Surprise Minor seems a fitting method.
As a side note I am told Ian was a bit keen on the cooking side with his adventurous lumpy custard and very lumpy gravy being legendary!
RIP Ian, the fun will be sorely missed by all who knew you.
Coral died in hospital on Sunday 12th November. We have just heard that there will be a Service of Thanksgiving for Coral at Mary’s church, Crawley on Friday 1st December at 11.30 am.
Coral rang regularly at so many churches in the Winchester area and around Hampshire. In addition, Coral was a member of the Ladies Guild and also attended David Forder’s Mid Monthly Meetings.
There will be open ringing after the service for anyone who would like to ring for coral and the wake in the village hall. Crawley and sparsholt ringers are ringing before the service.
As most of you who knew her will now know Irene passed away peacefully at home on 7th November, aged 96 years.
Now reunited with loving husband Norman. A loving, caring and compassionate Mum to Roger, Pauline, Viv and Graham. Nanny to Irene, Ralph, Steven, Heather and Karen and great-Nanny to Arthur, Aaron and ‘Ella.
The family have now announced arrangements for the funeral service, which is to take place on Monday, 4th December, 11.30am at Newport Minster, followed by burial at Springwood Cemetery.
Family flowers only, but donations, if desired, to Admiral Nurses (cheque payable to Earl Mountbatten Hospice) c/o William Hall Independent Funeral Directors, Newchurch IW (01983) 868688.
In her lifetime Irene was a great supporter of ringers and ringing on the Island and will be greatly missed by all her knew her.
If you need any further information please contact Viv Nobbs or myself and I will put you in touch with the family.
The Isle of Wight District announces with great sadness, at the age of 92, the passing of Alfred Downer, head of the Downer family Isle of Wight ringing dynasty.
Dad to Island ringers Rodney and brother Reverend Barry, Granddad to Nita, Robyn, Kieran, Christopher and Matthew, and Great-granddad to Tristan, Phoebe and Mitchell, we wish to send our condolences to these ringers and all the extended family members. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult time.
The funeral will be take place at the Whippingham Crematorium on Monday, 6th March, at 2:15pm, with the wake at the White Horse, Whitwell.
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn’t go alone.
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.
RIP
Those of you who know Jo Davis, one of our bell ringers, will be saddened to hear of the death, at the age of 95, of husband Stanley last Friday.
Jo has asked me to thank all those of you who have already sent messages and telephoned either directly or through me and hopes she will see you all soon at one of our venues.
Stanley’s funeral has been set for 9.45 on Friday, 3rd February, but it is to be close family and I have been asked to attend to represent the bell ringers, which I am of course happy to do. No flowers have been requested and if anyone feels they would like to make a donation then please forward same to IoW Air Ambulance.
Stanley was at one time an avid cleaner of our brass in the Church during the 1990s apparently he said at the time that the ladies didn’t put in enough elbow grease! Don’t shoot the messenger ladies please! The ringers will be organising a quarter peal in his memory once we have the wheels to do so!
Most Islanders, and some of our Mainland friends, have now heard of the sad passing on the 19th of December of ringer Nigel Miller.
Eldest of the well-known ringing Isle of Wight trio with sister Clarissa and brother Paul, Nigel was born in Croydon in January 1947. At the time the family lived in Kent and Nigel began his ringing at the 6-bell tower of Egerton at the age of 14 in 1961.
Nigel’s Mum was an Islander and like most Islanders tend to do they returned and took up residence in Seaview during 1969, with Nigel becoming a Ryde ringer.
His working career took him on many adventures with the Royal Navy and whilst stationed in Portsmouth he met and married his wife, Linda. They went on to have two children, Andrew and Louise, and two grandchildren, to whom, and his extended family, we all send our warmest thoughts and condolences.
Nigel was offered a job with the Irish Republican Navy so the young family moved to Carrigaline, near Cork. His job involved patrolling the seas for illegal fishermen especially from the Spanish trawler fleet. Knowing well the tricks of the Spanish he was invited to join the fleet as a Master which was based in Bilbao and the tables were turned! He also had a spell near Angola supplying oil rigs but had to have Nigerian troops on board just in case pirates, which operate in that area, decided to have a go at boarding his vessel. He finished his career with the oil rig supply ships near Aberdeen.
Because of his location back in Ireland he helped organise two successful Isle of Wight tours to the area. No doubt, knowing our lot, a good deal of riotous fun ensued!
Not known as a peal or quarter peal ringer Nigel was an experienced ringer with the Cork Cathedral band before ill health made it necessary to give up ringing.
When visiting his family on the Island he was always seen at our towers for a spot of practice and had many friends here who mourn his passing.
A quarter peal attempt of Plain Bob Major will be made in his memory on Saturday, 28th January, at St Saviour’s Church, Shanklin.
Abi in pace
The Funeral of Christopher Smithies on Tuesday at Sacred Heart Bournemouth, took the form of a Latin Mass sung by members of his family. Ringing beforehand was by the local band, afterwards all the (many) assembled ringers were able to take part in general ringing and then a Quarter Peal was rung.
Chris is mourned by ringers from three Guilds (Winchester and Portsmouth, Salisbury and St Agatha). His interests spread far beyond ringing and he will be much missed. A full obituary can be read here.
Peal and Quarters have been ring in Dorset and London. At the time of going to press these were reported as below. Click image to see more.
Rung open in memory of Christopher P K Smithies, former branch assistant ringing master, and great friend to many. Chris passed away aged 62 after a long and brave battle with cancer on December 30th 2016. The method was chosen to produce the maximum amount of firsts (9!) to give thanks for all the firsts Chris achieved and helped countless others achieve, not just here in the Salisbury Guild, but with the Winchester and Portsmouth Guild and nationally with the Guild of St Agatha.
Chris is survived by his wife, Joan, who was outside listening to the quarter peal and is pictured with the band above
Salisbury Diocesan Guild
Kingston, Dorset
St James
Friday, 13 January 2017 in 1h 01m (26–3–16 in D)
1440 Swindon Surprise Royal
Arranged by Jack R Pease (no. 29)
1 Katie L Child
2 Linda D E Jasper
3 Andrew G Smith
4 Thomas R Garrett
5 Graham A Duke
6 Tim M Martin
7 Jack R Pease (C)
8 Matthew Pike
9 Angie M E Jasper
10 Eleanor G W Wallace
First in the method for all except 5. First on 10: 1
I’m sorry to let you know that Christopher Smithies (Sacred Heart) lost his battle against Cancer at lunchtime on 30th December 2016.
Chris was one of the real characters of ringing in the Bournemouth area and will be sadly missed. We offer our deepest sympathy to Joan and her family.
Christopher Smithies funeral will be at Sacred Heart Church on Tuesday 17th at 1.30pm.
There will general ringing afterwards and everyone is invited to join Joan and the family at the Norfolk Hotel afterwards.
Purbrook ringers would like to invite District members to “Ring for Roy” at Purbrook on Saturday 19th November, in memory of the late tower captain Roy Grayson. Refreshments will be available and any donations will be given to Roy’s widow Barbara for her to donate to a charity of her choice. All welcome to come along and ring.
There are days in one’s life when you feel you are participating in history – today, for me, has been one of those rare days.
This morning (Friday, 29th July) at All Saints’ Church, Ryde, took place the funeral of 113-year-old Gladys Hooper. A more fitting end to a long and well-lived life I have rarely seen.
The eight bells, half-muffled, commenced their majestic ringing at 11am as press and television gathered in the West end of the church. At 11.20 each bell was stood in turn until only the tenor bell rang its sombre message across Ryde.
At 11.30 the Royal Air Force-draped coffin entered the full church to enable family, friends and those who just knew Ryde resident Gladys, the oldest living person in the United Kingdom since January 2015, to say their final farewell.
As the funeral cortege prepared to leave after the Service, conducted by Reverend Canon Graham Morris, the 26.5cwt tenor bell called out this passing of 113 years to acknowledge this lady from the Edwardian era – another time, unimaginable to almost all of us.
Following this the full peal of bells rang out as the cortege and the congregation departed.
This evening, as a mark of respect, a quarter peal of Single Oxford Bob Triples was attempted. However, after two failed attempts it was felt we abandon the effort and try on another occasion.
Notice will be given when the team are able to go ahead with this.
I should personally like to express my thanks to the following, who played their full part in making this Service the occasion it demanded: Jo Davis (1); Caroline May (2); Ken May (3); Jill Taylor (4); Roy Tillcock (5); Adrian Burns (6); Peter Taylor (7).
Yours truly, as Tower Captain, tolled the tenor. Is this length of a passing bell the longest ever rung by a member of a home tower I wonder? It was certainly momentous for me, as to this point in my 50 years of ringing, I think 92 was the longest for any funeral service I have had the privilege to toll the passing bell. To admit as 108 was struck I experienced some nervousness at being able to stand the bell after the 113th is probably stating the obvious!
However, all went as it should and I congratulate all ringers on a job well done.
I feel sure Gladys would have been amused at all the attention this received and All Saints’ ringers offer their condolences to the family in the hope that hearing our bells gave them some comfort for what must have been a difficult day with so much media attention at what is usually a quiet family event. RIP.
John Stock
