Bob Crighton is one of five Representatives that the Guild has on the Central Council of Church Bellringers (CCCBR) whose roles encompass:
1. To act as a conduit between the Guild and the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers (CCCBR)
2. To relay and explain policy changes decided/being considered by the CCCBR
3. To represent the Guild at meetings of the CCCBR, vote at those meetings in line with the views of the Executive and report back upon the business conducted at such meetings
Bob learned to ring age 14 on the 6 at St Nicholas’ Guisborough in N Yorkshire, ringing “The First 12” as call changes from cards – which turned out to be plain hunt! Meeting a visiting band one day opened his eyes to the fact that there was rather more to ringing. At Leicester he became Master of the University band and rang on the fine 12 of St Margaret’s with the likes of Andrew Wilby, John Jelley and Kingsley Mason , following which he was elected a member of the Ancient Society of College Youths.
A naval career meant his ringing over the next 20 years was rather sporadic, however it ranged from ringing in Devon call change competitions to ringing at Bushey with such giants of the Exercise as Roger and Kath Baldwin, Chris Woolley and Harold Cashmore. At this time he met John Mayne, another ringing legend, and rang in his peal band for a while. Upon leaving the Royal Navy, he and his wife, Lynne, settled in Guildford and for the next 26 years rang at Guildford Cathedral.
He has twice ‘given up’ peal ringing, but when they moved to Dorset on retirement his peal ringing took on a new lease of life, especially having met up again with Mike Mears with whom he had rang peals in Devon. Upon moving to Child Okeford, he initiated and led a project to obtain “new” lighter, more tuneful bells for the village and he now runs the practices there, which are attended by ringers from 6 neighbouring towers. In 2022 he was elected Chairman of the East Dorset branch, having served on the committee for the previous 4 years.
