Fabian Stedman

[MKM]

Fabian Stedman was a bell ringer, often regarded as the inventor of English change ringing. He was born in 1631. In his will he left £50 to Christ's Hospital. I wonder if he might have been a pupil, or had some other connection with the school. Does anyone know if it would be possible to check the school records for any mention of him?

[Foureyes]

Mary,
The pre-1902 CH records are held in the Manuscript Section of the Guildhall Library. The staff there are extremely helpful and will do some research for you if you contact them by e-mail at: manuscripts.guildhall@cityoflondon.gov.uk Obviously, they don't have the time to do an in-depth study for you but they should be able to tell you whether Fabian Stedman attended C.H. They should also be able to indicate to you whether it would be worth a personal visit. When you e-mail them, you should tell them as much as you can about this chap and precisely what it is you want to know.

From my own studies it is clear that many Londoners who were NOT Old Blues nevertheless left money to the school. Incidentally, £50 must have been a fairly substantial amount in those days!

[lonelymom]

Mary, I'm really curious, how did you find out about this in the first place?

[MKM]

Mary, I'm really curious, how did you find out about this in the first place?

The will is quoted in a book called "The History and Art of Change Ringing" by Ernest Morris. I am a bell-ringer myself, and went to ring for a wedding yesterday. The wedding went on much longer than expected, so we were sitting around waiting to ring, trying not to make too much noise as we might be heard in the church. There was a copy of the book in the tower, and I started browsing. I have to say it's rather a boring book in general!

We rang a quarter peal after the wedding: http://www.campanophile.co.uk/show.aspx?Code=81853

[MKM]

Mary,
The pre-1902 CH records are held in the Manuscript Section of the Guildhall Library. The staff there are extremely helpful and will do some research for you if you contact them by e-mail at: manuscripts.guildhall@cityoflondon.gov.uk Obviously, they don't have the time to do an in-depth study for you but they should be able to tell you whether Fabian Stedman attended C.H. They should also be able to indicate to you whether it would be worth a personal visit. When you e-mail them, you should tell them as much as you can about this chap and precisely what it is you want to know.

Thanks, I'll send an email

From my own studies it is clear that many Londoners who were NOT Old Blues nevertheless left money to the school. Incidentally, £50 must have been a fairly substantial amount in those days!

As you say, it's most likely that he was not an Old Blue - given that the will was published in a well-known book, I'm sure someone must have checked before.

Stedman also left £50 each to his grandchildren, so must have been a wealthy man.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Ah ! Campanology ! --- I was preaching at a beautiful little Norman Church, in our Village -- and the bells were being rung enthusiastically and with precision, by the team of Bellringers --- calling the Faithful to Worship.
Before the Service they all trooped down from the Belfrey --- got into their cars and drove away !
This reduced the Congrigation to 7 ----- was it because they knew I was taking the Service ?

No -- apparently, this happens every Sunday at Evensong --- I was told "Ah But that's Bellringing for you ! "

I hope it ain't true

[Foureyes]

As you say, it's most likely that he was not an Old Blue -

Just to clarify, what I meant was that it did not necessarily follow that, because he left money to Housie, he must have been an Old Blue. I could not speculate on the likelihood, one way or another.

[Jo]

Ah ! Campanology ! --- I was preaching at a beautiful little Norman Church, in our Village -- and the bells were being rung enthusiastically and with precision, by the team of Bellringers --- calling the Faithful to Worship.
Before the Service they all trooped down from the Belfrey --- got into their cars and drove away !
This reduced the Congrigation to 7 ----- was it because they knew I was taking the Service ?

No -- apparently, this happens every Sunday at Evensong --- I was told "Ah But that's Bellringing for you ! "

I hope it ain't true

That's one reason I stopped ringing in my teens. My dad (the vicar) said I couldn't go ringing and then walk out without staying for the service as it would embarrass him. So I just didn't go ringing any more.

[MKM]

Both the churches I ring at have separate ringers' entrances, so we don't have to walk out through the church if we're not staying for the service.

[kerrensimmonds]

Ditto.. in both the churches where I used to bell ring, most of the ringers in the team were not members of the congregation and so came and went through the back door of the vestry.
The fun times were weddings - when those of us who were ringers AND choristers had to hurtle to the back of the church (ripping off our choir robes) as the bride and groom prepared for their walk down the aisle so that we could clamber up into the tower and start to ring the happy couple out of church. And I was usually on the treble bell, so went first....(the other members of the ringing team had arrived through the back door, during the wedding, and rung the bells up in preparation). Happy days.

[J.R.]

THE BELLS - THE BELLS !!!!!

[Jo]

Ditto.. in both the churches where I used to bell ring, most of the ringers in the team were not members of the congregation and so came and went through the back door of the vestry.
The fun times were weddings - when those of us who were ringers AND choristers had to hurtle to the back of the church (ripping off our choir robes) as the bride and groom prepared for their walk down the aisle so that we could clamber up into the tower and start to ring the happy couple out of church. And I was usually on the treble bell, so went first....(the other members of the ringing team had arrived through the back door, during the wedding, and rung the bells up in preparation). Happy days.

How did they ring the bells up during the wedding? Wouldn't people have noticed?

[kerrensimmonds]

Yes, of course those of us 'in the know' knew what was happening when the bells were rung up (there are only 5 of them), but it did not take very long. A good ringer can do it in a very short time. And there was a window from the bell tower into the Church, so the ringers could pick a moment (usually towards the end of the service) when everyone in the Church was lustily singing a hymn....
Gosh, happy memories!

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I am so happy that it wasn't my sermons !
In this little church, the Ringers have to come down a spiral staircase and pass me at the door --- welcoming the Worshippers --- so I practice my basilisk glare --- but it don't do no good !
I feel better now that I know it is common among Bellringers !