image of St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney

90th Birthday Celebrations

gathering of people

Two of our St Mary's ringers - Enid Roberts and Gordon Connor - celebrated their 90th birthday this week. We gathered at the ANZAB library in Eastwood to toast and honour these significant events. Unfortunately Gordon was unable to join us due to ill health. Enid shared some memories of her 75 years of ringing from the time she left England bound for Adelaide then, with a toss of a coin, headed to Sydney rather than Tasmania. Enid has given St Mary's ringers valuable support and encouragement over many many years. We had a lovely afternoon sharing stories, memories, good company, good food and bubbles. Part of the library is just visible in the top right hand corner of the photo.

Margaret Hill, 15 April 2022

Ringing During a Pandemic

Ringers at St Mary's Cathedral


The final practice prior to shutting down due to COVID-19 was on 19 March 2020, well attended by about 15 ringers, shown in the photo.

The bells were rung down by Murray-Luke Peard on 5 April and remained that way until 7 June.

As of 7 June, Sunday ringing is only available for St Marys members - Cathedral rules.

Ringers need to be registered before Sunday to ring so we are unable to invite visitors and ringers from other local towers who are not registered volunteers with the Cathedral.

The restrictions we have put in place are as follows

  1. One ringer in the stairwell at a time
  2. Sanitising hands as you enter the stairwell and the ringing room
  3. One rope for the entire time (problematic for practice)
  4. No ringing if you are unwell even if you have registered
  5. Maintain social distancing of 1.5m in the tower until we start to ring

Margaret Hill, 15 June 2020

New Year's Eve - St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney

Ten local ringers, 2 UK ringers and a 'plus one' gathered at St Marys Cathedral, Sydney, to ring in the new year, 2020. We rang from 7:30pm and fired the bells at 8:55pm before moving to the walkway to watch the fireworks. After the display we stayed to discuss the year that was and responsibly enjoyed a drink or two.

A trip to the tower on NYE should be on your bucket list. Get in touch and book your place for next year.

Ringers at St Mary's Cathedral

Anna Bosman, Tom Perrins, Kate Sharp (the 'plus one'), Esther Perrins, Richard Thomas, Peter Harrison, Richard Webster, Paul Doyle, Jeanne Crozier, Carolyn and Stephen Crawley (UK ringers), Murray-Luke Peard
(also present Margaret Hill, who provided the image)

Ringing at St Mary's Cathedral

(image courtesy Margaret Hill)

Margaret Hill

Happy Birthday Tom

Ringers from Sydney and elsewhere gathered in the ringing room at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, on Sunday 26 March 2017 to celebrate Tom Goodyer's 90th birthday. Lunch was followed by some ringing, included firing of the twelve and a touch of Stedman Cinques with Tom in the band. There were speeches by Bill Perrins, Enid Roberts and Andrew Goodyer. Tom responded, of course.

Cake for Tom Goodyer's 90th birthday party at St Mary's Cathedral

Tom Goodyer's 90th birthday cake
(image courtesy Neil McFarlane)

The cake was cut, followed by rousing singing of Happy Birthday, and even more rousing singing of For he's a jolly good ringer. A toast was proposed to Tom, and the party continued.

A particular highlight was the presence of Bill Watson and Ralph Clark. Like Tom, they were members of the New South Wales Association of Change Ringers, and all three were present at the annual general meeting of the NSWACR on 31 May 1961 when it changed its name to the Australian and New Zealand Association of Change Ringers. Tom and Ralph were elected as members of a committee to recommend amendments the Association's constitution "to make it suitable for an Australian and New Zealand body." Just over a year later ANZAB came into being. Thanks chaps.

Bill Watson, Tom Goodyer and Ralph Clark

Bill Watson, Tom Goodyer and Ralph Clark at Tom Goodyer's 90th birthday party

WOW!

Australian & New Zealand Association
Sydney, New South Wales
St Mary's Cathedral Ringing Room
Wednesday, 15 April 2015 in 2hr 14 (8 in C#)

St Mary's hand bell peal band 11 April 2015

5040 Doubles (42m/p)
120 Stedman, Wainfleet, Daventry, Towcester, Montgomeryshire, Callender, Chevasse, Maltby, Fire Engine, Carlton, St Ouen, Fifield, Bampton, Twineham, Shipway, Rutland Branch, Thrapston, Dragon, St Hilary, Blackburn, Westminster II, Grandsire, Culworth, Guilsborough, Blaisdon, St Vedast, Huntspill, New, Reverse Canterbury, Wellingborough, Upper Dean, Huntley, St Remigius, Winchendon, St Nicholas, Plain Bob, Northampton, Kettering, Eynesbury, St Osmund, St Martin's, St Simon's.

1-2 Murray-Luke Peard
3–4 Thomas M Perrins (C)
5–6 William J Ryan

Most methods for all and for the Association.
First peal on handbells: 1-2 and 5-6.

New Method named for Mary MacKillop

At the start of a weekend of celebrations for the canonisation of Australia's first Catholic saint, a new method was pealed and named St Mary of the Cross Surprise Major, on Friday 15 October 2010 at St Mary's Cathedral Sydney.

Mary MacKillop peal band

The band from left: Natalie Shea, Robert Walters, Mary Symes, Katherine Downs, Enid Roberts, David Bath, John Fryer (c), Thomas Perrins. The 5152 changes were rung in 3 hours 15 minutes. Thanks to John Fryer and Tom Perrins for devising the method which is a pretty variation of Cambridge S Major. St Mary of the Cross S Major extends to Royal and Maximus and we look forward to trying those methods in the future.

from Kathi Downs

The Bells of St Mary's - a photo gallery (24 December 2006)

Photo gallery images © Andrew Treloar, 2006.

This page supplements the ANZAB Tower Directory, and records further information about the tower, its bells and ringers.

Some of this has been provided by local ringers, but most is historical and has been gathered by the ANZAB Webmaster since 2002.

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