First posted: 5 March 2020

Vale! George Pipe

George Pipe

I am sad to report that George Pipe died on Tuesday, 3 March 2020. His gift to Australian and New Zealand ringing, and indeed to the whole Exercise, is immeasurable. He was indeed the driving force for the formation of ANZAB. May he rest in peace.

Please give Diana a bit of space by not phoning her, as she will be inundated, and has been under great pressure for some time.

David Bleby

ANZAB President, Peter Harrison, writes:

George Pipe was a ringer who was close to many people's hearts. He had a great impact on Australian and New Zealand ringing when he and Diana were in Melbourne in the 1950s, as well as during their subsequent visits over many years. George had a lot to do with the formation of ANZAB - see Jack Cummins' The Rocky Road to ANZAB for some of George's input. He was made a Life Member of ANZAB in 1995.

George came from a great ringing family, and in turn became one of the giants of the Exercise. Having said that, he was one of the gentle giants, and this is something people understood when he talked to you in the tower. You certainly knew you had met him when he shook your hand! He was encouraging to all ringers, and was always happy to see people succeed.

It's impossible to write a few short words about a ringer as memorable as George - there are so many stories to share. But for those of us here in Australia and New Zealand, we remember him as someone who always wished the best for ANZAB. Every year we got a Christmas greeting from George and Diana wishing us the best for the year ahead.

He will be deeply missed.

Those ringing in memory of George Pipe may care to link the report of their performances to the BellBoard event In memoriam - George W Pipe.

In 2012, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the formation of ANZAB, George Pipe wrote a memoir which can be found via this link.

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