ASCY Tour to New Zealand and Australia Part 4

Diary of the Touring Party Part 4
(Up to the minute news from Down Under. Larger pictures will be available once the tour is over.)
Wednesday 24th - Friday 26th September

Wednesday 24th September

After another early start, the party met outside the hotel to leave for the airport. There were a few farewells and photographs as Bernard, Helen and Peter (Gardner) took their leave. On the plane to Adelaide, some were rather disconcerted when the strict South Australia quaranteen laws were read out. Michael Moreton felt obliged to yield the couple of mandarin oranges he had stowed away from the Quantas breakfast, and the whole aircraft reeked of banana as David Rothera tucked into the remains of his stash ("no point it going to waste..."). The airline stewardess then advised that the laws in Western Australia are much more strict, and that nuts were not permitted to enter Perth. The Master feared for his Yorkshire Sixteen band! At the airport, the ASCY were welcomed to Adelaide by David Bleby. There was then a short trip in a coach where the driver gave a running commentary about the history of Adelaide and pointed out some of the sights en route.

ADELAIDE, South Australia
Cathedral of St Francis Xavier
Tenor: 28-2-1 in C sharp
Wed 24^th Sept 2003 in 3h 24
5040 Yorkshire S Maximus
Composed by Mark B Davies
1 Keith G Game
2 Peter C Randall
3 Dickon R Love
4 Michael P Moreton
5 David E Rothera
6 Gwen Rogers
7 Fr David A Gibbons
8 J Roderick N Lebon
9 Philip Rogers
10 David J Baverstock
11 Simon J L Linford (C)
12 Derek J Thomas

Once settled in the hotel, it was only a few hours before it was time to congregate at the recently completed Roman Catholic Cathedral of St Francis Xavier. A short period of general ringing prior to a mass allowed the peal band to adjust their ropes and the others to grab the tower. Phil Goodyer was also able to go upstairs and adjust some of the trap doors, etc to optimise the acoustics as best he could. The peal began straight after mass at 6:20pm (which was fortunately early) so the time constraint of finishing at 10pm was not too much of a problem. A good peal was scored and thus the Society completed peals at all the 12 bell towers in the Southern Hemisphere on the tour.

Thursday 25th September

Thursday morning was a leisurely one and people were able to explore the City of Adelaide. The main ringing engagement of the day was at St Peter's (Anglican) Cathedral - at 41 cwt, it is the heaviest tenor in the Southern Hemisphere and the second heaviest ring of 8 in the world (after Sherborne Abbey in Dorset). They also proved to be one of the finest sounding rings anywhere! A few courses of Stedman Triples were rung prior to a peal attempt to allow others to grab the tower.

085.jpg (11191 bytes)

ADELAIDE, South Australia
Cathedral of St Peter
Tenor: 41-1-0 in C
Thurs 25^th Sept 2003 in 3h 34
5040 Grandsire Triples
Composed by J J Parker (12-part)
1 Keith G Game (C)
2 Peter Randall
3 Michael P Moreton
4 J Roderick N Lebon
5 Dickon R Love
6 Philip Rogers
7 Fr David A Gibbons
8 Derek J Thomas

The peal band got together and rang some rounds to check the rope lengths. It was immediately apparent that there was something wrong with the tenor rope as the sally kept jumping dangerously at the bob. It was soon realised that the sally was getting stuck in the garter hole (well, tube in fact). Phil Rogers was on the tenor and declared that there was no way we were going to ring a peal with this happening. Derek Thomas then had a go at ringing the bell but the same thing kept happening. During these trials, Michael Moreton kept trying to explain how the bell should in fact be rung ("well this is how we deal with these things in Hereford...") so he was given the opportunity to put his theories into practice - but not even he could control the bell without the sally jumping out of his hands. Time was racing on. David Bleby popped down to see the Dean to ask whether the peal could be attempted the following evening instead. Since the neighbourhood had been leafleted about the peal (the leaflet had promised that the ringing would be of an unusually high standard!) the Dean was keen to keep the attempt to the original evening, although he was flexible about the timing. Plan B was therefore put into operation and the original tenor rope (which was somewhat thinner) was replaced on the tenor, and the sally sited slightly lower. This did the trick and the bell rang beautifully. This had all taken so much time it was decided to abandon the method choice of London and to go for Grandsire Triples: Keith Game volunteered to call Parker's 12-part. Before the peal started Phil Rogers made a special point of turning round a picture frame that had a line of Grandsire Triples inscribed on it to ensure it didn't constitute a visual aid! The peal was duly rung, and very good it was too. It was a particular pleasure to hear Queens come up in the last course amongst some really excellent ringing.

After a couple of pints in the Queen's Head round the corner from the cathedral (where the landlord asked Phil Rogers, Keith Game and Father David whether "you would like any more beer boys"), most of the party went back to David and Elizabeth Bleby's house for more refreshment and pizza's.

Friday 26th September

Today was an opportunity to get out of Adelaide and see some of the surrounding countryside. The whole party gathered at 9am on a coach heading for the hills and the Cleland Wildlake Reserve where there plenty of opportunities to photograph and stroke koala, feed the kangaroos and see other indigenous animals, including the rather perky Tasmanian Devil. Michael Moreton was clearly enjoying the experience as he started chirping at every single bird or animal he came across. No-one realised that he was such a Dr Dolittle. Not sure how impressed the animals were either!

The coach then took the party via a hugely scenic route to the country house of David and Elizabeth Bleby in the Inman Valley. From this purpose built house there were stunning views over the bush, over the hills and down to the sea in the distance. There the party was swelled by a number of local ringers who together tucked into a wonderful barbecue laid on by David and Elizabeth. In particular it was good to catch up with Frank Smeaton who was elected to the Society in 1935 and, while not quite being the longest serving ASCY, may certainly be one (if not the) oldest.

After a very convivial afternoon, it was time to return in the bus to Adelaide where there was an opportunity to ring at the Town Hall. This ring of bells by Warners are coeval with the building of the hall and are certainly one of the most historic rings in the country. This was the first time they had been rung in about 2 years as building work had taken place in the tower to strengthen it against earthquake damage. Some sound control had also been installed. While the tower still swayed somewhat, Hervey Bagot (who met the group) reckoned that the work might have improved the go of the bells. Later in the evening, some of the group went for more refreshment and were welcomed at the Prospect practice night.


David Baverstock introduces the koala he has taken to bed with him all his life to one at Cleland Park.	At the Bleby Inman Valley residence.

Inside the house, the tourists meet the local ringers over a barbecue.

Peter Randall with David Bleby.	Enjoying some food on the patio with stunning views in the background.


Ringing at St Peter's.	David Baverstock on the 7th at St Peter's.


Gwen Rogers feeds a kangaroo while Phil watches.	Karen Lebon feeding a kangaroo, with Rod.


The Master meets Fred Smeaton, one of the oldest and longest serving College Youths.	College Youths in Inman Valley: David Baverstock, Andrew Stubbs, David Rothera, Deirdre Cubitt, Michael Moreton, Martin Cubitt, Karen Lebon, Keith Game, Rod Lebon, Peter Randall, Phil Rogers, Dickon Love, Carol Brown, Simon Linford, Paul Williams, Gwen Rogers, David Gibbons, David Bleby, Fred Smeaton, Derek Thomas.