THE SOUND of church bells ringing is something that reminds us that we live in rural Britain – it’s also a link with our past because bells have been rung for centuries to mark important occasions, whether that be the call to attend church, to mark a wedding – or as an alarm to rouse residents to action!
Bell ringing is also a great way to keep fit and helps stimulate those brain cells making it a therapeutic activity as well! It also produces a great sound – of course this might depend on where you live and when those bells are sounding!
Whatever your views it has been a compelling tradition in Hedon at St Augustine’s Church for generations as this photo reveals.
We suspect that most of the people in this photograph (if not all) will be identified – but we would really like your input to help us determine who’s who, and when the photo was taken.
We also republish this old photograph first published on the Hedon Blog last year (via Flickr to preserve the image quality of the copied photograph) and shows a handbell team outside St Augustine’s Church.
Again any information from Hedon Blog readers about the photograph would be much appreciated.
Hello, My Name is John Rea, I am 73, and was a bell ringer at St Agustine’s church in the mid 60.
I lived at Dandelions, cherry tree lane. The most happy memories was of Christmas time, playing Charolais on Hand bells around Hedon, and one year Burstwick.
Christmas eve we would play for all the licensed premises, all 7 of them.
Christmas morning, just before the service, with the bells stood up, we would clime to the belfry, and play charbroils.
I now Live in Sydney Australia, but no longer ring bells – Happy days.
Thank you for this web site.
Well hello John, I remember going with you at a practice watching you bell ringing.
My son is in Newcastle and yes i have been climbing on the coat hanger and been to Sydney twice.
Regards
Tom
Hello Tom,
So, you have been out to Australia,had a look at Sydney(A grubby city ,especial around circular Que),
I think we have a bit of catching up to do, so if you want to, please send me an E mail, my address is, jrea@tpg.com.au.
By the way, I have a photo of you swigging a bottle of Pop when we were in the Isle of Man–remember?
Cheers Tom, I look forwards to hearing from you.
sincerely,
John Rea.
Hi John – We have a Facebook Page Hedon Blog Photos – Old & New and a few people on there have mentioned they know you – Angela Turner says “My brother John Rogerson knew John Rea and I’m pretty sure I did too. My brother also rung bells at St Augustine, he also rang the hand bells and went round the villages at Christmas. Sadly he is no longer with us. Please pass on regards to John Rea.”
To Ray Duff,
Thank you for your reply, those days were the best, as youngsters we had a grate time,and I think to days young just don’t know what they have mist.
I visited Hedon a few years ago, and was saddened at the changes made.The old cobble stones had been removed from the market place, those stones were ballast in the trading ships that would ply up the Havon when it was a port, long before Hull was thought of. To me, that is vandalism, and should never been allowed, Hedons History is very in-portent ,even today more so, if history is lost, then the future is also lost.
Although I live on the other side of the world, my heart is still in Yorkshire,and Hedon especially. I still have a connection there, a cousin of mine, Merryl Wheatly who lives in Church lane , we are all getting on now, but the memorys are as bright as ever.
Keep the faith
Sincerely,
John Howard Rea
Hi John, hope you’re well… my mum sent your comment above onto me as we now live at ‘The Dandelions’ as the current custodians 😊👍, we have actually just Sold after being here 3 years… but not moving far, staying in Hedon, the link to the property ad shows how it looks now, if you look on Rightmove UK, probably a bit different to when you where here!
Either 1948 or 1949.
Re :- Bell Ringing.
My brother- in- Law Len Straker (of Brid), tells me that in one of those years as above, along with seven other ringers, they rang a continous peal of “Grandsire Triples” using all eight bells in St Augustine’s Church belfrey.
The eight ringers , including Len, being the Conductor Clem Glenn, Charles Barker, George Braithwaite, Len Daggitt, brothers Len and Harry Rodmell, plus a Beverley Grocer, whose name escapes him ! How long this pealing actually took, I am not aware…………………
Len and Harry Rodmell! The Rodmells were ancestors of mine on the side of my father’s mother, Norah Harman, born in Beverley in1897. Her mother was born Agnes Rodmell. Her grandfather John Rodmell farmed 150 acres or so in the Marfleet area. One of John’s younger sons was Alfred Rodmell , the father of Agnes. I do not know how Len and Harry would have connected.
Although its not these bells show above, Keith Everingham has just informed me that they have just received notification that they have secure Heritage lottery funding of £10,000 towards the restoration of the St Augustines Church Hand Bells, well done to him and his associates
Len Straker, who now lives in Brid – aged 90 – and as as a PC in Hedon, he used to lodge with the late Kath & Arthur Moody, was a Bell Ringer at Hedon Church in his younger days……………..
I think that my late father, Hugh Alan Thompson is in the photograph (4th from left – appears to be the one wearing a tie!). He was a keen bell ringer and as far as I know was involved in the 1940s. We moved away from Hedon 1950 for a few years.
Dorothy K Winter
is that john dennis 5th from right lol
No Neil, I’m 4th from left!
By the way, are you going in for Hedon’s Got Talent? We haven’t got any comedians yet. You might even win!