THE FOUR SHIRES GUILD - A BRIEF HISTORY
The Guild was formed on Monday 18th October 1909 at a meeting held in The Swan Hotel, Moreton-in Marsh, Gloucestershire. An amazingly fortunate incident provides such certainty. The very first Minute Book was discovered and returned to the Guild in 2010. This book, the Guild's first possession and likened to a birth certificate by a leading bell historian, is in very good condition and describes fully the procedures, proposals and personnel at that and subsequent meetings. Although the book's discovery was too late to mark the centenary of this meeting, and just too late for the centenary of the first ringing meeting (at Blockley on Thursday April 28th 1910), it appeared in time to celebrate the centenary of the first Committee meeting, which was held on Wednesday 21st September 1910 at the Swan Hotel, starting at 7.00pm. To mark this event, the Guild Committee of the day met at The Swan (happily still in existence), on September 21st 2010 at 7.00pm to toast the memory of those pioneering Committee members of 100 years before.
The Minute Book shows the Guild thrived initially, even after the Great War took its toll through call-up to the Front. Although we have no continuation book beyond 1924, it is clear the Guild continued to thrive, as during this time two silver trophies, comprising a shield and a cup, were donated for its striking competitions. The shield was large, handsome and particularly ornate, and was awarded to the competition winners. The very beautiful Spencer Jones Cup was awarded to the runners-up. Chipping Campden's Guild of Handicrafts made both items. Both disappeared during the dormant period of the Guild (see below), but happily the Cup has since been recovered. It is hoped the Shield may re-appear one day.
The Guild largely existed to bring together the various towers in the North Cotswold area, as the many Striking Competition certificates hanging in belfries around the area testify. The relatively small area is divided by four county boundaries, which discourages common activities and procedures in many aspects of life. The area is sparsely populated and therefore the number of ringers is consequently small. The four county/diocesan ringing organisations now cover the area territorially, but their boundaries still fragment and divide the area; and their 'hubs' are still miles away. In 1909 it was far worse for the North Cotswolds; perhaps even to it being virtually a ringing 'desert'. The Worcestershire & Districts CRA branches were not formed until 1911 and the Warwickshire Guild of Change Ringers was still very much a fledgling organisation, having been formed late in 1907, but their focus was towards Birmingham. The Gloucester & Bristol DACBR was then in some turmoil brought about by diocesan reorganisations. Neither its Cheltenham Branch, which included the Campden Deanery, nor its Stow Branch existed at that time, their formations occurring in 1919 and 1912 respectively. (The Stow Branch and the Campden Deanery area became the North Cotswold Branch in 1969). Only the Oxford DG seems to have had some semblance of organisation. It is therefore unsurprising to find that one of its members, a stonemason from Burford by the name of Walter Large, who had recently settled in Todenham, felt a North Cotswolds ringing guild was highly desirable to serve the needs of the ringers in the area. He was lucky in having very positive support from the Rev Spencer Jones, Rector of Moreton-in-Marsh, who successfully rallied the support of the local clergy. Walter Large had rung peals for the ODG, had known and rung with some of its prominent members, and for a time was an appointed ODG Instructor. He was therefore an ideal person to encourage and improve ringing in the North Cotswolds. His drive in this aim was unfaltering and his enthusiasm was infectious. That he did so under the banner of the Guild is clear to see, as a number of peals were rung in those early years, usually with Large conducting them. The Guild continued through the 1930s, but from the start of WW2 things appear to have faltered. We don't know precisely why, but young men joining the forces and the ban on ringing church bells must have caused difficulties in keeping the Guild together. It gradually ground to a halt and from then until the early 1970s it was fully dormant. The only reminders of its existence were the framed Striking Competition certificates in the towers and the occasional reminiscences of elderly ringers.
The 'Second Phase' of the Guild occurred with a proposal to reform It at a meeting held in the Church Rooms, Chipping Campden, on March 30th 1973. Prior to then, a Badsey ringer, Tony Brazier, became increasingly concerned about the lack of local ringing direction from the territorial organisations and increasingly interested in the aims, local direction and lack of dividing boundaries the Four Shires Guild used to offer the area. He felt the North Cotswolds needed such again and organised the meeting to determine what support existed for this. Many local ringers attended and the proposal to reform the Guild was confirmed overwhelmingly. With this mandate a committee was selected to organise a structure for the Guild and its first meeting was held a month later. Henry Hart, a pre-war member, was elected Guild Master and Tony the Secretary & Treasurer. These dual responsibilities were separated when Tony relinquished this post at the 1978 AGM. The first Annual General Meeting was held in October 1973 and subscriptions were collected from 1st January 1974. An Annual Dinner was held in March that year at the Three Ways Hotel, Mickleton. Happily these Dinners persist. A small ringing outing to the Leamington area in October 1975 was the forerunner of the now-regular Annual Ringing Tours. Two early decisions by the Committee were to hold weekly Guild practices and to revive the Striking Competitions. Both events continue. The competitions ere run on the lines of the old Guild's competitions, which included a rise, a piece of ringing and a fall: a proper competition! Although initially run in the original two-part format, in April and October, the competition is now held once a year in October prior to the AGM.
The Spencer Jones Cup was discovered a short time before the re-founding. It is a treasured possession and continues to be presented to the runners-up in the striking competition. The absence of a winners' Shield was overcome when it was announced at the 1978 Annual Dinner that the Committee had gratefully accepted the Rev Peter Newing's generous offer to donate a new silver shield. It is known as The Newing Shield and it carries the names of the competition winners since 1974. The Guild was again very fortunate when another very generous benefactor donated the exquisite President's Chain of Office. Both items were again entrusted to Campden's Guild of Handicrafts. The introduction of a new striking competition for novices in 2001 prompted the donation of a cup with which to award the winners of this event. The event and the cup are known as the Brazier Trophy after Tony, who died in 1996.
A Newsletter was started in 1978 and continues in production. Under Pam Copson's editorship in the 1990s it reached its pinnacle. It was judged the best ringing organisation publication in a 'Ringing World' competition, earning for Pam and her husband Ted a holiday in Paris!
One of Tony Braziers initiatives was the introduction of monthly mid-week ringing tours. Known as the President's Tours (as Tony had then been elected), these proved popular and survive to the present with great enthusiasm, attracting a large number of ringers, members and non-members alike, to towers in the Midlands. These are now known as the FSG's Mid-week Tours and the 400th tour is likely to happen in 2023.
The Guild has launched two novel striking competitions, a Minimus competition and the 'Inter-Shires Championship' trophy. The latter brings together the highest placed teams in the striking competitions of the Gloucester & Bristol DA, the Oxford DG, the Worcestershire & Districts CRA and the Coventry DA whose home towers lie within the Shires of'Gloucester, Oxford, Worcester and Warwick, to compete in a truly 'four Shires' event. As in Guild competitions this includes rising and falling, which often these bands
find the most testing part!
The centenary of the original Guild founding was marked in July 2009 with a ringing tour in four 'legs', each leg working through one of the four constituent Shires to converge on Todenham, where a large pig-roast and barbecue was held. It was a fine day and many members attended and rang at the Church. Soon after, the Guild took a stand at the prestigious Moreton-in-Marsh Show, where, with the help of a mini-ring, church bell ringing was demonstrated and explained most successfully to the crowds attending the Show. Some weeks later a Guild peal was rung in a new method and named Four Shires Guild Delight Major. The last significant action in the centenary year was a decision by the Committee to apply to affiliate to the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. When the application was put to the vote at the Council's 2010 Meeting in Derby, almost unanimous approval was given: a very heartening result.
A Bell Restoration Fund was launched in 2010. Temple Guiting's augmentation in 2011 received the first grant.
Membership of the Guild is currently about 170. Many members are also members of the territorial associations within whose boundaries they reside. It is clear from this that the Guild continues to play an important 'in tandem' role as an umbrella organisation in this unusually fragmented area.
The Minute Book shows the Guild thrived initially, even after the Great War took its toll through call-up to the Front. Although we have no continuation book beyond 1924, it is clear the Guild continued to thrive, as during this time two silver trophies, comprising a shield and a cup, were donated for its striking competitions. The shield was large, handsome and particularly ornate, and was awarded to the competition winners. The very beautiful Spencer Jones Cup was awarded to the runners-up. Chipping Campden's Guild of Handicrafts made both items. Both disappeared during the dormant period of the Guild (see below), but happily the Cup has since been recovered. It is hoped the Shield may re-appear one day.
The Guild largely existed to bring together the various towers in the North Cotswold area, as the many Striking Competition certificates hanging in belfries around the area testify. The relatively small area is divided by four county boundaries, which discourages common activities and procedures in many aspects of life. The area is sparsely populated and therefore the number of ringers is consequently small. The four county/diocesan ringing organisations now cover the area territorially, but their boundaries still fragment and divide the area; and their 'hubs' are still miles away. In 1909 it was far worse for the North Cotswolds; perhaps even to it being virtually a ringing 'desert'. The Worcestershire & Districts CRA branches were not formed until 1911 and the Warwickshire Guild of Change Ringers was still very much a fledgling organisation, having been formed late in 1907, but their focus was towards Birmingham. The Gloucester & Bristol DACBR was then in some turmoil brought about by diocesan reorganisations. Neither its Cheltenham Branch, which included the Campden Deanery, nor its Stow Branch existed at that time, their formations occurring in 1919 and 1912 respectively. (The Stow Branch and the Campden Deanery area became the North Cotswold Branch in 1969). Only the Oxford DG seems to have had some semblance of organisation. It is therefore unsurprising to find that one of its members, a stonemason from Burford by the name of Walter Large, who had recently settled in Todenham, felt a North Cotswolds ringing guild was highly desirable to serve the needs of the ringers in the area. He was lucky in having very positive support from the Rev Spencer Jones, Rector of Moreton-in-Marsh, who successfully rallied the support of the local clergy. Walter Large had rung peals for the ODG, had known and rung with some of its prominent members, and for a time was an appointed ODG Instructor. He was therefore an ideal person to encourage and improve ringing in the North Cotswolds. His drive in this aim was unfaltering and his enthusiasm was infectious. That he did so under the banner of the Guild is clear to see, as a number of peals were rung in those early years, usually with Large conducting them. The Guild continued through the 1930s, but from the start of WW2 things appear to have faltered. We don't know precisely why, but young men joining the forces and the ban on ringing church bells must have caused difficulties in keeping the Guild together. It gradually ground to a halt and from then until the early 1970s it was fully dormant. The only reminders of its existence were the framed Striking Competition certificates in the towers and the occasional reminiscences of elderly ringers.
The 'Second Phase' of the Guild occurred with a proposal to reform It at a meeting held in the Church Rooms, Chipping Campden, on March 30th 1973. Prior to then, a Badsey ringer, Tony Brazier, became increasingly concerned about the lack of local ringing direction from the territorial organisations and increasingly interested in the aims, local direction and lack of dividing boundaries the Four Shires Guild used to offer the area. He felt the North Cotswolds needed such again and organised the meeting to determine what support existed for this. Many local ringers attended and the proposal to reform the Guild was confirmed overwhelmingly. With this mandate a committee was selected to organise a structure for the Guild and its first meeting was held a month later. Henry Hart, a pre-war member, was elected Guild Master and Tony the Secretary & Treasurer. These dual responsibilities were separated when Tony relinquished this post at the 1978 AGM. The first Annual General Meeting was held in October 1973 and subscriptions were collected from 1st January 1974. An Annual Dinner was held in March that year at the Three Ways Hotel, Mickleton. Happily these Dinners persist. A small ringing outing to the Leamington area in October 1975 was the forerunner of the now-regular Annual Ringing Tours. Two early decisions by the Committee were to hold weekly Guild practices and to revive the Striking Competitions. Both events continue. The competitions ere run on the lines of the old Guild's competitions, which included a rise, a piece of ringing and a fall: a proper competition! Although initially run in the original two-part format, in April and October, the competition is now held once a year in October prior to the AGM.
The Spencer Jones Cup was discovered a short time before the re-founding. It is a treasured possession and continues to be presented to the runners-up in the striking competition. The absence of a winners' Shield was overcome when it was announced at the 1978 Annual Dinner that the Committee had gratefully accepted the Rev Peter Newing's generous offer to donate a new silver shield. It is known as The Newing Shield and it carries the names of the competition winners since 1974. The Guild was again very fortunate when another very generous benefactor donated the exquisite President's Chain of Office. Both items were again entrusted to Campden's Guild of Handicrafts. The introduction of a new striking competition for novices in 2001 prompted the donation of a cup with which to award the winners of this event. The event and the cup are known as the Brazier Trophy after Tony, who died in 1996.
A Newsletter was started in 1978 and continues in production. Under Pam Copson's editorship in the 1990s it reached its pinnacle. It was judged the best ringing organisation publication in a 'Ringing World' competition, earning for Pam and her husband Ted a holiday in Paris!
One of Tony Braziers initiatives was the introduction of monthly mid-week ringing tours. Known as the President's Tours (as Tony had then been elected), these proved popular and survive to the present with great enthusiasm, attracting a large number of ringers, members and non-members alike, to towers in the Midlands. These are now known as the FSG's Mid-week Tours and the 400th tour is likely to happen in 2023.
The Guild has launched two novel striking competitions, a Minimus competition and the 'Inter-Shires Championship' trophy. The latter brings together the highest placed teams in the striking competitions of the Gloucester & Bristol DA, the Oxford DG, the Worcestershire & Districts CRA and the Coventry DA whose home towers lie within the Shires of'Gloucester, Oxford, Worcester and Warwick, to compete in a truly 'four Shires' event. As in Guild competitions this includes rising and falling, which often these bands
find the most testing part!
The centenary of the original Guild founding was marked in July 2009 with a ringing tour in four 'legs', each leg working through one of the four constituent Shires to converge on Todenham, where a large pig-roast and barbecue was held. It was a fine day and many members attended and rang at the Church. Soon after, the Guild took a stand at the prestigious Moreton-in-Marsh Show, where, with the help of a mini-ring, church bell ringing was demonstrated and explained most successfully to the crowds attending the Show. Some weeks later a Guild peal was rung in a new method and named Four Shires Guild Delight Major. The last significant action in the centenary year was a decision by the Committee to apply to affiliate to the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. When the application was put to the vote at the Council's 2010 Meeting in Derby, almost unanimous approval was given: a very heartening result.
A Bell Restoration Fund was launched in 2010. Temple Guiting's augmentation in 2011 received the first grant.
Membership of the Guild is currently about 170. Many members are also members of the territorial associations within whose boundaries they reside. It is clear from this that the Guild continues to play an important 'in tandem' role as an umbrella organisation in this unusually fragmented area.
