The Ladies Guild are sad to acknowledge the death of one of their long-serving past officers, Joan Summerhayes (nee Beresford). Joan was one of our Central Council representatives for 15 years from 1962-77 and Treasurer for 12 years from 1958-1970. The Guild is grateful for all the work she did for us and send their sympathy to her family.
Janet Stevenson
National President.
Tribute to Clare Higby from the Ladies Guild of Changeringers
1941 – 2007
A good turnout of members at Clare's funeral reflects the esteem in which she was held
Clare Higby was a believer in the value of the Ladies Guild of Change Ringers and never failed to promote its work wherever she went. She was National President for the three years 1980 – 1982, National Secretary for 6 years from 1997 to 2003 and also one of the elected Central Council representatives for the Guild from 1980 - 1995. Clare was an officer of the western district in the 70s and early 80s and always a concerned member of the national committee. It was during her presidency that the rules of the Guild were completely revised. Because she held office within the Guild for so many years she was very knowledgeable, and also wise and approachable, so members felt fully consulted about the changes which she introduced. In 1997 at the dinner to mark the 85th anniversary of the Guild she spoke movingly about the way that ‘many of the aims of the Guild set out by the founders had been achieved ... to a level beyond their wildest dreams ...' But she encouraged further work saying ‘we cannot afford to be complacent…as long as bells remain silent on Sunday mornings and as long as there are ringers desirous of progressing in the art of change ringing’. These were sentiments typical of Clare’s own dedication to ringing and developing the skills of others. She added her musical skills to the services at the AGMs and last played the organ for us in June of this year.
She also spread the message worldwide wherever she went to ring. In 1999 she volunteered to act as Overseas Liaison Officer for the Ladies Guild and recruited four members from New Zealand and Australia while on a ringing tour of the southern hemisphere. It is sad that her much looked forward to return visit down under this autumn will not now take place.
At home Clare was elected repeatedly to represent the Guild on the Central Council from 1980 to 1995 and was never afraid to speak up in their defence as for example in 1991 when rationalisation of the Central Council membership was being discussed.
Clare was a tireless worker for ringing and gave selflessly of her time and energy to the Ladies Guild. The national shock at her sudden death is reflected by the way in which the districts of the guild have all organized memorial quarter peals within the last month to show their appreciation of all that she did for us and by the large number of members who travelled to attend her funeral at Chilcompton where ten of them rang a beautifully struck course of Grandsire caters for her.
Janet Stevenson
National President
| Western District | ||
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27th August 2007 1260 Plain Bob Minor |
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| St Michael's, Clapton in Gordano, Somerset. | ||
| 1. | Carolyn Dawson | |
| 2. | Anthea Ames | |
| 3. | Lorna Swan | |
| 4. | Rose Ball | |
| 5. | Teresa Humphrey | |
| 6. | Janet Wyatt (c) | |
| Rung open in thanksgiving for the life of Clare Higby | ||
| Western District | ||
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5th September 2007 1260 Plain Bob Doubles |
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St Bartholomew's, Churchdown, Gloucester. |
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| 1. | Carolyn Dawson | |
| 2. | Chris Hickey | |
| 3. | Barbara Pettit | |
| 4. | Mary Lynch | |
| 5. | Janet Wyatt(c) | |
| 6. | Joan Barraclough | |
| Rung in thanksgiving for the life of Clare Higby. | ||
| Western District | ||
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6th September 2007 1320 Cambridge Surprise Minor |
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| Ston Easton, Somerset. | ||
| 1. | Janet Wyatt | |
| 2. | Lorna Swan | |
| 3. | Mary Lynch | |
| 4. | Chris Hickey | |
| 5. | Brenda Arscott | |
| 6. | Alison Caton (c) | |
| Rung following the funeral service of Clare Higby | ||
| Central District | ||
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2nd September 2007 60 Stedman, 600 Bob Doubles, 600 Grandsire Doubles |
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Harefield. Middlesex. |
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| 1. | Rowena Scott | |
| 2. | Gillian Little | |
| 3. | Sheila Spreadbury | |
| 4. | Jenny Instone | |
| 5. | Ruth Groves (c) | |
| 6. | Pat Grisdale | |
| Organised by Barbara Wright to celebrate the life of Clare Higby. | ||
| Northants District | ||
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6th September 2007 1260 Plain Bob Doubles in 47 mins |
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| St Lawrence, Napton-on-the-Hill, Warwickshire | ||
| 1. | Karen Colvin | |
| 2. | Marion Gilbert | |
| 3. | Chris Cooke | |
| 4. | Margaret Ingman | |
| 5. | Rosemary Hemmings (c) | |
| 6. | Shirley Waterhouse | |
| Rang open in thanksgiving for the life of Clare Higby, on the evening of her funeral at Chilcompton. | ||
| Guild Officers | ||
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7th September 2007 1260 Plain Bob Minor in 43 minutes |
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St Michael & All Angels, Wadenhoe, Northants |
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| 1. | Margaret Ingman | |
| 2. | Chris Cooke | |
| 3. | Janet Stevenson | |
| 4. | Betty Baines | |
| 5. | Hilary Aslett | |
| 6. | Alison Caton (c) | |
| Rung open in celebration of the life of Clare Higby, by Ladies Guild Officers and associated with all Guild officers, past and present. Past Presidents 4,5,6. Present President 3 Vice President, Northants Branch 2 National Secretary 1 | ||
| Eastern District | ||
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6th September 2007 1260 Doubles, 1 principle, 5 methods (Stedman, Grandsire, Reverse Canterbury, St Martins, St Simons & Plain Bob) |
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| Church of St John the Baptist, Bressingham, Norfolk. | ||
| 1. | Mary Allum | |
| 2. | Gale Hodgkinson | |
| 3. | Ruth E Ogden | |
| 4. | Lesley Wilson | |
| 5. | Betty Baines(c) | |
| 6. | Josephine Beever | |
| Rung in thanksgiving, at the time of her funeral, for the life of Clare Higby, former President and National Secretary of the Ladies Guild | ||
| Kent District | ||
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8th September 2007 1260 Plain Bob Doubles |
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Church of St Mary, Horton Kirby, Kent |
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| 1. | Sylvia Mackenzie | |
| 2. | E. Lesley Barclay (c) | |
| 3. | Diana Wraight | |
| 4. | Bobbie Fairclough | |
| 5. | Isabel Pearce | |
| 6. | Rosemary Hodge | |
| Rung in 40 mins on the back 6, in thanksgiving for the life of Clare Higby, by members of the Kent Branch of the Ladies Guild. Freda Cannon, Doris Colgate, Mary Andrews and Sue Fisher wish to be associated with this Quarter Peal. | ||
| North West District | ||
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18th September 2007 1260 Plain Bob Minor |
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| The Minster, Preston, Lancashire | ||
| 1. | Charlotte A Ferguson | |
| 2. | Jean Barnes (c) | |
| 3. | Jean Kelly | |
| 4. | Vanessa L Humphreys | |
| 5. | Anne E Pettifor | |
| 6. | Phyllis Pinch | |
| First Quarter inside : 6 Rung in thanksgiving for the life of Clare Higby, Past President of the Ladies Guild, by members of the North West Branch | ||
| North American Guild, Philadelphia, PA, USA | ||
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27th August 2007 1260 Plain Bob Triples |
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| St Martin in the Fields. | ||
| 1. | Deborah Cooper | |
| 2. | Donald Trumpler | |
| 3. | Eileen Joy Butler | |
| 4. | Elisabeth Trumpler | |
| 5. | Susan V Clopper | |
| 6. | Brian Zook | |
| 7. | Bruce N Butler (c) | |
| 8. | Alan Morrison | |
| Rung in thanksgiving for the lives of Alan Morrison Jr MD, Thomas Osborne VMD and Clare Higby | ||
| East Midlands District | ||
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22nd September 2007 Plain Bob Minor |
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| St Michael and All Saints, Willoughby on the Wolds, Nottinghamshire. | ||
| 1. | Rosie Mason | |
| 2. | Janet Stevenson | |
| 3. | Anne Sladen | |
| 4. | Val Kellett | |
| 5. | Judith Williamson (c) | |
| 6. | Val Webb | |
| East Midlands District | ||
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26th September 2007 Plain Bob Minor |
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St Michael, Markfield, Leicestershire. |
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| 1. | Rosie Mason | |
| 2. | Jill Stainforth | |
| 3. | Anne Sladen | |
| 4. | Janet Stevenson | |
| 5. | Judith Williamson (c) | |
| 6. | Val Webb | |
| Rung in thanksgiving for the life of Clare Higby. | ||
| Southern District | ||
| Plain Bob Minor | ||
| St Mary, Easton | ||
| 1. | Judy Bishop | |
| 2. | Teresa Brown | |
| 3. | Polly Osborne | |
| 4. | Mary Sterry | |
| 5. | Caroline Barnes | |
| 6. | Val Williams (c) | |
| Rung in memory of Clare Higby | ||