Bellringing

Ringing

I learnt to ring in 1959 at St Wilfrid's, Kirkby in Ashfield. I later rang in the first peal on eight after they were augmented.

I rang with Southwell Diocesan Guild and E Derby and W Notts Association

I am a member of the Cambridge University Guild of Change Ringers.

I rang at Guildford Cathedral before I married.

I have rung at All Saints Wokingham  since the late 1970s.

I celebrated 50 years of ringing with a peal of Kirkby-in-Ashfield Surprise Major rung at Wokingham, with a band  including people who rang with me in Kirkby and Cambridge as well as Wokingham. ( details & picture )

  Teaching

A lot of my time is involved with training. I served many years on Oxford Diocesan Guild Education Committee and as Training Officer in Sonning Deanery Branch .

I am a member of the Central Council of Church Bellringers , and served on (and chaired) Education Committee, PR Committee and Biographies Committee.

I have run courses in many parts of the country, including over 30 listening courses .

My most unusual assignment was teachthe the actors who played ringers in Midsomer Murders episode ' Ring Out Your Dead'. See the article about making the programme.

Writing

I have written several books on ringing including The Learning Curve, 102 articles about learning and teaching, The Tower Handbook (now on-line ) and The New Ringer's Book

I wrote a articles about music in ringing  after being invited to give a talk to a group of musicians.

My book 'Living Heritage ' is a social history of ringing in Wokingham over 300 years, written mainly for non-ringers, as is 'Bells & Bellringingpublished by Shire Books.

I have rung in hundreds of different towers, enjoying the universal welcome of ringers. For details of over 6000 ringing towers, see Dove's Guide.

Technology

I use modern teaching aids including simulators. and a strikeometer (Cirel) I have produced training aids, including CDs and !Strike .

I made a counter-rotating dumbbell (which works with a simulator). I didn't realise it at the time, but it is based on a similar principle to that used by my namesake, the 18th century John Harrison in his early clocks.

Years ago, I built some interesting models  to represent change ringing.

I do talks on ringing, including the music of ringing , technology of ringing and the maths of ringing