My wife and I went over to America in August to visit our son and meet his new potential in-laws. They live in Chicago.

During the trip we also took the opportunity to include a tour of Boston, Cape Cod and the Islands.

Whilst reading about the tourist attractions in Boston I came upon Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem of Paul Revere’s Ride to warn of the British march on Boston. An extract of which I reproduce below.

Listen my children and you shall hear

Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,

On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;

Hardly a man is now alive

Who remembers that famous day and year.

He said to his friend, “If the British march

By land or sea from the town to-night,

Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch

Of the North Church Tower as a signal light…

As a novice Bell Ringer at St. Marys in Wargrave I thought this would be an ideal opportunity to visit an American bell tower and surely there would be none better than the oldest bell tower in North America – that of The Old North Church in Boston Massachusetts. When I started my research I also found a bell tower in the University of Chicago. Those two locations were perfect for my trip so I sent off a cold call e-mail to an address that I found on the Internet. I got an immediate response from both Chicago and Boston. Both Tower Captains welcomed me –– even when I told them how much of a novice I really was.

My first experience of ringing in America was at the University of Chicago – Mitchell Bell Tower and I had tremendous encouragement from Tom Farthing, the Tower Captain, he was in regular e-mail contact with me prior to my visit. The major problem was going to be that the University bell tower would be “out of season” during part of August and September with the University closed for summer vacation. Luckily I was in Chicago on August 24^th which was the last opportunity that I would have to ring prior to the summer vacation closure.

The timing was perfect.

I managed to make my way to the Mitchell Tower and met Tom in the foyer prior to climbing up into the Belfry. Tom explained that the band was very inexperienced as he was building it from scratch so I should not be intimidated. That was music to my ears as I was very nervous. A stranger in a strange bell tower.

I have to admit to being a little disappointed when he told me that for various reason the tower had to operate with closed bells – basically the neighbours did not like the noise from the bells!!!!!

The band was a mixture of young students and retirees. I met six of them, including Tom. Two were young students and the other three novices were retirees like myself. I felt confident when Tom asked me to ring up the treble and thankfully I managed that without any mishaps.

When I looked closely around the tower I was surprised to see a contraption in the corner that I thought a bit Heath Robinson. When I enquired of Tom what it was he explained it was a weighted practice fly-wheel that he and his brother had built.

It is what he uses to introduce beginners to bell ringing.

I had a great time with the Chicago bell ringers and we rang rounds; not always in time but never seriously wrong! And I was not the least experienced or the one who was most out of step. We were all of an equivalent level of bell ringing in-experience so I was not intimidated or embarrassed.

I was very impressed by the amount of time and energy Tom is putting in building a band from scratch; in a tower that relies only on closed bells, a contraption, and a simulator.

He should be applauded.

I was made welcome and invited back when I am next in Chicago – an invitation I will surely accept.

Unfortunately I could not accept the invitation to attend the service ring at the local Riverside Church as I was moving on to Boston on the Sunday – maybe next time.

On to Boston and The Old North Church. I was now feeling a bit less nervous – I will not say confident but I was looking forward to my date with history.

As with Chicago I had an exchange of e-mails with Laura Dickerson who is an experienced ringer in The Old North Church band and who was extremely helpful when I requested the opportunity to ring with them. As with Chicago my tour commitments prevented me from participating in Sunday service ringing but I was made really welcome to the Saturday morning practice. I was also given contact details of other towers in the Cape Cod region where our tour would take us. Again the nature of the tour meant I could not take up the offer.

And, as my wife said, “this is not a bell ringing tour, we are touring North America not bell towers.” That was me put in my place.

On the Friday we took a walking tour of Boston along “The Freedom Trail” to relive the history of Boston; and un-surprisingly this tour concluded at The Old North Church.

So, we got an early inspection of the church if not the bell tower.

It was a tremendous experience.

I had researched the tower on the internet before we left Wargrave and was pleasantly surprised to see that the Boston tower was remarkably similar to the Wargrave tower in terms of the number of bells, their age, and their sizes so that relaxed my nerves somewhat.

If I can ring at St Mary’s in Wargrave surely I can ring in The Old North Church in Boston!!!

The band was very experienced with only one of the members probably still a novice but more experienced than I was. I was made very welcome. We rang rounds and call changes which I am glad to report I managed quite successfully. They tried changes beyond my experience during which they recognised my novice status but they were very encouraging when I made an error and told me where I was going awry but in a friendly non-threatening manner.

A great bunch of people whom I would not hesitate to visit again.

There were two surprises during the session.

• One group who were on a guided tour wandered into the Belfry whilst we were in the middle of a rounds practice. Cally Perry, the bell captain cried “stand” – which I am glad to report I managed superbly well first time. The tour guide said “it’s OK we are just going up into the bell chamber.” To be politely but firmly told by Cally, “not just now you’re not – come back in two hours.” A non-plussed guide turned her brood around and departed the tower. However my wife and I were then dressed in hard hats and ear defenders and escorted up into the bell chamber by the Tower Captain whilst the others rang rounds – they are well equipped for tourists in The Old North Church they even had a bench for us to sit on and watch the bells ringing.

 

• And when we came down from the bell chamber Chris, my wife, was invited to try her hand at ringing. She declined twice but after persistent encouragement from Laura and Cally she agreed and had her first taste of assisted bell ringing in Boston. I don’t know if she will become a bell ringer but she did at least try it and was encouraged to do so by the team.

After the practice session we all adjourned to the park buying pizzas on the way and had a picnic on the grass in the sun.

A great day with great people.

An experience I will long treasure.

Bill Bookless