Parish of Leesfield: BELLRINGING COMMEMORATIONS

Tuesday 20 September 2016

BELLRINGING COMMEMORATIONS

Last Saturday 3rd September 2016 another quarter peal was rung at St. Thomas, Leesfield, Lees on the 100th anniversary of two more of our former members who fell in the Great War. We were joined by ringers from Oldham, Halifax, West Haughton, Heptonstall and Spitalfields, London. (Details are shown below). We were especially delighted to meet Mr. Alan Regin, Steward of the Rolls of Honour, from London who had brought, to show us, two books of remembrance, leather bound with pages made from vellum that are normally kept in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The first book produced in 1920 cost £25 and contains the names of the bellringers from Great Britain who died. However, the book was full and more names that were missing needed to be added. Alan, who has been researching for more information about the ringers, had the second book commissioned. This cost approx. £4,800. The names are shown in alphabetical order and further names can be added if required.
Alan told us that, apart from a tower in the northeast of England, Leesfield had the second largest number of ringers from one tower who fell during the Great War 1914 - 1918.
N.B. The first page of the book (shown right) shows the names of the battlefields and the bell ropes intertwined with barbed wire.
Later that day a full peal was rung at St. Mary the Virgin, Oldham and was dedicated to the former Leesfield ringers.
Many thanks to Mr. Derek Thomas for making all the arrangements.

Private Tom Schofield of the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) 1st/7th Bn. Service No. 305780 who died 03/09/1916 aged 20 during the battles for Pozierers Ridge
He is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, France, (Pier and Face 6A and 6B)
Born 27/06/1896. Son of James and Sarah Schofield of Lees. He worked as a House Painter before leaving for France, initially Boulogne, on 14th April 1915.
Born: Lees, Lancashire. Enlisted: Uppermill. Resided: 1911 Census, 106 High St Lees Lancs.

Private Thomas Gibson, Died 09/09/1916 age 26. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment 1st/4th Bn. Service No. 202773. Commemorated at Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, France, Grave XVIII. A. 5. Son of Thomas and Mary Ann Gibson. Resided: at 15 Church Street, Lees. He worked as a Minder at Lees Union Mill before joining up, initially in the Manchester Regiment, Service Number 4756, then the King’s Liverpool Regiment before transferring to The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Born: Leigh, Lancs. Enlisted: Oldham, Lancs.

The other former ringer who we rang a quarter peal for last year to commemorate the centenary of his death on August 21st 1915 was Private John Binns age 30. Commemorated at the Helles Memorial, Turkey. Panel 117 to 119. He served in the 8th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) Service Number 12149. Son of Mrs. Hannah Binns at 31 Oldham Road, Springhead. Born: Keighley, Yorks. Enlisted: Keighley. Resided: Oldham, Lancs.

Peal & Quarter Details:

Lancashire Association	Lancashire Association	Lancashire Association
Leesfield, Lancashire	Oldham, Lancashire	Leesfield, Lancashire
St Thomas	St Mary the Virgin	St Thomas
Saturday 3 September 2016	Saturday 3 September 2016	Friday 21 August 2015
in 48m (14-0-8)	in 3h11m (15-0-0)	in 48m (14-0-8)
1260 Grandsire Triples	5024 Bristol Surprise Major	1260 Plain Bob Minor
	Composed: James W Holdsworth (no.3)

1 Liz Dent (Leesfield)	1 Derek J Thomas (Oldham)	1 Helen Rigby (Newhey)
2 John M Thurman (Halifax)	2 Lee Pinnington (unattached)	2 Jack Whitehead (Leesfield)
3 James E Andrews (West Haughton)	3 James E Andrews (West Haughton)	3 C Phillip Hope (Newhey)
4 Brian Hayes (Leesfield)	4 Neil J Murray (Halifax)	4 Brian Hayes (Leesfield)
5 Derek J Thomas (C) (Oldham)	5 George H Campling (Heptonstall)	5 Eric Whitehead (Leesfield)
6 George H Campling (Heptonstall)	6 Geoffrey R Gardner (Hazel Grove)	6 Derek J Thomas (C) (Oldham)
7 Alan Regin (Spitalfields,London)	7 Alan Regin (Spitalfields,London)
8 Eric Whitehead (Leesfield)	8 John M Thurman (C) (Halifax)