Yorkshire Association
Life Members Day 2014
RW5394:0960
It generally occurs that when The Peak District National Park is mentioned one’s thoughts go to Derbyshire. Whilst the Park is indeed mostly in that County, large parts are however in both South and West Yorkshire and even in Greater Manchester.
Bolsterstone, on the Park’s boundary to the north west of Sheffield, is a solid stone-built and weather beaten village high above the valley of the River Don, with extensive views over wide expanses of the Park. It was the venue for this year’s gathering of the Association’s Life Members on 16th August and about 40 attended, some having come from Yorkshire’s north-east coast at Saltburn and Marske, 100 miles away. The eight bells with their ground floor ring in a solid dark stone tower dominating the skyline as one approaches the village were kept alive all afternoon with hardly a break. The good striking which has come to be expected of ringers who learned their trade 50 or more years ago was in evidence again.
Year after year it’s the same – the Association’s Life members can strike well.
Bands with all ringers aged over 75 rang Surprise Major which would have won a striking contest in most parts of the North. One band of six, all over the age of 80, turned in a well-struck 120 of Grandsire Doubles.
Photo: The Octogenarians
After a Service a splendid tea was consumed and Barrie Dove, the Association’s previous President spoke to the party, the current President sadly not being able to be with us. After that it was homeward bound with Members well satisfied with the quality of their ringing, with a good Yorkshire tea and with the long chats they had enjoyed with their long-time friends.
R.C.
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