The Crawford Cup Sriking Competition

David Stainsby, Master of the Ringers, reports that there was celebration amongst the bellringing fraternity at St Peter’s recently when on Saturday 5th May 2001 its band came first in the Finals of the Crawford Cup Striking Competition.

The Crawford Cup was presented to the North Notts. Association (of bellringers) in 1927 by Arthur Crawford of Rampton, in memory of his father Charles Crawford of Laneham, and was competed for by towers from North Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. The Southwell Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers was formed in 1946 and eventually in the early 1960s the Cup was open to all towers in the Guild.

There are now six districts which each year hold heats and the winners and runners up go forward to the final held in May, which this year was at St Mary’s, Clifton. Each team rings 360 changes of a method chosen by themselves and an independent judge marks each team for faults in regularity of striking and method.

St Peter’s have entered a team for many years and previously had achieved second place on one occasion, but this year were awarded first place, much to their pleasure and satisfaction. For the technically minded, the St Peter’s band rang 360 changes of Plain Bob Minor and comprised:

  • Treble Sylvia Semken
  • 2 George Dawson
  • 3 David Stainsby
  • 4 Michael Semken
  • 5 Michael Poppleston (conductor)
  • Tenor Peter Hayward

The splendid silver trophy was accepted from the judge by David Stainsby.

In retrospect it is worth remembering that the pleasure of winning is in no small way due to the other teams ringing who make the contest possible.

David Stainsby, Master of the Ringers


http://www.stpetersnottingham.org/misc/crawfordcup.html
© St Peter's Church, Nottingham
Last revised 2nd June 2001