Ringing the Changes is a phrase often used by the general public in every-day life, and especially by some who wish to appear witty or clever, but to whom, as a rule, if a question be put as to its meaning, or proper application, it is seen in a moment that such knowledge is either too great or too small for them—in fact, that they know nothing at all about it. The lack of this special knowledge is easily traced to its origin; for how many schoolboys ever have a sum or exercise in the rule of permutation? Many, if not most, boys on leaving their studies and school would, it is believed (or as has been tested to some extent), be found utterly ignorant both of its use or practice. They may have learnt that it is the changing or varying the order of things; and that to multiply all the given terms or numbers the one into the other the last product will be the number of changes required—as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6:—

Thus 2 bells (they may learn) produce 2 changes, 3=6, 4=24, 5=120, 6=720, and so on. They may have had the old tale told, and the old and often single, as well as singular, question put to them in this rule:—A young scholar, coming into town for the convenience of a good library, demands of a gentleman with whom he lodged what his diet would cost for a year, who told him £10; but the scholar, not being certain what time he should stay, asked him what he must give him for so long as he should place his family (consisting of six persons beside himself) in different positions every day at dinner? The gentleman, thinking it would not be long, told him £5, to which the scholar agreed. What time did the scholar stay with the gentleman? Which, as a matter of simple multiplication, is very easy to answer—5,040 days. And even the other, and most likely last question, may have been put, viz.:—How many changes may be rung upon 12 bells, and in what time would they be rung once over, supposing 10 changes may be rung in a minute, and the year to contain 365 days 6 hours?—Answer: 479,001,600 changes in 47,900,160 minutes, or 91 years 3 weeks 5 days 6 hours.

Either of these examples may be very easy so far, but as to the practical part of working them out in any performance in every-day life is quite another matter, and it is left for the schoolboy to wait or to forget all about both the rule and the figures, unless he comes to see its workings in the steeple or the fireside, upon the church or the musical hand bells, he would, perhaps, never see it necessary to prove by practice, attention, thought, and care that which is multiplied and multiplied, and left on the slate with astonishment, without any good or lasting effect either upon the mind or the senses. The Rev. Mr. Wigram very well shows a supposed case of persons changing positions upon steps, ascending and descending in method or order, as an example of permutation. But the positions or places may be made or taken, and the rule worked out for amusement and practice at the breakfast or dinner table, where there may be several persons meeting repeatedly. And in this it is not more astonishing than it is amusing to see the zest and interest given and taken by a boy of only eight years of age in its practice, when once fairly explained and started, cultivating both memory, thought, and interest in a fixed plan until it is accomplished, by no means an unimportant trait in character (for how many begin a task with zest, and falter or never finish, is abundantly seen). Such, in a higher sense, is the effect of change ringing on bells, where, beyond the changing places at a table, the sense of hearing and the practice of time or order are added to those of sight and touch.

Three questions naturally suggest themselves to the student at the very outset of the art of change ringing upon church bells, viz.:—

Now the first two of these questions are so well answered at a glance by the tabulated form prepared by Mr. Troyte, in his work on change ringing, and by other books, and are so easily computed by the method of calculation as is shown a few lines back, and reckoning either 20, 24, or 28 changes per minute, as may be deemed most convenient to the performer; so that all that is left for such a work as this is to answer in a very simple way, the third question—How to do it?

Change ringing on bells, then, is to be accomplished just as all other arts or studies, not by seeking to take the monitor’s place at first, but by taking the lowest place on the lowest form, and by giving attention to every lesson or hint that can be gathered from others, commencing as with the alphabet, and then proceeding to spell or to compose. And for this there can be no better plan than to note upon paper the changes which may be made with from 2 to 4 bells, assuming that one, which may be represented by a cross, star, or other mark, is the bell which the student takes to move, vary, or change. Whether he takes the position of 1, 2, or any other number, No. 1, in a ring of church bells, is always that with the highest note, and in this way it will be plain, first, to presume that there are 2 bells, and the reader takes the second, upon which there are, as he knows already as shown, but two changes; he will write thus—

and then, when in the tower, try it on the actual bells. On no account, however, run out of time, and jangle or clatter them, as some are endeavouring purposely to do, À la Rome, in the present day. Then sit down, write out and commit to memory the changes on 3 bells, still assuming that No. 2 bell is in hand, thus:—

This will be seen is easy to write and easy to remember, as Mr. Troyte shows the method or order to be to always change places at every move, variation, or round after starting with the one who struck after you in the previous move. Thus No. 1 was first followed by X, then 1 takes X’s place, 1 is then followed by 3, consequently 1 immediately changes place with 3 and goes to the bottom or behind, X being at that time in the original place of 1, or at the lead, she changes in with 3, and is followed by 1; X now being the changing bell, takes the place of 1, and comes to the bottom or behind, 3 being at the lead; 3 then begins to change as the others did, and so the peal comes round. The moving bells are said in this to be hunting, which holds good in whichever order the moves are made, either up or down. Then the six changes might be written, learnt, and tried in the other form, thus:—

This will be seen to be what is referred to, and known as hunting down and up; the last bell here takes the position of the one before it, until it comes to the top or lead, and then returns to its original position, striking in after the one who struck next following in the preceding move. Now, this hunting up and down is the basis of all change ringing, and should be practised in just the same way upon 4, 5, 6, or 8 bells before any other method be tried; in fact it would be well for any young ringers to thoroughly master the method of hunting, upon either musical hand bells or church bells, beginning with the 6 changes on 3 bells, and become proficient in these before 4 be attempted, and when hunting on 4 be mastered, try 5, and so on, progressing to 8 in hunting alone. Of course, when the musical hand bells are used, it will be well to take but one in the right hand and strike either at hand or back stroke, as would be done upon the larger bells in the belfry in ringing; the hand stroke on the musical hand bells being up and the back stroke being down. It would be also well to change places from time to time, not always taking No. 1 or No. 2 position, but changing positions and bells with your friends, at times taking No. 4, 6, 8, or otherwise, but in the tower take the one or other most suited to the strength of the student. This method of changing or hunting is supposed to be that which was first discovered, and, without doubt, is the easiest for any beginner, as also it is the safe and sure road to the other methods of changing. Our advice is, go slowly but surely, and so progress and succeed.

Such being the case, and such advice being followed, in order to introduce another bell for practice, the easiest plan to adopt is to work out the same changes as has been previously given for three bells, and to place the fourth bell to strike last in each move, thus:—

In this it will be very convenient to place the latest or dullest scholar, if there be one, to the fourth bell, who will simply strike in at the close of each move or change of those before him, and will count the time of his pulling to himself, as 1. 2. 3. 4—1. 2. 3. 4, so as to strike his bell in time or order in the fourth place as long as may be mutually agreed upon. Then it would be well to try a simple plan for every bell to make a change, following the rule, viz., to strike from the lead or first position after the one which previously followed, thus:—

And after this being practised and mastered, the usual method of plain hunting on four bells will come easy, in which the lead and last bells each begin to change after the first move, the one up and the other down, at the hand stroke, and the two middle bells cross at the back stroke, thus:—

Then it would be well to confine the attention to 4 bell ringing, or singles, as it is termed, in the other and more advanced method known as dodging, which is a move of positions, as Banister says, in which a bell is made to stop in its hunting course, return back one place, and then proceed as before. This should be thoroughly understood and mastered before 5, 6, or 8 bells be even tried. The number of changes which may be produced—

With this wide field, it is easy to realize the scope for the pleasure, the exercise, and the skill there may be to those who are disposed to give the time, the study, the attention, and the practice the art deserves.

The student, taking the syllabus, and proceeding in the following order:—

• 1. Learn the names and the uses of the parts of the bell and fittings.
• 2. Learn to handle the rope and to ring, with clapper tied fast to prevent nuisance.
• 3. Learn to ring in rounds.
• 4. Learn to hunt or plain course work or singles.
• 5. Learn to dodge.
• 6. Learn place making.
• 7. For 5 bells learn bob double, grandsire doubles, and Stedman’s doubles or methods in order as given.
• 8. For 6 bells learn bob minor, grandsire minor, treble bob minor.
• 9. For 7 bells learn bob triples, Stedman’s triples.
• 10. For 8 bells learn bob major; treble bob major.
• 11. For 10 bells learn grandsire caters.
• 12. For 11 bells learn grandsire cinques.
• 13. For 12 bells learn treble bob maximus.

The various methods for making the changes or varying the positions are described, and are worked out in the Books by Messrs. Troyte, Hubbard, Banister, and others.

With such writings on these, more intricate and advanced methods, so well compiled, so much appreciated, and so easily obtained, giving all the technical words, and names, in the change ringing art, showing so plainly the rules for bringing round the peal to its starting position, through the many variations and changes, it is needless in such a production as this to say more than to refer the student at once to those Works, and to wish him every success. Desiring only to lead such onward, to the further study and practice of this healthy and fascinating art, with many apologies for humble efforts, and, doubtless, many mistakes, at the same time craving the forbearance of the masters of the art, the Writer desires to stand and to subscribe himself as

The Students’ Well Wisher.

The thanks of the Writer are tendered to T. North, Esq., for permission to use extracts from his “Bells of Leicestershire;” to Messrs. Warner & Sons for the use of their several woodcuts; to the Rev. H. T. Ellacombe and Mr. H. W. Haley for several hints of interest which are embodied by permission in the foregoing pages.

BOOKS PUBLISHED ON
BELLS AND BELL RINGING,
WHICH CAN BE OBTAINED OF
J. WARNER & SONS, LONDON.

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS, &c.,
UPON THE “A B C OF MUSICAL HAND BELL RINGING.”

From the Ironmonger, August, 1874.

The ABC of Hand-Bell Ringing. By Alpha Beta. London: M’Corquodale & Co., and J. Warner & Sons.

This little work is of considerable interest, as it comprises short notes for young beginners, and a collection of easy tunes, arranged in an easy form for the use of persons not possessing a knowledge of musical notation; and also a short insight into the principles of change ringing. Those of our readers who supply bells, and are occasionally asked for information on ringing, could not do better than secure a copy of this little pamphlet.

From the Record, August 3rd, 1874.

Hand-Bell Music.—Few of the novel performances of the present day have given more pleasure than those of the band called the “Royal Hand-Bell Ringers.” This department of music has been systematised in a manual entitled The A B C of Musical Hand-Bell Ringing, published by M’Corquodale & Co., Cardington Street, N.W. This manual, and several other books on bells and bell ringing, may also be obtained at the bell-founding firm of Warner & Sons, Crescent, Cripplegate, London, E.C.

From Church Bells, July 25th, 1874.

Hand-Bell Music.—We have been favoured with a copy of a tractate just issued by M’Corquodale & Co., for 1s., entitled The A B C of Musical Hand-Bell Ringing. It is just the thing which was wanted for young beginners. We have much pleasure in recommending it. It is also to be obtained of John Warner & Sons, of the Crescent Foundry, who offer to send post free their New Bell Catalogue, which they say every clergyman ought to have.

From Church Review, August 8th, 1874.

A great many of our readers will be much interested by a tract on the A B C of musical hand-bell ringing, etc. It seems to be a complete manual upon the subject, with exercises and rules for beginners, and no doubt before long a set of hand bells will be as familiar in a drawing-room as the indispensable pianoforte. To all who take an interest in the science of campanology this little book will be very acceptable.

From Church Bells, September 19th, 1874.

Chimes at Hampstead.—A correspondent writes that “an awful bungle” is produced by the chimer who attempts tunes. He would learn a better way if he would purchase for 1s. (which we would advise him to do for the good of trade), the clever “A B C” elementary brochure lately issued by Messrs. Warner of Cripplegate. As for ourselves, we don’t like chiming tunes for services; plain chiming in regular succession is the correct way.—Ed.

5, Crown Street, Chorley, Lancashire, October 11th, 1874.

Messrs. J. Warner & Sons, London.

Dear Sirs,—I received your book on Wednesday, with thanks. As a hand-bell ringer I have already found it to be the most simple and useful book a young or experienced ringer can obtain for commencing practice.

Peter Bundle

JOHN WARNER & SONS,