QP Weekend 19th-21st May 2006

The first quarter of the 2006 Quarter Peal Weekend, on the Friday, was successful - Plain Bob Triples conducted by Mike Purday at Histon, with some very good ringing. Tim received a special mention from the Conductor for ringing the tenor well. An excellent start!

On Saturday it was raining, which meant that the person detailed to unlock Rampton church had not arrived. But he was prevailed upon to do so, and a quarter peal of Plain Bob Minor was duly rung. Congratulations to Helen on her first of Minor as Conductor. Meanwhile, at Oakington, a band including our friend Evelyn, former Ringing Master at Histon, rang Cambridge Surprise Minor, conducted by Phil Bailey.

The sun came out briefly for our coffee break in the Orchard tea garden at Grantchester, and we all had a good chat. The "band" here was Paul, Mike Davies, Evelyn, Anice, Phil, Dee, David and Chris N. After that we rang Lincolnshire Surprise Major on the lovely bells at Trumpington, conducted by Paul. This was Helen's first of plain Lincolnshire, although she had previously rung it in spliced.

We split up for lunch; one small party went to the Green Man in Grantchester with Evelyn and Len, and a smaller party went to the Queen's Head in Newton. Then two quarters were rung concurrently: Plain Bob Doubles conducted by Mike Davies at Barton, and Norwich Surprise Minor (another first for Helen) at Harston, conducted by Paul.

Finally we rang Cambridge Surprise Major at Fulbourn, conducted by Mike Purday. This was Will's first of Suprise Major inside, so many congratulations to him.

The day was nicely rounded off with a drink in the Red Lion, a curry in the Indian Ocean, and another drink in the Red Lion. We were Chris and Jeremy, Des, Tim, Mike Davies, Mike Purday, Helen, Chris Northeast.

On Sunday a band went to St Edward, King and Martyr in Cambridge to ring Grandsire Doubles, conducted by Will. This was Will's first of Grandsire as Conductor, so congratulations to him. It nearly did not happen, because of a diary problem in the church, and we were expecting to be asked to stop ringing at any moment.

Finally, at Histon, Chris Northeast called a quarter of Grandsire Triples, her first Triples as Conductor. Again there was some excellent ringing, a fitting end to an extremely successful weekend, with one hundred per cent success rate. Well done, everybody!

Thanks are due to all the towers for the use of the bells, and to everyone who gave up time on Saturday to let us in. Special thanks to Mike Purday and Paul for keeping the ringers and two of the novice conductors in order. It was splendid that so many people (twenty, I believe) were able to take part.

Chris Northeast, 23 May 2006.