June Meeting 2007

There was no chance for bands to practise for the striking competition, as a wedding meant that afternoon ringing was transferred to nearby Harpenden. This ground floor eight was enjoyed by all until the Hemel Hempstead band had to dash off to attend to a wedding of their own, leaving the rest of us to pack up and drive to Redbourn for a bit of service ringing.

The vicar, the Revd Will Gibbs, was pleased to welcome us to his church on St Columba’s day, and gave an interesting address on the saint’s life and his relevance to bell ringers. During the last hymn, and particularly during the closing voluntary, we were all very impressed by the volume of the organ, which has recently undergone an overhaul. The organist assured us later that he still had plenty in reserve!

It was a warm afternoon, and we were glad to sit outside the transept, clutching cups of tea, to listen to the first changes of the competition. There were a respectable five bands competing for the trophy, and it was not until about half-way through that pangs of hunger drove us inside to the plates of quiche, salad and home-made cakes. During tea we were able to sneak a look at the judges, John and Cathy Hughes D’aeth, sitting on a bench on the other side of the churchyard, juggling their bits of paper in the sun.

Unwilling to wait too long, we started the business meeting while they were still deliberating, but with miraculous timing they appeared in time to say their piece.

John’s first words were to advise us that, the previous month, Steve Crtawley and David Gambling, in judging the St Albans District Striking Competition, had placed his own band in third place. Luckily, he was not one to bear a grudge! He went on to recall the happier memory of winning his first Kimpton Cup at Redbourn. More seriously, there were some very constructive comments about the bands before the final figures revealed that Flamstead had emerged winners of the Gus Good (Apsley) Trophy, followed by Hemel Hempstead A, Apsley End, Redbourn and Hemel Hempstead B. The first four teams had been very close, hence the lateness of the judges’ arrival for tea. Another closely fought contest – the raffle – raised over £40 for District Funds. Steve Crawley apologised to the vicar in the chair both for the lack of business. and also for the fact that, in the form of the raffle, the Draw Card and the 100 Club, we had had three forms of gambling. The vicar replied that it was no wonder our meetings were so well attended!

The warmth of the evening meant that we could sit in the garden of the Hollybush, where conversation began with wedding ringing, and ranged through wind turbines and pigeons to leather underwear!