Welcome to
Ecclesfield Handbell Ringers
Home Page
Tickets are now on sale for our Christmas Concert in the Gatty Hall, Ecclesfield on 17th December 2011.
Starts 7.00pm
Bells, Brass and Singers!
Come and sing local and traditional carols.
Ecclesfield Handbell Ringers are 100 years old!
(well, 120ish actually; we found we'd missed our birthday by about 20 years)
Please feel free to browse our site and find out more about our traditional musical pastime.
News
Please keep looking for news of our forthcoming engagements. We are happy to take part in concerts or informal evenings, giving talks about the history of handbell ringing and practical demonstrations, or even lessons. We are always pleased to welcome visitors and potential (victims??! - sorry) new ringers to our practise sessions at the Gatty Hall, Ecclesfield on Wednesday evenings from 6.30pm. Please contact us.
Old News
January 2008
Happy New Year once more! During 2007 we have played in several wonderful concerts, in particular at Emley Parish Church at Christmas, where we made some very pleasant new friends. Thank you Emley for inviting us.
This year we have invested more money in equipment; this time splashing out on some new hand-made baskets in which to transport the bells. The old ones have served us well but were getting very battered. We looked at all the modern alternatives of wooden and aluminium cases but decided that with the number of bells we have, and the weight we have to carry, the old tried and tested method is the best. (So we can look forward to the same old jokes about laundry, pigeons and picnics as usual whenever we go anywhere!)
January 2007
Happy New Year! Our Christmas Concert was a great success (again). Thank you to all participants and, of course, our audience for their support.
Wed. 29th March 2006.
Our bells are home! Each bell had been carefully and individually packaged in tissue, with the larger clappers in dusters, and each in its own plastic bag. We laid them all out on the tables to count them - they looked like mummies in their wrappings. Then, having given Hazel the privilege of opening the first one, it was suddenly like Christmas. Paper everywhere! Ooo's and aah's from all round! Gosh, aren't they shiny! Then, when they were sorted out, "what shall we play?" Only one option really for the homecoming of Ecclesfield's bells; it had to be 'Caliph'. And the verdict? Do we like them? Well, the new springs are a bit stiff and the felts are a bit thick which makes playing softly more difficult, but we're sure they will 'bed in'. More importantly, all the bells are now in tune and sound lovely. Overall reaction was good - not bad for Ecclesfield. Their first outing will be Grassington on May 13th. Come and listen.
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On January 6th 2006 we consigned our bells into the tender loving care of Whitechapel Bell Foundry for another major overhaul; the last one was in 1983. Oh, doom and gloom! However, we are expecting them back in late March. Hurrah! That is if we have raised enough money to pay the bill. Oh, the expense!
In the meantime we have had the privilege of using the Thurlstone Bells for practices. Thank you Thurlstone for your hospitality. We hope you will find some permanent ringers for your lovely bells soon.
The first weekend in April 2005 saw a 'National' gathering for HRGB. We celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Handbell Ringing Contests, which used to be held at Belle Vue, Manchester, by holding a weekend of events for teams from all around the country.
Ecclesfield were proud to be present. We ran a workshop to demonstrate one of the original contest music pieces, played a couple of other historic arrangements on the Saturday night concert, and generally had a good time socialising in the bar, as usual. We enjoyed it. Did everyone else?
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17th Dec 2011
Christmas Concert at the Gatty Hall
Mar/Apr 2012
National Rally in York
Aug 2012
International Symposium in Liverpool
'a year in the life'
OTHER OLD NEWS
(see also 'Diary' report)