h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's rather unusual to find unwelcoming ringers.

Odo

I only caught the end of that episode, so didn't see the double handing. Tower I was ringing at once, this is a true story, was ringing a quarter, we couldn't get six. So the conductor managed to ring two working bells, conducted it, and still managed to keep some of us learners right when we lost it. It wasn't until I tried calling my first method that I realised what he'd done. Dead impressed!

Indeed. I've never been to a tower and not welcomed. And generally welcomed down the pub afterwards.

Wow! That is amazing!

The brains on some people... *shakes head*

It was a city centre, 12-bell tower, full of up-tight ringers that did quarters and things for Sunday servies. I've since moved to a place out-of-town and can't find a tower nearby.

The old towers I left both finished the night by heading down the local for a drink or two. Thank goodness I lived within walking distance

Ah. I have to say I'm often nervous about going to a larger, city-centre tower. They do tend to be rather good.

Yes, it’s very impressive. I’ve only seen double handed ringing once, and yes the chap dangling on the ropes was conducting and keeping his beginners right.

It’s the same with those handbell ringers who go in for peals of spliced surprise whatever…. How they can split their brains and keep track to two bells going in opposite directions for a couple of hours, it must be exhausting.

Vip

It wasn't so much that they were good, it was the clique that they were. I'm sure they would never go to the pub after practice, especially as they didn't *have* one, they thought they were that good.

Ah, they probably would. They just wouldn't tell you which one.

The website is www.towerbase.net. I have it myself. I started ringing about two years ago and am now onto ringing plain bob minor inside, grandsire inside, treble bobbing, tenor behind and treble to all plain methods. My home tower is pickering, north yorkshire, England.

Good luck to all of you. I have been ringing in Northern Ireland for 25 years and it is a great hobby. We don't have many towers here, but it is such a rewarding thing to do.

As a "estranged" or "deprived" or"exiled" or "excommunicated" or just plain "stranded" ringer in San Francisco, one may not be aware of this, but there is not a single tower in this city that has a ring of bells! No one bloody well seems to be interested (even during good economic times) such as Grace Cathedral, whos "South Tower" stands unused to this day, the Lone Mountain Campus of the University of San Francisco University (a Jesuit University) has a building that appears so much like a traditional English bell tower, but whose louvers are indeed glassed over, and...once again... NO RING! See, my arms...uh...are not quite ... ugh! ...long enough to reach half a world away to the UK from here! (The closest rings are in Honolulu and a brand new ring of eight bells at the University of Seattle, in the State of Washington). But not in California, let alone in San Francisco!

I have indeed been "proselytising" to my friends about this art and to other people as in hopes to "plant the seed" for this interest. I shall make an honest attempt to try and form a committee online, perhaps through Craigslist, as to raise funds and leading to the eventual establishment of a tower and ring by the California Academy of Science in Golden Gate Park. I have no idea just how successful I may be, if at all! (But worth a try).

One problem here, as there is a total absence of knowledge of this Exercise in San Francisco, I could be very well be one of the very few (God help me, if I were to be the ONLY one!) who not only knows of this art, but being a ringer myself -- albeit that I have been out of practise due to this one very important problem!

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Crickey! That's no fun at all!

I would have absolutely zero idea how to go about doing that. Perhaps approaching the Cathedral or a University that have a tower that could be used and see if hey are interested (long term, obviously?) They might be able to garner up some learners and, more importantly, funding for buying and installing them.

It's a mammoth task, and in the current economic situation everywhere I can't see many people being enthusiastic about it. But it's always worth a shot.

Best of luck!

Have just started learning to ring at the age of 77 - I know old dogs and new tricks come to mind but it is great to be with a group of really friendly and supportive people. I broke the stay on my second lesson !! Felt a complete idiot but the team all signed the stay and gave it to me as a keepsake, Shall persevere though !!

Fantastic news!

A lot of ringers come to it later in life but that doesn't stop them progressing and have a lot of fun! I'm glad to hear your tower are supportive.

Best of luck!

Just a quick update for your original article: there are now 16's at CCC Dublin & in the Swan Tower, Perth, Australia. Why on earth anyone would want to ring 16 (2 octaves plus 1 note?) is a different question.

Thanks for that.

The 1 note will be an extra in the middle somewhere, to allow them to rung a middle eight, I think. So, in the main, they ring a standard twelve, rather than all sixteen. But I agree - that's too many bells for me!

When I went through the backlog a couple of days ago, I somehow missed estrangedringers plea for help in introducing ringing to San Francisco. It's a huge task that you've set yourself. A couple of ideas. Apologies if you've thought of them already.
1) The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers in Britain. Explain your enthusiasm. They're largely a bunch of old farts, but who knows, there might be someone under seventy there, with some helpful advice.
2) Your East Coast compatriots. A new ring of twelve (the first in America) was installed at Trinity, Wall Street (some city or other) in 2006.
Quite few friends of mine have rung in America, and they all say that the enthusiasm is tremendous. Contact them, and the CCCBR, and ask for ideas.
Get the bells, then they will come.