Guild 6-Bell Striking Competition Finals at Barrowby and Denton
14th September 2013

I arrived at Barrowby just before the first team was due to ring and spent a few minutes chatting with some members of assorted teams, before going in search of Barrowby Memorial Hall, which was to be the venue for the tea and the results.

All Saints, Barrowby
St. Andrew, Denton

Interestingly we had a reversal in the number of teams competing for the Cup and the Plate. Last year we had 9 teams competing for the Cup but only 6 this year, but last year there were only 7 teams competing for the Plate and this year we had 9.

There were a few people in the Memorial Hall, but not many as most of the teams were at the towers preparing to ring. I grabbed a cup of coffee and a sandwich and chatted to yet more people before deciding to go down to Denton to see how things were going there.

On arriving at Denton, the sun came out and it was a very pleasent afternoon. The bells were ringing and there were lots of ringers standing aroung chatting. I stayed a while and listened to the ringing before heading back to Barrowby to listen to some of the ringing there.

It was now getting close to the end of the competition, so I headed back to the Memorial Hall. It was quite a contrast from my first visit, because now it was starting to fill up as the various teams who had already taken part had arrived for the results.

The local Barrowby ringers were providing the catering and provided a never ending stream of sandwiches cake and sausage rolls. Just as you thought that that was the last of the sandwiches, another great plateful just appeared out of nowhere. There was certainly no danger of anyone going hungry.

The members enjoy tea

While we were waiting for the competition to finish and the judges to arrive, raffle tickets were sold and Dot Mason did the 100 club draw, the results of which are here.

Eventually Alan Payne called for order, using his gavel very effectively. He thanked Melissa Blanchard and her band of helpers for the teas and Sheila Dunning for running the raffle. Also he thanked the stewards who had been helping out at the towers.

He then introduced the judge for the John Freeman Cup, this being David Richards who is tower captain at Histon in Cambridgeshire. David commented on the high standard of ringing and how he would be proud to have this standard of ringing at his own tower for Sunday services.

Alan Payne introduces David Richards

He then went on to comment on the salient points of each team before announcing the results in reverse order these being as follows.

The Results for The John Freeman Cup at Denton
Placed
Team
Branch
Rang
Peal Speed
Faults
1st
Lincoln Cathedral
Central
Cambridge
3:07
65
2nd
Messingham
West Lindsey
Plain Bob Doubles
3:17
70
3rd
Bourne
Southern
Spliced Surprise
 
74
4th
Scotter
West Lindsey
Plain Bob Doubles
3:01
93
5th
Barton 'A'
Northern
Grandsire
3:18
94
6th
Market Deeping
Southern
Call Changes
3:01
152

Les Townsend came up to receive the cup on behalf of the Cathedral team and Ian Till Came up to receive the Jack Bluff Plaque on behalf of the Messingham team.

Les Townsend is presented with the Cup
Ian Till is presented with the runners up trophy

Alan thanked everyone who took part and thanked David Richards for judging it. David was presented with a small token of appreciation. Alan then went on to introduce the judges for the Edward Colley Plate, these being Derek and Sue Jones. Derek started by saying that the ringing had been generally of a very good standard.

Sue and Derek Jones

Derek handed over to Sue who gave some detailed comments on the ringing of each team, before handing back to Derek who announced the results in reverse order. The details are below.

The Results for The Edward Colley Plate at Barrowby
Placed
Team
Branch
Rang
Peal Speed
Faults
1st
Gainsborough
West Lindsey
Plain Bob Doubles
2:44
22.5
2nd
Coningsby
Eastern
Call Changes
2:58
40
3rd
Grimsby
Northern
Grandsire Doubles
 
42
4th
Barrowby
Southern
Call Changes
2:52
45
5th
Bottesford
West Lindsey
Call Changes
2:59
49
6th
Thurlby
Southern
Plain Bob Doubles
3:07
53
7th
Welton
Central
Call Changes
2:59
54
8th
Alford
Eastern
Call Changes
2:46
59
9th
Barton 'B'
Southern
Plain Bob Doubles
2:52
65

Mr. Robin Heppenstall came up on behalf of the Gainsborough team to receive the Edward Colley Plate. There were no members of the Coningsby team present to receive the Ted Colley Plaque for the runners up.

Robin Heppenstall is presented with the Plate
The raffle is drawn

Alan Payne then thanked everyone for taking part. The evening finished off with the raffle being drawn after which the members made their way home.

Many thanks to Melissa Blanchard and the Barrowby ringers for arranging the use of the hall and providing the refreshments, to Sheila Dunning for the raffle and to the judges David Richards and Derek and Sue Jones.

Jonathan Clark