In bell ringing, a ‘peal’ is a period of ringing, usually lasting around three hours and with over 5000 changes – all rung from memory of the method ‘blue line’. They are often rung for special occasions and commemorated with boards in towers.

Tenor locwt – iqtr – 6lbs in G

On Sunday loth June 1990. In 2 hours. 42 minutes.

A Peal of Treble Bob Minor. 5040 Changes. 4 Methods

Two extents each of Merchant’s Return. Woodbine & Oxford. One extent of Kent.

Ringers

• Jeffrey Brannan
• Martin Gill
• Arthur Roger’s
• Keith Slater
• Geoffrey Niels
• J Richard Senior

Conducted by Jeffrey Brannan

Rung to Celebrate the 775th Anniversary of the Church. First Peal. Martin Gill.

The peal rung at St. Chad’s Church Saddleworth, on loth June 1990.had been specifically requested by Stanley Cowburn, one of the church wardens, to mark the 775th anniversary of the church.

Stanley himself a regular member of the local band, also requested that Merchant’s Return be included in the peal since he had never heard it rung.

Merchant’s Return (New London) was composed by James Platt, a Saddleworth ringer, who died in 1858 and was buried in a “Ringers Area” of the graveyard, very close to the tower and the bells. His gravestone slab shows, a broken flute and, a bell with it’s wheel and a broken rope, both eloquently depicting that these, his loves, were no longer needed. The slab also has a few bars of music and two pages giving the lead-heads of Oxford Treble Bob and New London. J.B.

The peal band assembled around James Platts grave before the peal. Left to Right:- 1- Jeffrey Brannan. (C) 2-Martin Gill. (first peal) 3-Arthur Rogers. 4- Keith Slater. 5- Geoffrey Nield. 6- J.Richard Senior