Religion > Churches, Mosques, Synagogues and Temples

St Mary Magdalene's Church, Stockbury

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johnfilmer:
Martin, you make my point for me, that it was likely to have been a regular practice night, but very well attended.
It was therefore possibly the last such practice night before the reading of the Banns on the next three consecutive Sundays for Harry's wedding at Hucking. Was the event only to be announced that evening?
Anyway my guess is a sort of celebration that his forthcoming marriage would soon be common knowledge. A stag night with loud bells?

MartinR:
John, remember that the meeting was on a Thursday, so it is unlikely to have been associated with the reading of any banns.  I would still expect this to have been the regular practice night, most towers chose Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday with a few Fridays.  The KCACR was formed in 1880 so by 1889 there was a slightly more formal structure to ringing.  Perhaps the event was them being accepted as full members of their band, and possibly the Association once they could ring?  I don't recall seeing any handbooks that old in either Rochester Cathedral or Frindsbury towers so can't check them, if indeed handbooks existed at that date.

For information: to be a ringing member of the KCACR you need to be able to ring rounds (though all members I know of could do call changes before joining) and to safely ring your bell down.  This would be at least six months after starting to learn, probably more like a year.

johnfilmer:
I've been looking at the two Whiteheads, last on the list.
James was born in 1865 to Springfield and Mary Ann at Stockbury. Springfield was himself born in 1825, and with such a distinctive name was easily found in Stockbury baptismal registers, giving his parents names as James and Sarah.

Harry was born in 1867 to Frederick and Annie, from Rumstead Court Cottage, Hucking. A bit of digging about and Frederick's parents were also James and Sarah, he being born in 1841.
So these two were cousins.

James had married, in 1885 in Newington to a Sarah Ann Barrett, both of that parish.
Harry married at Hucking 12th October 1889. Now this is exactly the right timing from the Ringers meeting at Stockbury for the required three Sundays reading of the Banns before their wedding. Could this have been the reason for the meeting?
Harry's bride was Emma Marie Barrett, the sister of Sarah Ann who married James. Both weddings had one of both brides cousins, Edward Barrett as a witness. Of interest was that Emma Marie was a witness to her sister's wedding, but she was a couple of weeks off her 15th birthday at the time. She was still only 19 when she married Harry.
The 1891 Census also revealed that Frederick Whitehead was still at Rumstead Court Cottage, and next door was John Barrett, the two brides father.
The Barretts came from Rodmersham, and the 1881 Census has three families in adjacent houses, each with a son called Alfred. Good luck unravelling that family tree!

MartinR:
For ease of reference, particularly to John's research, I'm transcribing the names.
Ringers of the Parish 1889:
* W Hales
* W Alexander
* J Hughes
* W Hughes
* J Clinch
* H Pepper
* C Hales
* S Hales
* R Hales
* L Hales
* C Seager
* F Whitehead
* H WhiteheadThe four plaques:
* John Shirley Hales aged 21 years 8 months
* Charles Hales aged 26
* Walter Alexander, Wheelwright aged 20 years
* William Hughes aged 23 years 7 months

johnfilmer:
I had thought along similar lines Grandarog.


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