Midhurst bell ringers speak of duty at tolling bell for late Queen

Bell-ringers Harry Carter and his father Nick take turns to ring the tenor bell at St Mary Magdalene & St Denys Church in Midhurst, West Sussex to commemorate the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. The volunteer team of campanologists are performing in a way no other living person has, to mark the death of a monarch. The bell was rung for an hour between noon and 1pm, by the pair of local builders, on the day after The Queen’s passing. The pair were joined by Nick’s daughter-in-law and grand-daughter as they watch the clock to complete their task.
Picture date: Friday September 9, 2022.
Photograph by Christopher Ison ©
07544044177
chris@christopherison.com
www.christopherison.com

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING IMAGE LICENCING FOR THIS PHOTOGRAPH: This image is supplied to the client under the terms previously agreed. No sales are permitted unless expressly agreed in writing by the photographer. Sharing with third parties is prohibited without the written permission of the photographer. — Bell-ringers Harry Carter and his father Nick take turns to ring the tenor bell at St Mary Magdalene & St Denys Church in Midhurst, West Sussex to commemorate the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. The volunteer team of campanologists are performing in a way no other living person has, to mark the death of a monarch. The bell was rung for an hour between noon and 1pm, by the pair of local builders, on the day after The Queen’s passing. The pair were joined by Nick’s daughter-in-law and grand-daughter as they watch the clock to complete their task. Picture date: Friday September 9, 2022. Photograph by Christopher Ison © 07544044177 [email protected] www.christopherison.com IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING IMAGE LICENCING FOR THIS PHOTOGRAPH: This image is supplied to the client under the terms previously agreed. No sales are permitted unless expressly agreed in writing by the photographer. Sharing with third parties is prohibited without the written permission of the photographer.

Nick Carter, alongside his son Harry, tolled a single bell at St Mary Magdalene & St Denys church for an hour to mark the pass of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, September 8.

Harry said: “The process isn’t particularly strenuous, it’s more the physical process and we were fortunate enough to swap halfway through whilst the bell is still ringing, which is a bit of a feat in itself, but it was easily doable when you’ve done enough ringing and such.

The father and son bell ringing duo also spoke of their duty as bell ringers to carry out their job as ringers throughout the mourning period.

Bell-ringer Nick Carter rings the tenor bell at St Mary Magdalene & St Denys Church in Midhurst, West Sussex to commemorate the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. The volunteer team of campanologists are performing in a way no other living person has, to mark the death of a monarch. The bell was rung for an hour between noon and 1pm, by local builders Nick and his son Harry, on the day after The Queen’s passing.
Picture date: Friday September 9, 2022.
Photograph by Christopher Ison ©
07544044177
chris@christopherison.com
www.christopherison.com

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING IMAGE LICENCING FOR THIS PHOTOGRAPH: This image is supplied to the client under the terms previously agreed. No sales are permitted unless expressly agreed in writing by the photographer. Sharing with third parties is prohibited without the written permission of the photographer. — Bell-ringer Nick Carter rings the tenor bell at St Mary Magdalene & St Denys Church in Midhurst, West Sussex to commemorate the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. The volunteer team of campanologists are performing in a way no other living person has, to mark the death of a monarch. The bell was rung for an hour between noon and 1pm, by local builders Nick and his son Harry, on the day after The Queen’s passing. Picture date: Friday September 9, 2022. Photograph by Christopher Ison © 07544044177 [email protected] www.christopherison.com IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING IMAGE LICENCING FOR THIS PHOTOGRAPH: This image is supplied to the client under the terms previously agreed. No sales are permitted unless expressly agreed in writing by the photographer. Sharing with third parties is prohibited without the written permission of the photographer.

"It’s a duty really, to do it. We’re custodians of these bells and these bells will see many more Kings and Queens in the future and it’s our duty to ring them on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the new King and everyone else that has rung them in the past as well.

"We’ve been ringing the bells Monday, today (Tuesday), Wednesday and Thursday which is a quarter peal.

"A quarter peal is a much longer performance, of a set length, to a specific composition, and with the same person ringing each bell throughout. On our bells, a quarter peal takes 45 to 50 minutes, so when we attempt one, we start earlier than for normal service ringing. As well as being longer, the performance is also rung to a specific composition.

"We’ll then be ringing for an hour before the funeral as well.”