I can remember as a tot, on a hot summer's evening, having been sent to bed at what was then a seemly hour, (when children should be seen, but not heard), so it would have been about 7 pm, and listening, two nights a week, to the bell ringers practicing their various peels for 2 hours or so. This would have been just after the war, and I can remember muttering something about them keeping me awake, to which my mother told me in no uncertain terms that when I was older I would learn to appreciate them, and that after 6 years of silence it was something that every one in the village was enjoying - again. In later years, before joining the navy, I went along to learn "the ropes". Thinking back, I have a feeling that those bells were being rung with a certain gusto that one doesn't often hear today, when perhaps the quality of the ringing is of more importance than enthusiasm ; perhaps the sheer enjoyment of doing something they enjoyed - as if they were sending a message after those long silent years. But the bell that really used to irritate was the Town Hall bell in Bridport - when we lived there for a short period in the late 1940s my bedroom was very close to the clock tower and it never failed to wake me at midnight ;-) Regards Paul On Thu, 12 Jun 2003 11:13:41 +0800, Michael Cheeseman <forever_fossicking@bigpond.com> wrote: >Wow what a fuss > >and to think here in Western Australia our government spent millions on a >glass bell tower to house a set of 14th century London church bells that now >ring every hour. > >I think bells ringing out across the rural countyside is a traditional >aspect >of local history that attracts tourists. Otherwise why would we spend >millions >on them here for that very purpose. > >It amazes me how much history is in the UK and how much it is taken for >granted. >Tourism is a hugh industry and with the Mad Cow disease, US attacks, Bali >bombings, >SARS and terrorist alerts every other day many are realising just how >important a >industry it is these days as numbers of tourists drop to never before seen >levels >and as the money they bring into a country dries up. > >The things that attract us English descendants and many ex pat Brits as well >as >peoples from all over the world to visit the UK are the old traditions, the >heritage, >the atmosphere. I'm sure many would prefer a traditional bell ringing on >holiday, >when many of us are living under a airport flight path, near a busy city >commuter >rail line or near busy heavy traffic roads in hugh cities where the general >busy >city noises are constant and loud. It's the differences compared to where >you live >that making holidays interesting. Why change things to be like everywhere >else. >Wouldn't be any point in visiting Dorset then if it was like back home. > >I saw a show recently where a English town closes it's streets to play a >ball game >through the centre of town for a day. Now you dont see that everyday. I >guess some >though would no doubt complain about that tradition as well. What other >great >traditions are there in Dorset towns. I for one would love to hear about the >sorts of things our ancestors thought nothing of as common everyday things. >Hearing >about them might just entice some to visit Dorset soon one day <g>Id > >Great about the praying in the field 'angelus' bit Geoff. Wonder how many >times >my ancestors went down on their knees on recently plowed dirt to rest their >weiry bones a bit and pray. They must have been thankful for that tradition. >No >lunch or coffee breaks back then, couldn't just go for a quick smoke I'm >sure. The >farmer would have sacked them on the spot. Must have been back breaking >work starting at sun-up and finishing at sun down in all sorts of weather. >Definately >makes you respect the hardships our ancestors went through to create our >pampered >lifestyles today. > >regards > >Michael Cheeseman >Member of the X-Generation or is it a dot.comer >anyway a traditionalist/history nut and mad scientist (odd mix I guess) > > > > > > > > >--- >Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. >Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). >Version: 6.0.488 / Virus Database: 287 - Release Date: 5/06/03 > > >==== ENG-DORSET-LIFE Mailing List ==== >To unsubscribe from ENG-DORSET-LIFE Digest mode send a message to >ENG-DORSET-LIFE-D-REQUEST@rootsweb.com with just the word unsubscribe in the subject line and message body. > >============================== >To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 50.33.50N 02.26.70W http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Naval.html