Bristol Rural Branch
Abson Page

 

Page Last Updated on:

 



During 2016 whilst having a frame and bell check it was found the 2nd had a cracked headstock, this had to be duly repaired.
Picture of the crack and the repair which took until about May/June 2017 to get repaired by Matthew Higby,



March 25th 2015
Abson Tower Outing to the Swindon Area, See article in the May Newsletter.
Various pictures below taken by Adrian Gittings on the day.





Picture found by Linda Gittings (Stowe)  date of picture 14.11.1974.

Have been doing some turning out (the cause of the back problem) and came across the attached � didn�t know if you wanted it for the archives.
It is the band, Josh Hinton (vicar) + my Mum and Dad (Zoe and Alec) on their Silver Wedding and the 1/4 was dedicated to them, also as a wedding anniversary compliment to HRH Princess Anne and Capt,. Mark Phillips, a birthday compliment to HRH Prince Charles and 70th birthday compliments to Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Ramsey.
The band was
Treble � Gilbert Sprules
2            George Symes
3            A. John Sprules
4            George E Mizen
5            A. J. Ray Williams
6            Gilbert Drew

 

 

 

 

 

 





Abson Meal at the Rose and Crown Pucklechurch March 24th 2010.


Abson now have a Spider.
During the re-hanging of the treble in 2008 Tony York asked Paul Granger-Allen as he had a lathe if he could make a spider for the Abson ringers. This
he kindly did and presented it to Mary Taylor and the Abson Ringers. This was last August whilst we were all still all very busy preparing for the return of the
treble. As the winter was closing in on us we decided any further work should be put off until spring of 2009 so recently June 2009 the spider was duly
given pride of place and installed.
Pictures of the Spider and some of the ringers who now attend the popular Wednesday morning practice.
Thanks to Paul who now lives near Rotorua in New Zealand for a superb piece of woodwork and turning.



Striking Competition Team 2009 who came third.




Rededication of Abson Treble 2nd November 2008.
To see a report on the dedication which was also published in the Ringing World 'click here'

Ringers present at the treble dedication



After the service and general ringing local ringers and helpers rang a quarter of Grandsire.
L/R
Paul Grainger-Allan, Mary York, Bryn Shackleton(Conductor) Mary Taylor, Jennifer Rogers, Brian Angel.,




Abson Treble is now back in the tower click here to see pictures taken by Antony Gay to whom I am indebted

Abson Pictures
 I thought I would put one picture here to show the difference





Abson treble has now been recast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry on the 11th of July 2008,
click here to see picture
s, click here to see a couple of videos taken by Margaret Gorley an Abson ringer.
For an article see the August 2008 newsletter click here


Abson Steps Repaired
Work was  completed in 2007 and 2008 to repair the tower steps at Abson to see the work carried out  click here
The state of the steps before repair can be seen here!



Abson Treble removed

There are also pictures by Antony Gay if you click here

The Abson  treble is taken out for recasting on May 7th 2008 by Mathew Higby bellhanger
helped by a team of local ringers.


Below you can just see the crack in the bell and the blown up version to the right or below.
Both the Five and the Tenor had these unusual counterweights, only the five is shown with the weights.


                                    



Abson held the BBQ at Collins farm in 2003, Mary Taylor kept a list of the food and amounts for future reference if you want to see it click below
(it is quite a big pdf file so may take a while)
Click here to see the quantities list

Abson Striking Competition team 2007

Pictures of the rehang of the bells at Abson in 1926.
As you can see Collins farm figures even in 1926 with ringing


Branch Meeting and BBQ at Abson May 2006
There are two people Brian Angel and Rita Lampard (Webb) in this picture who are also in the picture below.
To see other pictures of the BBQ click here or for a report go to the June Newsletter Click here.
bbq1.jpg (33343 bytes)


Harvest Tea September 17th 1955 at Collins Farm
Its where Mary Taylor) lives know
There are several gaps, if you know who they are please let us know
, 1, 3 ,and 7.
Abson Harvest tea 1955_3.jpg (68461 bytes)



Abson ringers enjoy their coffee and biscuits after their regular Wednesday morning practice


absonpractice2005.jpg (37578 bytes)

A typical Wednesday morning practice at Abson, in the foreground is a picture of Joan Cotterell who must be the Rural Branch most senior learner.
wednesday at abson.jpg (33991 bytes)abson wednesday.jpg (7616 bytes)

Abson lunch Time Meal april 24th 2002
This was the day Rachael and Robert Thompson were expecting to leave the regular Wednesday morning band and move to Falmouth, however their house sale is not quite complete so we expect to see them both again, will we have another meal when they  move? we are already arranging a trip to Cornwall to sample their new tower, which one  they have not yet decided.
04240001.jpg (19764 bytes)04240002.jpg (19377 bytes)04240003.jpg (20463 bytes)04240004.jpg (20192 bytes)04240005.jpg (22227 bytes)04240006.jpg (19827 bytes)04240007.jpg (19790 bytes)

Abson Outing October 2000 to Eastington and Cam Followed by Lunch at Jenny Rogers at Shadwell
10110004b.jpg (43204 bytes)10110005b.jpg (42653 bytes)10110006b.jpg (46407 bytes)10110007b.jpg (52563 bytes)

The Abson Ringers and friends in 1998

abson981.jpg (11791 bytes)abson982.jpg (12026 bytes)
Absnpic983.jpg (3795 bytes)abson984.jpg (5208 bytes)


Practice Nights Millennium Page Striking Competition