A late December afternoon, the run up to Christmas, a cold easterly wind with one hundred percent cloud cover, typical Fenland weather at this time of the year. However seated in an armchair glass or wine in hand with a cheerful glow from our stove, I took out my old stiff covered exercise book in which I recorded some of my peals.
Thinking of past Christmases, and turning the pages my attention focussed on a peal of 5056 Double Norwich Major rung at Anstey on Wednesday, December 27th, 1950, conducted by Redvers F Elkington . The ringers were William A Lacy, David S Harris, Gordon H Arguile, Norman G “Gerry” Macrum, John R Smith, Peter J Staniforth, Redvers F Elkington with myself on the Tenor. Five of the band had been taught by Redvers.
I must have cycled to Anstey because in those days, unlike now, there were no cars, but Gerry Macrum was unique as he was the only one of us who had motorised transport. His bike was equipped with a “Minimotor”, a two stroke 50cc packaged unit which clipped onto the saddle stem and drove the rear tyre via a friction roller. Popular at the time they were colloquially known as “pop-pops.”
During those post war years Redvers used to take promising learners to the cathedral and Peter Staniforth told me of Gerry’s first visit when who should he meet but the formidable figure of Frederick H Dexter who demanded “And what can you ring, a b—– door bell? Had to laugh at this as I was reminded of my sole conversation with Fred when he offered to teach me to ring “even if I had the intelligence of a louse”.
Gerry was not discouraged and subsequently rang a number of peals including four in a day, Superlative, London, Bristol and Cambridge Royal. Conducted by Harold Poole these were rung on December 12th 1949 and included well known ringers, Alan Jaques, Shirley Burton, William “ Bill” Root and Herrick Bowley.
I rang two more peals with Gerry, Yorkshire Royal at Derby, Yorkshire Major at Anstey, the latter on August 28th 1951. After this our paths diverged and I never saw him again though I understand he went on to a distinguished career at Oxford University. He died in October 2013 at an age of 86 years.
The Double Norwich was conducted by Redvers who featured in my “Anstey Interlude” article of 2020. I should add that he possessed a fine musical ear, once telling me “John listen to Beethoven, the master, he’s massive”. Ah dear old Redvers to this day I prefer Mozart. Redvers must have been instrumental in promoting the recasting of Anstey’s No 6, 7 and tenor in 1937. “ And why”, I asked him, “were they recast, poor sound perhaps?” He answered in one word, “Awful”.
Of the band who rang the Double Norwich two of us remain, David Harris and myself. I have a soft spot for Anstey and in my article of 2020 tried to describe life as it was in 1949 and early 50’s’.Most of my friends and acquaintances of those days will have passed on but then that is life. They were enjoyable times.
John Bennett
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