The Union Flag was hoisted at 08.00 on the morning of the Coronation and the St Lawrence bell ringers rang from 09.45 until 10.30. We were joined by ringers from other towers as our home band is now sadly depleted. A few months ago there was publicity from the Central Council of Bell Ringers to encourage new ringers to learn in time to ‘Ring for the King’ at the Coronation. We had three volunteers who responded. Our tower captain, Alison Clayton, and a very experienced teacher, Pat Davidson, worked with them at Monday practice and special intensive sessions on Saturday mornings. The result was that the new ringers were able ring rounds with us on Coronation Day. This was a tremendous effort and congratulations to them and their hard working teachers. The new ringers will hopefully build our band back to the size it was before Covid.
The experienced ringers rang a call change sequence of 48 changes that was used at the 1953 Coronation. It was great to be able to do this as it provided a link to our bell ringer predecessors who rang the same thing 70 years before. The whole team – beginners, teachers and experienced ringers – are shown in the photo. One of the home team, Martin Birt, had commemorative mugs produced using this photo which he gave to everybody in the picture.
