Bells ring out for Platinum Jubilee

Six members of the Knaresborough Guild of Bell Ringers rang 1260 Changes of spliced Double but the event had special meaning for one of the bell ringers.

“I am the only one of the band who is old enough to remember the Queen’s Coronation in 1953,” said Derrick McRobert.

“I got a prize in a fancy dress competition at Gargrave where I was born.

“It was a very wet day and the show in London seemed miles away and we didn’t have a television.

“My brother had decorated his bike in red, white a blue crepe paper but all the colours run in the rain.”

Sunday’s bell ringing marked the 70th anniversary of the death of King George VI and the start of the Queen’s reign.

For the Knaresborough ringing, Derrick McRobert was on the treble, ringing a regular pattern and Matt kept time on the tenor, the other four rang Plain Bob, St Simons, St Martins and St Osmund’s.

“St Simons, St Martins and St Osmunds are variations of each other so it is very difficult to remember which method you are in, especially when splicing as they change in mid-pattern,” explained Derrick.

“Luckily the ringing room at St John the Baptist’s church​ is quite large but masks were replaced for relaxing afterwards,” explained Derrick.

He added that a symbol of the times we live in were recorded on a picture taken on the day.

“We thought we should remain masked as it acts as an historical marker to show how the Covid pandemic continues to affect our lives.”

The ringers, who are all regular Sunday service ringers at St John’s, are now practicing a method called Platinum Anniversary, to be played in the summer, to mark the Coronation anniversary.

Derrick added: “I am finding it difficult as it doesn’t seem to be related to anything we know we can ring, but we still hope to be proficient by June.

* Share your memories and pictures of the Queen’s Coronation in 1953. And send details of events you are organising to mark the Platinum Jubilee. Email: [email protected]