This is what Rosemary has to say about her handbell ringing career.

"Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started piano lessons at the age of 7 (the piano teacher wouldn’t take me when I was 6) and I appeared in junior school concerts as a pianist. On going to Ecclesfield Comprehensive School I joined the school orchestra and then the school handbell group under the tuition of Michael King. 

I left school in 1974 and in my first job met Molly Barker, already a member of the Ecclesfield Handbell Ringers village team. I joined in October 1974 and I've been there ever since, always playing number 1 treble. I have arranged a number of concert pieces for the bells and one of my arrangements, In A Persian Market, appears on the Ecclesfield “Heavy Metal” CD.

I now live in Derbyshire and I make a 60-mile round trip to Ecclesfield for practice each week."

Rosemary