A Brief Biography of Aunt Sally

                                 
     This short biography is intended not only to show you why she's exactly the right person to give advice about ringing but also to give some information about the fascinating life of Aunt Sally.

Early Years

     Aunt Sally learned to ring several decades ago and quickly became competent in all major areas of ringing. Indeed, so rapid was her early progress that one commentator was heard to say “That was rapid early progress.”. Within just a few years Aunt Sally had rung a number of notable peals, many being of her own methods and compositions (which she, of course, conducted). It soon became obvious to all who rang with her that she also had a natural charm and it wasn't long before other ringers felt that they could ask her advice without feeling intimidated.

Aunt Sally around the time of her first ringing lessons

The Middle Period

     As news of Aunt Sally's ringing skills spread she was invited into all the prestigious bands so that she could give them the benefit of her advice. She started new bands all over the country and the standard of ringing in ordinary churches as well as the top cathedrals rose at unprecedented rates. Her books on ringing, which flooded out of her during this period, were compared to the works of Shakespeare. Indeed one commentator was heard to say “Her books flooded out of her.”.

Aunt Sally as a young woman

Her Recent Ringing Career

     More recently Aunt Sally hasn't been seen in many local towers. She is, in her own words, turning into a grand old duchess who deserves to retire with dignity and with full recognition of all she has achieved. Instead she just rings with the prestigious societies whenever she feels like it and rings just a few peals each week. Her ringing skills remain undiminished, however, and Aunt Sally will soon be calling the first peal ever rung by ringers wearing disposable nappies on their heads.

A recent picture of Aunt Sally

     Over the years Aunt Sally has rung in over 100,000 peals and has called all the most difficult compositions both on tower bells and handbells. It is this vast experience which gives Aunt Sally the authority to speak on any aspect of ringing. Indeed many of today's world class ringers were inspired by her at just the point when they were about to give up. It was only natural that Aunt Sally would be asked to become a regular and frequent contributor to all the popular newsletters and, since she was aware of her teaching abilities and her insight into ringing, she was only too glad help. It is therefore right that she has now agreed to contribute offerings of her wisdom to the DDA via “Strike Notes”.

Aunt Sally's Other Interests

     Not much is known about Aunt Sally's interests and achievements outside ringing. All she will say is that there is a variety of activities in which she excels and organisations that she is associated with (usually in leadership capacities). Her natural modesty notwithstanding, it has been possible to find out a few facts and these are presented here because they show the sort of person Aunt Sally really is and they help in the building up of trust in what she says about ringing.

     It is known that Aunt Sally is very interested politics and believes in plain speaking. She believes that, even though many politicians already, the rest should. If fact she believes that if you can't get your ducks in a row then they should be hypothecated. Economic stability comes not from spending money you've not got but from either fiscalling your policy, or both.

     Science is a particular interest of Aunt Sally. She has degrees from all the major universities. In fact she has so many degrees that there aren't enough left for global warming. When she was younger Aunt Sally gave lectures to groups of students which included Einstein, Feynman and what was left of Stephen Hawking.

     Aunt Sally's interest in music is well known to musicians. Her symphonies and string quartets are second only to those of Beethoven. The music in her peal compositions has to be heard to be believed. In fact her maximus compositions would, if rung on chromatic rings of 12, contain several 12 tone sequences and Schoenburg, who thinks he invented them, would turn in his grave if he were still alive.

     Apart from the above small selection of Aunt Sally's serious interests she is also interested in gauping at the television, washing up, hoovering and epidemiology.