St. Peter's Guild of Change Ringers, Wolverhampton

The Guild

St. Peter's Guild of Change Ringers has been in continuous existence for over 100 years. Essentially it is made up of regular members of the band but others are invited join if they have links to the tower. The Guild is democratically run with elections for the officers held every year. There is no one person who has absolute authority although the Ringing Master or his designated deputy has full control of the ringing chamber whilst ringing is taking place. As a result there is no Tower Captain.

Members and Officers of the Guild 2010-2011

Officers (Elected from the members at the AGM each February)

Chairman (Ex-Officio): The Rev'd David Wright (Rector of St. Peter's)
Ringing Master: James Ridgway
Deputy Ringing Master: Catherine Pollard
Guild Administrator: Richard Robson assisted by Carole Owen
Social Secretary: Sheila Ward assisted by Nathan Betts
Steeplekeepers: Richard Robson and Bill Clubb

Honorary Life Member

Enid Hands

Full Members

Nathan Betts
Bill Clubb
Ann-Marie Hopkins
Alastair Hopkins
Carole Owen
Catherine Pollard
Keith Porter
James Ridgway
Richard Robson
Chris Stockford
Lee Southall
Sheila Ward

Associate Members

None at present

Full members are elected after showing they can ring 120 changes on the treble unassisted. Learning ringers are granted Associate status until that time.

Harry Griffiths 1911-2009

Harry was an Honorary Life Member of the Guild, former Tower Captain and a ringer at St. Peter's for over 70 years. Harry died in July 2009 aged 98. You can download his full obituary written by Enid Hands here. (MS Word format). The following quarter peal was rung at St. Peter's in his memory on 26th September 2009:
1276 Grandsire Cinques: Stuart C W Hutchieson (C) 1, R Jean Nixon 2, Philip A Burton 3, Rachel D Page 4, David A Jackson 5, Alastair J Hopkins 6, Derek K Knowles 7, Lee Southall 8, John F Mulvey 9, Andrew C Ogden 10, Andrew W Gordon 11, David M Webb (snr) 12.