Association's Centenary Celebrations Review of the Year - 1997
The Ely Diocesan Association was re-founded on January 12th 1897. Our Centenary Year started with an interesting and well-researched article in The Ringing World on the early history of the Association, much of which was new to many members.
	Centenary Weekend started on Saturday 11th January with a Celebratory Evensong in St Mary’s, Ely, taken by the Vicar, the Revd. Fred Kilner with the Bishop of Ely in attendance. The singing was led by a choir of bell ringers. After the service, most present walked to the Ely Masonic Hall to join other members for the Centenary Dinner. Over 80 people enjoyed an excellent meal (and cheap beer!).
The speeches, made by the President, the Bishop of Ely , Vice-Presidents Roger Palmer and John Gipson (the latter also celebrating 50 years membership) and David Thorne, were both witty and entertaining, with George Bonham in fine form in his supporting role as Toastmaster. A special welcome was given to Mansfield ‘Mac’ Ginn , our longerst serving member who was elected in 1925. We were also priviledged to be shown a portrait of our founder, Revd. Covey-Crump which belonged to the local Masons. We were also delighted to welcome Revd. Covey-Crump’s grandson. All enjoyed the evening and many said it should become a regular event.
A number of specially arranged peals and quarters were rung this weekend to mark the centenary and this was to be a recurring theme throughout the year.
We had decided to try to ring at least a quarter peal in every Association tower, and three districts enthusiastically took up the challenge and organised ringing at towers without resident bands. So far, over 350 quarter-peals have been recorded during 1997, many having been specially arranged to mark the Centenary.
A Centenary Peal Week in September helped boost the peal total, as did the official Association Peal Weekend in November. A quarter-peal arranged at the last moment meant that we achieved our aim of a quarter or peal in every tower during Centenary Year, 12th January 1997 to 12th January 1998, a fantastic achievement.
The Annual General Meeting in May was slightly more controversial than of late, with several lively discusions. We all admired (and later enjoyed eating !) a cake commemorating both the centenary and John Gipson’s 50 years membership. We also saw the test version of the Association’s new Internet Web site which went ‘live’ later in the year.
Late May saw the Central Council of Church Bellringer’s visit to Cambridge, a hectic weekend of ringing, socialising and meetings familiar to all CC reps and Guilds and Associations who have previously hosted this event. All seemed to go smoothly due to the meticulous planning of the organising committee. The only disappointment for those present was being unable to ring all 12 bells at St Mary the Great, Cambridge, due to a cracked headstock on the tenor.
	The next centenary event was the dedication of the rehung and augmented ring of 6 at Buckden. The Association has paid for the new treble as its Centenary Project and many members attended the service as reported in a detailed article in the Ringing World.
In June there was a ‘first’ for the association; a bellringing exhibition in Ely’s Old Gaol House Museum, an idea suggested by the Museum’s bellringing curator, Denise Beale. Exhibits included old peal boards, photographs, bells and their fittings and bellringing books. It was visited by many non-ringing tourists (as well as many local ringers) and we hope that they now have more idea of what bellringing is about.
August saw the final centenary celebration; a barn dance held at Haddenham. After a slow start to ticket sales, this was eventually well supported by the three of the districts and there was only just enough room for everybody on the dance floor. An enjoyable if exhausting time was had by all and thanks are due to the organising committee.
And so the year drew to a close and it is now time for reflection. For some it has been a busy and hectic year with three extra events to organise. As with most associations, it has usually been the same few people involved. For others, centenary year has been much like any other. Normal association and district events have gone on as usual and practices and service ringing continue as before. In many respects the association is stronger than ever. Peals and quarters are rung in a wide variety of methods.
Watlington as well as Buckden have been rehung, Kimbolton have been augmented to 6 and other towers are planning restorations in the near future. Sadly some towers have become unringable, hopefully only temporarily in most cases. New bands have been established and are thriving: other towers are struggling or are ‘silent’.
There are a number of promising young (and not so young) learners but others have given up. We need to build on our achievements and learn from our failures so that our second century is even more successful than our first.
Susan E Marsden
Additional information:	Bells of St Mary, Buckden
	Rehang and augmentation of the bells of Buckden
	Ringing World article - The Battle of Buckden Bells
	Centenary Celebrations 1897-1997
	1997 Quarter Peals
	St Mary's - the Parish Church of Buckden