John comes from a long line of tower bell ringers - his great grandfather rang 100 blows on the tenor bell at St. Luke's, Heywood to signal the end of the 19th. Century - John was able to mark the end of the 20th. in the same way!
John's grandfather is on a photograph of St. Luke's Handbell Ringers taken when they won a prize at the 1893 Belle Vue competition -there are also two other family members featured in the same picture.
Whilst at Leicester University in the 50's John came across handbells again and was found ringing Christmas carols 'four in hand' style in a group with three girls - he also met the Beltonians, a group ringing more bells in a similar manner. When later John started teaching at Ashton Grammar School - the school handbell team was started to 'spice up' the school Carol Service. John eventually built up a set of 5 octaves.
The school team organised the rally in 1967 where H.R.G.B. came into being. In 1975 they became the first school team to visit America and also appeared at an A.G.E.H.R. National Festival. They were the only British team to play at the first International Symposium in California in 1984, the year that Ashton Grammar School, and hence the team, ceased to exist - Ashton Sixth Form College took its place. For some 15 years John also rang with St. Thomas, Moorside H.R. in Oldham and more recently with the Phoenix Handbell Ringers. When asked "Why start handell ringing?" John replies - "Why not? There's nothing quite like ringing umpteen small bells in the proper (i.e off-table) style! "
