Tower Bell Ringing at St Peter’s
The bells are rung on Sunday 9.15 - 10.00am, before Morning Prayer and 5.45 – 6.15 pm before Evensong
Practice Night: Monday 7.00 – 9.00 pm
We are a popular tower and cater for ringers at all levels. Practice nights will usually include ringing from Rounds and Call-Changes to Surprise Major and every station in between. We are affiliated to the St Martin’s Guild of Church Bell Ringers. We have a good relationship with several other local towers (Northfield, Smethwick, Shirley, Birmingham Cathedral, Edgbaston) and many of our ringers overlap.
It isn’t just the ringing though; we are a very sociable tower and regularly hold events that don’t involve ringing or extra extended teaching sessions, using our simulator so that we don’t annoy the neighbours. |
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Clare McArdle - Ringing Master |
You will hear the bells ringing on Saturdays, especially through the summer months, for weddings. We are happy to ring for any special occasion if requested. In return a donation for our Tower Fund, for the upkeep of the bells, would be gratefully accepted.
The only limits we put on ringing is that not more than one Peal attempt is allowed each calendar month, bearing in mind a Peal can take 3 hours. Outside of these Peal attempts and the usual Sunday and Monday ringing, the only extra ringing that occurs is at weddings, visiting ringers ringing the bells for not more than an hour and also Quarter peals (taking about 45 minutes to ring), usually before Sunday service ringing, so starting at about 4.45pm.
Quarter peals can be used to commemorate any event. If members of the congregation have a family member or important event that they would like to remember - please, let us know. If requested we can provide a framed memento of the Quarter peal. At the moment we are ringing Quarter peals in memory of those servicemen who gave their lives during the First World War (see below).
Please contact: Clare McArdle, 0121 6800355, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
, if you would like a Quarter peal dedicated to a special person or event.
Honouring the soldiers of The Great War
From 2014-2018, the bell ringers of St. Peter’s Harborne are going to commemorate the lives of the servicemen who gave their lives during the First World War. We plan to ring for those soldiers from Harborne parish listed in the book of remembrance. We will also be including those who were bell ringers in Birmingham.
Our project, in memory of the soldiers, is to ring“quarter peals” on the Sunday closest to 100th anniversary of their passing. Quarter peals are an extended piece of ringing that lasts around 45 minutes.
Our first quarter peal, commemorating the life of Francis F Lediard. Francis Lediard died on 26 August 1914 at the age of 45. A Private in the Royal Scots’ Second Battalion, his name can be found on the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial in France.
The second quarter peal remembers Stoker 1st Class H Plaskett, Royal Navy. Died 20 September1914.
The third remembers Private George Henry Bolton, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died 21 October1914, age 33.
The fourth remembers Corporal Henry Walter Deeley, King’s Royal Rifle Corps.Died 28/10/1914, age 28.
The fifth remembers both Rifleman Arthur Austin, Rifle Brigade. Died 31/10/1914 and Telegraphist George Clarence King, Royal Navy. Died 03/11/1914, age 21.
The sixth remembers Private Harry Weston, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd Bn. Died 7/11/1914, age 23.
The seventh remembers Private William George Stanley, Worcestershire Regiment, 1st Bn. Died 1/12/1914, age 37.
The eighth remembers Private Harry Walter Walker, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st Bn. Died 07/04/1915.
The ninth remembers Private Ernest Ballard, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st Bn. Died 25/04/1915
and Corporal. T Joiner, Royal Fusiliers, 4th Bn. Died 25/04/1915.
The tenth remembers Rifleman William Robinson, Rifle Brigade, 2nd Bn. Died 09/05/1915, age 20 and Corporal. Albert Edward Stockhall, 3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales’ Own) Died 13/05/1915, age 38.
The eleventh remembers Cpl Samuel Perry, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 1st Bn. Died 16/5/1915, age 30.
The twelfth remembers Pte Arthur Bolton Warr, Australian Infantry AIF, 2nd Bn. Died 29/07/1915, age 28.
The thirteenth remembers Private Robert James Woodward, Worcestershire Regiment, 4th Bn. Died 06/08/1915, age 34.
The fourteenth remembers Private Tom Turner, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 9th Bn. Died 10/08/1915, age 24. Member of St Martin’s Guild and bell ringer at Solihull.
The fifteenth remembers Rifleman William Henry Banner, Rifle Brigade, 11th Bn. Died 17/08/1915 and Private Frederick Harld Chatwin, Dorsetshire Regiment, 5th Bn. Died 19/08/1915.
The forty-first remembers Private John Randolph Brame, Royal Fusiliers, 26th Bn. Died 28/09/1916, aged 32.
The forty-second remembers Private George Parsons, London Regiment, 1st/20th Bn. Died 01/10/1916, aged 33. Bell ringer at SS Thomas and Edmund Erdington and member of St Martin’s Guild. Also Private Harry Francis Rigby, Royal Fusiliers, 26th Bn. Died 04/10/1916, aged 19.
The forty-third remembers Rifleman Bert Warburton, Rifle Brigade, 2nd Bn. Died 22/10/1916, aged 21, Ordinary Telegraphist Wilfred Woodward, Royal Navy, H.M.S. “Genista”. Died 23/10/1916, aged 18 and Private WH Stevenson, Canadian Infantry, 10th Bn. Died 24/10/1916.
The forty-fourth remembers Private Charlie Wilcox, Royal Warwickshire Regiment “C” Coy. 15th Bn. Died 26/10/1916, aged 22 and Private Frank Foster Weston, Dorsetshire Regiment, 6th Bn. Died 31/10/1916, aged 21.
The forty-fifth, rung half muffled on Remembrance Sunday, remembers Private A Connop, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, 1st/4th Bn. Died12/11/1916,
Private Horace Howell, Service No.23964. South Staffordshire Regiment "B" Coy. 2nd Bn. Died 13/11/1916 age 25. Commemorated at Serre Road Cemetery No.1, France, Grave I G 18. Born 07/04/1891. Son of Joseph and Jane Howell of Smethwick, husband of Mary Howell. He worked as a stonemason before enlisting. Bell ringer at Smethwick and St Bartholomew Edgbaston and member of St Martin’s Guild, and
Private Frank Parker, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 11th Bn. Died 14/11/1916, aged 40.
The forty-sixth remembers Private Arthur Charles Mann, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st/8th Bn. Died 29/11/1916, aged 19, Private William Newland, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, 1st/4th Bn. Died 01/12/1916, aged 31 and Private Percy Sears, Army Service Corps, 2nd/1st Field Ambulance. Died 02/12/1916.
The forty-seventh remembers Gunner Frederick Jones, Royal Field Artillery. Died 31/12/1916, aged 26.
The forty-eighth remembers Pantry Boy Arthur John Williams, Mercantile Marine “SS Yola”, Died 28/01/1917, aged 17 and
Private Francis William Veal, Somerset Light Infantry, 1st Bn. Died 29/01/1917, aged 30.
The forty-ninth remembers Private William Winnitt, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st/6th Bn. Died 12/02/1917, aged 20 and Lance Corporal William Arthur Boswell, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 10th Bn. Died 13/02/1917.
The fiftieth remembers Private H Dodd, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st Bn. Died18/02/1917, aged 28.
The fifty-first remembers Quartermaster Serjeant W Walker, Royal Field Artillery, 81st Bty. 5th Bde. Died 23/02/1917, aged 32, Acting Bombadier William Henry Daniels, Royal Field Artillery, C Bty. 66th Bde. Died 25/02/1917 and Private Richard Percy Poole, Worcestershire Regiment, 11th Bn. Died 26/02/1917.
The fifty-second remembers Lieutenant Geoffrey Ewing Orton-Smith, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 6th Bn. attd. 1st/5th Bn. Died 01/03/1917, aged 25, Gunner Fred Parkes, Royal Field Artillery, 337th Bde. Died 04/03/1917, aged 38, Lance Serjeant Leonard William Smith, South Staffordshire Regiment, 1st/5th Bn. Died 14/03/1917, aged 21 and Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Alfred Russell, Royal Navy, H.M.S. Foyle. Died 15/03/1917, aged 26.
The fifty-third remembers Private Roland Harry Perry, South Staffordshire Regiment, 1st Bn. Died 28/03/1917.
The fifty-fourth remembers Corporal Harry Saunders, Royal Engineers, No. 2 Special Coy. Died 07/04/1917, aged 22, Gunner William F Hunt, Royal Field Artillery, C Bty. 170th Bde. Died 09/04/1917, aged 20, Corporal Archibald Pestridge, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 6th Bn. Died 09/04/1917, aged 34 and Lance Corporal Sydney Arthur Ford, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, 6th Bn. Died 10/04/1917, aged 21.
The fifty-fifth remembers Private Henry Morris, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st Bn. Died 17/04/1917, aged 28.
The fifty-sixth remembers Private Edward Winwood, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 10th Bn. Died 28/04/1917, Private Alfred Jordan, Worcestershire Regiment, 11th Bn. Died 28/04/1917, aged 25 and Lance Corporal Henry James Andrews, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 7th Bn. Died 30/04/1917, aged 23.
The fifty-seventh remembers Private Francis William Smith, Machine Gun Corps (Heavy Branch), “D” Bn. Died 03/05/1917, aged 28, Private Ernest Atkins, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd Bn. Died 04/05/1917, aged 24, Gunner Horace John Bartley, Royal Garrison Artillery.
Died 07/05/1917, Private John Newman Connolly, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 14th Bn. Died 07/05/1917, aged 24, and Second Lieutenant Thomas Leslie Nichols, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 15th Bn. Died 08/05/1917, aged 25.
The fifty-eighth remembers Captain Francis George Pecker, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, 7th Bn. Died 18/05/1917, aged 30, Gunner Frank Rose, Royal Garrison Artillery, 121st Siege Bty. Died 19/05/1917, aged 20 and Private Percival Macready, Canadian Pioneers, 2nd Bn. Died 20/05/1917, aged 35.
The fifty-ninth remembers Lance Corporal George Thomas Deeley, York & Lancaster Regiment, 8th Bn. Died 07/06/1917 and Private FT Secker, Royal Fusiliers, 26th Bn. Died 07/06/1917.
The sixtieth remembers Private Walter De Meza, Army Service Corps, Mechanical Transport. Died 09/07/1917, aged 24 and Able Seaman Reginald Stanley, Royal Navy, HMS Vanguard. Died 09/07/1917, aged 21.
The sixty-first remembers Private Benjamin Frederick Thomason, Coldstream Guards, 2nd bn. Died 16/07/1917, aged 26.
The sixty-second remembers Lieutenant Christian Creswell Carver, Royal Field Artillery, “A”Bty. 83rd Bde. Died 23/07/1917, aged 20 and Sapper William Godfrey Jordan, Royal Engineers 204th Field Coy. Died 26/07/1917.
The sixty-third remembers Private Bertram Manns, South Wales Borderers, 10th Bn. Died 31/07/1917, aged 23.
The sixty-fourth remembers Gunner Thomas Field Busswell, Royal Field Artillery, 102nd Bde. Died 05/08/1917, aged 19 and Private Ernest Wall, Worcestershire Regiment, 3rd Bn. Died 06/08/1917, aged 36.
The sixty-fifth remembers Corporal Sydney Charles Goodwin, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st/8th Bn. Died 17/08/1917, aged 24, Corporal William Slater, Royal Field Artillery 103rd Bde. Died 17/08/1917 aged 37 and Private Albert John Acock, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st/6th Bn. Died 18/08/1917.
The sixty-sixth remembers Corporal Frederick John James Collett, Worcestershire Regiment, 2nd8th Bn. Died 28/08/1917, aged 22.
The sixty-seventh remembers Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class John Frederick Dennis, Royal Navy, H.M. S/M “G9”. Died 16/09/1917, aged 31.
The sixty-eighth remembers Lance Corporal William James Exon, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 18th Bn. Died 27/09/1917, aged 32, Private George Warner Cotterell, Australian Pioneers, 5th Bn. Died 30/09/1917 and Private Fred Beer, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 14th Bn. Died 04/10/1917, aged 21.
The sixty-ninth remembers Lance Corporal William James Cook, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 16th Bn. Died 6/10/1917 aged 27, Private Edwin Maule, Worcester Regiment, 1st/7th Bn. Died 9/10/1917, Gunner George Henry Greaves, Royal Field Artillery, 130th Bty. 40th Bde. Died 10/10/1917 aged 24 and Lance Corporal Ernest Lapworth, Coldstream Guards, 4th Bn. Died 11/10/1917.
The seventieth remembers Private Leo Horton Summerfield, Royal Berkshire Regiment, 6th Bn. Died 12/10/1917, aged 37.
The seventy-third remembers Second Lieutenant Leslie Melhuish, Yorkshire Regiment. Died 27/11/1917, aged 21 and Air Mechanic First Class Frederick Wainwright, Royal Naval Air Service, (Westgate). Died 28/11/1917.
The seventy-fourth remembers Private Percy Garfield Gough, Hampshire Regiment, 1st Labour Coy. Died 01/12/1917, aged 34 and Second Lieutenant Fred Daniels, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd/5th Bn. Died 03/12/1917, aged 29. Awarded the Military Cross.
The seventy-fifth remembers Private Charles Albert Wellington, Worcestershire Regiment, 11th Bn. Died 14/12/1917.
The seventy-sixth remembers Gunner Alfred Edwin Meredith, Royal Garrison Artillery, 210th Siege Bty. Died 21/12/1917 and Private George Demeza, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, “B” Coy. 1st Bn. Died 24/12/1917, aged 25.
The seventy-seventh remembers Private Arthur Parkes, Worcestershire Regiment, 2nd Bn. Died 29/12/1917, aged 26 and Corporal William Howard Reeves, Army Service Corps. Died 31/12/1917 aged 42.
The seventy-eighth remembers Captain Victor Baillie Hill, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 6th Bn. Died 15/01/1918.
The seventy-nineth remembers Lieutenant JI Cuffley, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), 61st Bn. Died 31/03/1918, aged 32. Awarded the Military Cross.
The eightieth remembers Private Joseph Charles Adderley, Worcestershire Regiment, 3rd Bn. Died 22/03/1918, Second Lieutenant Samual Leonard Ward, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd/6th Bn. Died 22/03/1918, aged 21. Awarded the Military Cross. Also Private Victor Cartwright, Worcestershire Regiment, 10th Bn. Died 23/03/1918 aged 19. Bell ringer and member of the Worcester and Districts Change Ringing Association. Also Lieutenant William John Shorter, Royal Flying Corps. Died 24/03/1918, aged 20.
The eighty-first remembers Private Henry Frederick Wilkes, Worcestershire Regiment, 11th Bn. Died 6/4/1918, aged 21 and Serjeant Percy Charles Knight, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd/6th Bn. Died 9/4/1918.
The eighty-second was rung in Ipres, Belgium on Sunday 8 April to remember Private William Henry Keys, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd/6th Bn. Died 13/04/1918, aged 38. Bell ringer at St Peter’s Harborne and member of the Worcester and Districts Change Ringing Association.
The eighty-fourth remembers Private Arthur Phipps, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)1st/4th Bn. Died 12/4/1918, aged 19, Private William Henry Keys, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd/6th Bn. Died 13/4/1918, aged 39. Bell ringer of St Peter's Harborne and member of the Worcester and Districts Change Ringing Association, Private John Henry Wall, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st Bn. Died 15/4/1918, Captain WR Mansell, South Staffordshire Regiment, 2nd Bn. Died 16/4/1918 and Private Joseph Charles Yapp, Royal Warwickshire Regiment,10th Bn. Died 19/4/1918, aged 43.
The eighty-sixth remembers Private Joseph Austin, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st Bn. Died 09/05/1918.
The eighty-seventh remembers Corporal William James Crump, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd/7th Bn. Died 11/05/1918, aged 31 and Private Cecil Hadley, South Staffordshire Regiment, 1st/6th Bn. Died 16/05/1918, aged 24.
The ninetieth remembers Private Thomas Merritt Evans Saunders, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st Bn. Died 14/07/1918, aged 33 and Private John Richmond, South Lancashire Regiment, 2nd Bn. Died 15/07/1918.
The ninety-first remembers Private Thomas Herbert Preece, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 15th Bn.
The ninety-fifth remembers Private Harry Smith, North Staffordshire Regiment, “D” Coy. 12th. Died 12/09/1918, aged 39, Private Reginald David Mills, Royal Berkshire Regiment, 8th Bn. Died 19/09/1918, aged 21 and Captain Herbert Grendon Powers, 1st King George’s Own Ghurka Rifles (The Malaun Regiment), Adjt. 1st Bn. Died 19/09/1918, aged 25. Awarded the Military Cross.
The ninety-sixth remembers Private Thomas Shirvington, London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles). Died 29/09/1918, aged 22 and Private Walter Perry, Worcestershire Regiment, 4th Bn. Died 30/09/1918, aged 24.Private Harry Smith, North Staffordshire Regiment,
The ninety-seventh remembers Second Lieutenant Samuel Haynes, Somerset Light Infantry, 4th Bn. Died 04/10/1918 aged 28, Sapper Edgar Bell, Royal Engineers, 447th Field Coy. Died 07/10/1918, Private William Henry Lewis, Wiltshire Regiment, 7th Bn. Died 07/10/1918, aged 21, Rifleman Frank Phipps, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 3rd Bn. Died 08/10/1918, aged 31 and Lieutenant Percy John Leatherland, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), 3rd Bn. Died 10/10/1918, aged 27.
The ninety-eighth remembers Lance Corporal George Joseph Davis, Royal Engineers, 20th (T.F.) Depot, Died16/10/1918, Sapper George Jackson, Royal Engineers, 17th Field Coy. Died 18/10/1918, aged 41, Private Eric Thomas Adams, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 10th Bn. Died 21/10/1918, Private Howard Rose, Army Service Corps. 272nd Coy. Died 23/10/1918, aged 25, Lance Corporal Walter Gossage, Lincolnshire Regiment, 2nd Bn. Died 23/10/1918, aged 38. St Martin’s Guild member and ringer at St Chad’s and Private Albert Thomas Vosper, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd/7th Bn. Died 14/10/1918, aged 28.
The ninety-nineth remembers Private Edward George Day, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry 3rd Bn. Died 05/11/1918, aged 22 and Private D Gilligan, Worcestershire Regiment, 5th Bn. Died 08/11/1918, aged 23.
The Hundreth was rung to mark the centenary of the signing of the Armistice, remembering all those from Harborne who were killed during the First World War.
The hundreth and first remembers Lance Corporal John Frederick Price, Worcestershire Regiment, 1st/7th Bn. Died 16/11/1918, aged 38.
The hundreth and second remembers Gunner Edward Davis, Royal Garrison Artillery,
The hundreth and third remembers Air Mechanic 1st Class John Thomas Bate, Royal Airforce, Salonika Aircraft Park, Greece. Died 18/01/1919, aged 39 and Private F Howe, Royal Army Service Corps, 58th Div. M.T. Coy. Died 20/01/1919.ilitary CrossPrivate Harry Smith, North Staffordshire Regiment,
The hundreth and fourth remembers Air mechanic 2nd Class Edward Henry Carlyon, Royal Airforce, 207th Sqdn. Died 27/01/1919, aged 19 and Corporal Joseph Hodges, Canadian Railway Troops. Died 31/01/1919, aged 30.
The hundreth and fifth remembers Gunner Charles Dewsbury Cope, Royal Garrison Artillery, 115th Heavy Bty. Died 21/02/1919, aged 28, Gunner Frank Hubert Warr, Royal Garrison Artillery, 544th Bty. Died 21/02/1919, aged 34, Private William Ariel Farmer, Royal Army Service Corps. Died 24/02/1919, aged 32 and Private Edward Lovekin, Royal Army Service Corps. Died 27/02/1919, aged 24.
Private Reginald David Mills, Royal Berkshire Regiment,
8th Bn. Died 19/09/1918, aged 21
Captain Herbert Grendon Powers,
1st King George’s Own Ghurka Rifles (The Malaun
Regiment), Adjt. 1st Bn. Died 19/09/1918, aged 25.
Awarded the Military Cross
To hear St Peter's bells click here. It is part of a Yorkshire Surprise Major peal rung on 10 April 2011.
For further information on St. Peter's Bells, click here.
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