Stanley R Gardner 28.04.1929 – 16.03.2026

With the passing of Stan, Kirby Muxloe has not only lost a great friend but also someone who served the church community and ringing across 7 decades. 

Stan learnt to ring at Groby in 1943 along with his brother Terry and twin brothers Derek and Dennis Dodson. This was during the second World War when ringing was restricted. All the bells were tied and rung silent, black out curtains were also used. All the learners made quick progress and he use to tell of the delight when later in 1943 when the ringing ban was lifted and they could actually hear the bells for the first time! All four new recruits joined the Midland Counties Association of Change Ringers in 1944. They were then all Founder Members of the Leicester Diocesan Guild in 1946. 

Stan progressed quickly into method ringing and then into peal ringing with which he rang a total of 31 peals. His first peal was 4th November 1944 Kent Treble Bob Major at Anstey (alongside Terry, Derek and Dennis), a remarkable achievement. From this peal he went on to ring several peals with Redvers Elkington, tower captain at Anstey. Many of these were with notable Leicester ringers of that time such as Ernest Morris, Harold Poole, Ernest Rawson and Dorothy Udale. His neat handling style, bell striking ability and method ringing competency was picked up early in his ringing career and was still good well into his 90’s. He was a very reliable ringer hardly ever going wrong. He enjoyed good striking and would make light comment after a not too great piece of ringing to let you know he was listening! His peal ringing included several peals of Multi Method Minor with the mathematical genius Roland Beniston. These were at Copt Oak. Each week 5 additional methods were added cumulating in his final peal of 105 Minor methods, the first time this had been done on tower bells. Stan use to say he rang the treble, had no idea what the others were ringing, just kept his head down and dared not go wrong!! Stan was a committed family man and peal ringing was put on hold after this to bring up 3 children.

Stan moved to Kirby Muxloe in 1958 where he joining the local team at the church ringing on, what was then, 5 bells. Realising that Stan was a great asset to the tower he was quickly asked to take on the Tower Captain‘s job which he did without hesitation in 1960. The local ringers raised the money to install and augment the 5 bells to 6 and this was completed in 1972. Stan’s last peal, as it turned out, was on the 5 bells just before the installation of the new treble took place. He remained as Tower Captain until 2021. A handbell quarter peal was rung in his back garden in 2020 to celebrate 60 years as tower captain at Kirby Muxloe. Throughout the 60 years he made everyone in the tower welcome and was very encouraging to all abilities. He enjoyed the ‘Court‘ methods from his early peals and his favourite was Stedman which was always rung on a Sunday. He was always fun to be around and offered so much to the church community as a whole over the 60+ years. He will be very sadly missed.

RIP

Mark Pendery
Tower Captain, Kirby Muxloe