![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
After evening visiting hours at the hospital yesterday, I went to the usual Thursday evening bell ringing practice at St. Giles last night. Rang handbells for an hour first, then we switched to tower bells.
What set last night apart from every other practice of the year is that we rung with the tower bells half-muffled. Each of the eight bell clappers had something resembling a leather kneepad tied to one side. The muffles let each handstroke sound normally, but caused each backstroke to be muted. The result? Our ringing sounded like it was accompanied by an erie spectral echo.
Why was this done? Because in two days, it will be Remembrance Sunday[*,**]. On Sunday morning, rather than ringing to begin the usual Communion service inside of St. Giles Church, we will ring to call people to the [much larger] Remembrance Sunday services -- complete with a multi-faith assortment of speeches and a parade -- that will take place at the war memorial just outside of the church.
This will be the third year that I ring for the Remembrance Sunday services. It is, by far, the largest audience that I ring for all year long. Indeed, even Radio Oxford will be counted amongst those listening. It is also a somber way to transition into Winter, with that sad slow pealing of the bells.
I would not at all be pleased if we always rang with the bells half-muffled. However, as a once-a-year[***] tradition, I would not miss it. It offers both an interesting variation on the sound of our ringing, as well as a tone that fits nicely with the season.
[*] I was rather surprised to see that there were two or three people, out of the sixteen that showed up for last night's practice, who did not know why we were ringing half muffled bells. Apparently, they had not remembered Remembrance Sunday.
[**] Apparently, early November is all about remembering in England. You start with the [much more famous] fifth of November that everyone is supposed to remember... then quickly move into Remembrance Sunday and the related Remembrance Day.
[***] Or twice, depending on how one counts. As we practice with the bells half-muffled on the preceding Thursday, then ring them again that way on Remembrance Sunday. Also, bells are rung muffled or half-muffled at funerals... though I have not yet rung at one of these.
What set last night apart from every other practice of the year is that we rung with the tower bells half-muffled. Each of the eight bell clappers had something resembling a leather kneepad tied to one side. The muffles let each handstroke sound normally, but caused each backstroke to be muted. The result? Our ringing sounded like it was accompanied by an erie spectral echo.
Why was this done? Because in two days, it will be Remembrance Sunday[*,**]. On Sunday morning, rather than ringing to begin the usual Communion service inside of St. Giles Church, we will ring to call people to the [much larger] Remembrance Sunday services -- complete with a multi-faith assortment of speeches and a parade -- that will take place at the war memorial just outside of the church.
This will be the third year that I ring for the Remembrance Sunday services. It is, by far, the largest audience that I ring for all year long. Indeed, even Radio Oxford will be counted amongst those listening. It is also a somber way to transition into Winter, with that sad slow pealing of the bells.
I would not at all be pleased if we always rang with the bells half-muffled. However, as a once-a-year[***] tradition, I would not miss it. It offers both an interesting variation on the sound of our ringing, as well as a tone that fits nicely with the season.
[*] I was rather surprised to see that there were two or three people, out of the sixteen that showed up for last night's practice, who did not know why we were ringing half muffled bells. Apparently, they had not remembered Remembrance Sunday.
[**] Apparently, early November is all about remembering in England. You start with the [much more famous] fifth of November that everyone is supposed to remember... then quickly move into Remembrance Sunday and the related Remembrance Day.
[***] Or twice, depending on how one counts. As we practice with the bells half-muffled on the preceding Thursday, then ring them again that way on Remembrance Sunday. Also, bells are rung muffled or half-muffled at funerals... though I have not yet rung at one of these.
Tags:
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
From:
no subject
Also... Are all the bells muffled on the same side? Using ABCDE for unmuffled bells and abcde for muffled bells, does plain bob doubles begin
ABCDE
badce
BDAEC
dbeac
or like
AbCdE
BaDce
bdAEC
DBeac
Probably the former....
From:
no subject
Also, your first guess as to how the muffles work is the right one.
If you ever come to visit, I simply must bring you to one of the towers where I ring so that you can (a) see it for yourself, and (b) give it a go if you wish. I have brought several P**T***ns on such trips by now, but it does require a trans-Atlantic flight, first!
From:
no subject
1 November is All Saints' Day
2 November is All Souls' Day
5 November is the commemoration of the arrival of William III and Mary II (who thereby reinforced the anti-Catholic tenor of the date)
and many places mark both Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day.
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
Church bells were rung at 11:11 AM on the 11th, but i don't recall them being muffled.
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
http://www.whitepoppy.org.uk/
From:
no subject
Remembrance Day is unknown here.
i believe that as the veterans of WW I died off the custom died with them.
----
Thanks for the link, i like the white poppy idea.
From:
no subject
Even though I have been living here for four Remembrance Days, this is the first time that I have seen one of the white poppies.
From:
On a totally unrelated note...
From:
Re: On a totally unrelated note...
postmail boxes just are plain boring by comparison!In this icon, we are looking at a fairly modern box. The cipher is "E II R" for our current monarch: Elizabeth II Regina.
If you are feeling nostalgic for the UK, though, here are some more interesting post box pictures for you:
This "G R" post box is from the reign of George V (1910 - 1936). However, when I first saw it and noticed it had no number, I assumed it was the cipher of George I (1714 - 1727). Hence the look of shock on my face! *grin* It was only later that I learned about how post boxes began circa 1840 -- during Victoria's reign -- after the "Penny Post Act" made letters affordable to many people. *shuffles feet embarrassed*
Speaking of Victoria, here is a picture of a "V R" post box. This is my favourite post box in Oxford. And, yes, I'm not ashamed to admit that I have a favourite post box! *grin*
From:
no subject
And, while your "current music" (which version of the song, BTW?) is very appropriate, here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlrrAWCTRg) is one that is even more so.
And as long as I seem to be in a link-posting mode... here's (http://www.designtoscano.com/product/garden+statues/extraordinary+statues/british-style+foundry+cast+iron+post+box+-+sp8976.do) something you might consider, should you ever live elsewhere but in the UK ;-)
From:
no subject
Also, thank you for the linkage! I did like the song. Comments on the actual Remembrance Sunday service may be coming up in a future post.
From:
no subject
I had to smile, though, at the thought of "rubber knee pads" on the clappers... ;-)
From:
no subject
[*] Not rubber...
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
You've just reminded me of something else I should have mentioned in my earlier post. Shall post about that in a minute, thanks.
From:
no subject
Now then... when do we get to see you around these parts again? It has been far too long!
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
The weekends of Dec 12 and Dec 19 might be workable for something, though...
From:
no subject