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.

The Ashton-Under-Lyne Society

Tenor 12 cwt

On Saturday 6 February, 1897, in 2 hours and 59 minutes

A Peal of 5088 Kent Treble Bob Major

Ringers

1. Samuel Wood
2. John Holden
3. George E. Turner
4. Alfred Cross
5. Benjamin Broadbent
6. James Radcliffe
7. James S. Wilde
8. Harry Chapman

Composed by H Dains (see below)

Conducted by Harry Chapman

Footnotes:

Messrs. Chapman, Cross, and Turner belong to Pendleton ; Wood and Broadbent to Ashton-under-Lyne; Holden to Mossley; Wilde to Hyde; and Radcliffe to Saddleworth.
A note to this peal will be found on another page – copied below:-

Notes Peal:- BN 1897 p 567 Composition:- p 565, p 576 and p 605.
Upon the completion of the above peal the band adjourned to The Church inn, where they were entertained to a substantial meal, kindly provided by Mr. John Holden, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all, and they take this opportunity of thanking that gentleman for his kind hospitality. They afterwards joined the local company, when the question was asked whose peal it was, and the figures were produced as a composition by Mr. Henry Dains. Mr. Samuel Wood then stated that it was composed by the late John Thorpe, and that he had called it nearly twenty years ago. Perhaps our friend Mr. Dains can throw some light on the matter as regards the real composer previous to its entry in the Ashton society’s peal-book. The peal is a three-part one in eighteen courses, and was taken from the Oxford Diocesan Guild Report of 1895, page 153