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Dick Deadeye et al

Not the Gilbertian character but rather a ringer of St Margarets Church Leicester during the early 1950’s. Real name Paul Davis, my son Stephen had heard his name mentioned while attending a function at Queniborough and did I know of him ? Well yes, very much so as “Dick” was a member of St Margarets band during the time I rang there, 1952 to 1956. He never progressed from tenor behind and frequently had trouble with the 33 cwt bell, sometimes going completely wrong stroke, meanwhile muttering about the cause of his problems being “the atmospherics” I believe it was Gary Mason who told me “Dick” once sat through a complete peal counting the changes. I suspect he unfortunately suffered from autism.

I have a photograph given to me by Mary Thompson ( nee Carpenter) who during the above period rang at Cossington. I believe this was given to her by the late John Jelley and it shows a group of ringers on the St Margarets outing to Beverley in 1954. I recall our ringing at Beverley St Mary but not unfortunately, the Minster. There are many old friends in this photo, centrally Ernest Morris, ringing master at St Margarets for many years and many faces I recognise of my own generation, John Bramley, Gordon Olliffe, Alan Cattell, Colin Walker, Mary Payne from Syston, while crouched on the front row, Tony Jesson who we first met while on holiday at Mablethorpe in the summer of 1948. Next to Tony is Ted Clements who unfortunately died young. Of the older generation, Tom Bent and just visible old Walter Tanser who told me all about ringing at St Marks.

Not on the photograph is Ted Whitehead, an experienced ringer, brother of Walter with whom I rang a number of peals during this time. The third Whitehead brother was Leonard, known at St Margarets as “Will –o- the Wisp”. “Why,” I enquired of Ernest, “is he known as that?”. Well he replied, “just notice how he comes up, has a ring, speaks to nobody and then disappears hardly noticed”. They were happy days and I recall a number of St Margarets outings in those years, Cambridge in, I think, 1947 or 48, Canterbury, Hereford and if my memory is correct Pershore and Evesham.

I rang my first peal on eight bells at St Margarets, Grandsire Triples on March 1st 1947 conducted by Ernest Morris, Mavis Whitehead ringing No 3, with John Bramley on No 6 and Gordon Olliffe ringing tenor behind, though probably the most memorable was Cambridge Royal rung on November 14th 1953. Conducted by Peter Staniforth from No 2, I rang No 9 with Colin Walker on the tenor. With the fast time of 3 hours 22 minutes, Colin’s hands were badly blistered, not that is seemed to bother him. Going to collect his bike from the yard behind the vergers lodge he encountered that formidable lady, Beatrice, Ernest’s wife. “Any chance of a cup of tea Mrs Morris?” he cheerfully enquired. Her reply is nowhere recorded.

During the past few years I had occasion to go back to St Margarets, first time in the church for many years. I recall a dark and cloudy afternoon and standing at the head of the nave, the place seemed somehow smaller than it had been in my younger life. But then the scene alters and it was again a sunlit Sunday morning, the church filled with the rays of the morning sun. Who is this coming up the aisle, verge in hand and leading the choir? Why it’s dear old Ernest Morris doing what he did for so many years. The vision disappears and with a nostalgic smile I leave the church, park and ride to Kirby Muxloe, and car home to Gedney. As for Dick Deadeye, the inspiration for this article, I imagine he must have passed on like many of the above. If so I can imagine him struggling to ring St Margaret’s tenor of wherever he is still complaining about those appalling atmospherics.

John Bennett

  1. Jack Adams
  2. Ernest Jelley
  3. Joan Adams
  4. Peter Johnson
  5. me
  6. Sid Harrison
  7. Colin Walker
  8. George Hebborn
  9. Mary Carter/Walker
  10. John Bramley
  11. Ernest Payne
  12. Edmund?
  13. Alan Cattell
  14. –
  15. John Bennett
  16. Mary Payne (now Mrs Poyner)
  17. Ann Cattell
  18. –
  19. Barbara Endall (Became Mrs Bennett)
  20. Charles Cattell
  21. Charles Cattell’s wife Winifred
  22. Rev. Peter Etchells (Curate)
  23. Tom Bent
  24. Jean Olliffe
  25. –
  26. Alan Cattell’s mother Edith
  27. Don Clarke
  28. Paul “Dick Deadeye” Davis
  29. Gordon Olliffe
  30. Trevor Still
  31. Walter Tanser
  32. –
  33. Margaret Morris
  34. –
  35. Ernest Morris
  36. Beryl Ayris (now Mrs Hartley)
  37. Tom Bent’s wife
  38. Walter Tansers’s wife
  39. Ted Clements
  40. Tony Jesson
  41. Bill Thornley

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