X586/21/3

Bellringing notebook and loose papers of Charles W. Clarke of Bedford (back cover missing)

1884 - 1931

From: 1884 To: 1931

Contains: (In front pocket) 1.a Composition for 5024 Superlative Surprise Major by John W. Barker 1.b Touches of Stedman Triples 1.c Receipt to Charles William Clarke for membership fee (3s. 6d) for the Winchester Diocesan Guild of Change Ringers, 14 October 1922 1.d Cutting from the Bell News for a peal of 5040 Minor at Ampthill, 15 November 1902 1.e Composition for 5184 Double Norwich Court Bob Major by G. Lindoff, on a postcard sent to Clarke by Harry Gayton of Harrold, 29 August 1910 1.f Letter from Isaac Hills, Sewage Pumping Station, Bedford, 31 July [1906], asking for support [refers to an enclosure - not present]. “I can find that Mr Barker is not very much liked by one or two members. I am sorry. I always get along with him very well”. Clapham bells are to be done and increased to six. Bowell has got the job. They are to have ten at Leighton Buzzard. “I wish we had a better band hear. We often do not get a start until six” o’clock on Sunday and then it is often 6 bells in rounds” 1.g Receipt to C.W. Clarke for entrance fee and subscription (3s. 6d) for the Lancashire Association of Change Ringers, 21 March 1906 1.h Receipt to C.W. Clarke for out-county membership subscription (2s. 6d) for the Raunds, Wellingborough & District Society of Church Bell Ringers, 19 July 1894 1.i Receipt to C.W. Clarke for non-resident life membership fee (5s.) for the Middlesex County Association of Change Ringers, 3 September 1903 1.j National Health Insurance medical ticket for C.W. Clarke, 19 Kempston Road, Bedford, no.445, Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, providence Lodge no.1846, Oundle, Northants. Valid 15 January to 30 April 1913 1.k Cutting from the Bell News for a peal of 5040 Stedman Triples at Dunstable on 20 May 1905 1.l Receipted bill from F.G. Crouch, cycle agent etc, Harrold [good illustrated billhead], to C.W. Clarke, 29 Kempston Road, Bedford, 22 October 1929, for 6 Aprons (£1), carriage paid to Harper Arms “till called for”. Settled in full, 11 April 1931 1.m Card with Middleton’s composition of 5056 Cambridge Surprise Major 1.n Membership card of C.W. Clarke of the Bedford Liberal Club and Institute, 4 February 1922 (Main pages) Many pages are blank, but the used pages have figures for various methods, compositions and odd jottings, as follows: 2.a The methods include Chester, Beverley, Durham, Wells, York, Cambridge and Lincoln Surprise Minor 2.b The compositions include 5040 Double Norwich Court Bob Major by J.W. Barker, Bedford, 15 September 1906; 5152 of the same, no date; 5021 Stedman Caters by Arthur Knights, first rung at Chesterfield on 19 January 1907, conducted by C.W. Clarke; 6144 Bob Major by F. Bennett, rung half-muffled at St.Paul’s Bedford in memory of Canon Speck [d.1922]; 5088 Treble Bob Major by W. Harrison, rung at Woburn old tower 12 March 1892; 5056 Bob Major by G. Hughes, no date; Two peals of 5088 Treble Bob Major by A. Knights, no dates; Bulwer’s 5040 Stedman Triples; 5184 Treble Bob Major by J.S. Wilde; 5280 Bob Major by B. Francis, Diss 2.c The jottings include a note on Clarke’s day work, 1916; notes on hooks, links, rivets, tines etc, 1920; and (from reverse end) names and addresses, some dated 1907-1923; wages, 1918 and 1924; jottings 1922 including train times, arrears on national health card and “started signing on labour exchange” 24 November 1924; notes on tines, hooks, whipples, collars etc. 1921 (Loose items inside the book) 3.a Printed peal cards - peals mostly conducted by C.W. Clarke - for 5040 Plain Bob Minor at Biddenham, 26 April 1884 (the first peal by the Bedfordshire Association); 5040 Grandsire Triples at St.Paul’s, Bedford, 3 August 1885; 5040 Minor (seven methods) at St.Mary’s, Bedford, 19 December 1885 (two copies); 5040 Bob Triples at Cardington, 14 August 1886; 5040 Minor (seven methods) at Ringstead, Northants, 28 December 1886; 5040 Minor (seven methods) at Bromham, 8 January 1887; 5040 Grandsire Triples (Holt’s Original) at St.Chad’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Birmingham, 25 February 1887; 5040 Grandsire Triples at Harborne, Staffs., 2 February 1889; 5040 Grandsire Triples (Holt’s Original) at Higham Ferrers, Northants, 14 December 1895; 5040 Grandsire Triples at Kettering, Northants, 4 July 1896 (Clarke’s 100th peal); 5008 Double Norwich Court Bob Major at Kettering, 29 August 1896; 5003 Grandsire Caters at St.Paul’s, Bedford, 9 November 1896 (first peal on the ten bells); 5040 Treble Bob Minor (seven methods) at Burton Latimer, Northants, 22 February 1913 (14 items - 13 different) 3.b Photograph of eight ringers (undated and unmarked, but identified by Chris Pickford and Alan Regin), evidently taken after a peal of London Surprise Major at Burgess Hill, Sussex, on 17 August 1911 by (left to right) Charles W. Clarke, Bertram Prewett, Ernest Pye, John Goldsmith, Gerorge R. Pye, Keith Hart, Isaac G Shade and Charles T. Coles. Clarke rang in a peal of Stedman Caters at St.Nicholas, Brigthon, with most of the same ringers on the same day. 3.c Cutting from the Ringing World “Bedford’s 1915 record” about the 84 720s in 59 different methods rung at St.Peter’s, Bedford, in 1915; folded pages on notes on minor methods

item

Clarke, Charles William,
Prewett, Bert,
Pye, Ernest George,
Goldsmith, John,
Pye, George,
Hart, Keith,
Shade, Isaac,
Coles, Charles

bellringing, bells, CLAPHAM, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, blacksmith, photographs