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Horsley Cup

Engraved onto the plinth:

Presented by Mr J Else to the Derby District of the Derbyshire Association of Change Ringers 1962

This is the Associations 6 bell method ringing competition. The rules are available here.

Elizabeth Cotton has looked through the old Annual Reports to find that the Derby and Ilkeston District first proposed a striking contest in 1960. The proposal was accepted and a small committee elected to organise the event. The competition is being planned for May at some suitable six bell tower, in the district. Further details and rules may be obtained from Messrs. D Marshall, D Carlise and G Halls. It is hoped that as many towers as possible will compete.

Thus, the first striking contest was held at Horsley on May 13th 1961. Eleven teams entered, the event was extremely successful, the weather perfect, Gwen Harrison provided a splendid tea and about 75 ringers turned up. The judges Roger Baldwin & David Friend placed Alvaston first, ringing call changes, Sawley second, also ringing call changes and Derby Cathedral third, ringing London Surprise. The Horsley Churchwarden, Mr Else, promised to provide a cup.

In 1962 15 teams entered, winners were Derby Cathedral, and this year a trophy was presented. 1963 saw Sawley winning, with Alvaston & Duffield joint second, it did say Derby Cathedral rang Cambridge well but fired out near the end!

In 1964 the Horsley Cup was open for the first time to the whole Association. District heats were held at Clay Cross, Stanton-by-Dale and Breadsall, the winners being invited to compete at Horsley. The winners were Dronfield, followed by Old Whittington, with Sandiacre and Derby Cathedral tied in third place. 1965 saw the Peak District entering for the first time, heats were held and then the final at Horsley with Dronfield winning and Burbage second.

The reason the contest was started was to try to make bands make more effort to improve their striking – it certainly worked. One of the reasons that Mr Else provided a cup was to recognise the fact that the bells of the Cathedral were always rung for the Harvest Festival service for the farmers of Derbyshire, which he, as an auctioneer, always attended.

At the time that Alvaston won in 1961, they were not members of the Association. After that everyone who rang in the final had to be an Association member.

Something that is not in the reports is that one year while the Cathedral were ringing, a dog came in to the ringing chamber and started to jump up at the ringers! The band fired out, but were given a chance to have a second go. They came second that year with their second attempt!

Horsley Cup Winners 1990 – date (with judges where known)

    2023 Breadsall (Sally Brown and Lewis Benfield)
2022 Darley Dale (Mick Angrave) 2021 No Contest 2020 No Contest
2019 Darley Dale (Tim Poole) 2018 Darley Dale (Colin and Jane Aked) 2017 Derby Cathedral (Mike Chester)
2016 Darley Dale (Neil & Dinah Donovan) 2015 Derby Cathedral (Andrew Mills) 2014 Old Whittington  (Paul and Kate Flavell)
2013 Derby Cathedral (Dominic Travis) 2012 Darley Dale (Graham Hayward) 2011 Darley Dale (Colin and Jane Aked)
2007 Derby Cathedral (Phil Gay) 2006 Derby Cathedral (David Marshall – Cotgrave) 2005 Darley Dale (David Marshall – Long Eaton)
2004 Derby Cathedral (Paul Jopp) 2003 Darley Dale (Bob & Ruth Smith) 2002 Darley Dale (Alistair Smith & Paul Jopp)
2001 Darley Dale (Clarke Walters & Cheryl Hamby) 2000 Derby Cathedral (Alistair Smith) 1999 Derby Cathedral (Sally Mason & Richard Brown)
1998 Old Whittington (Clarke Walters) 1997 Derby Cathedral (Leslie Boumphrey) 1996 Derby Cathedral (Clive & Lucy Smith)
1995 Derby Cathedral (Paul Flavell) 1994 Darley Dale (John Peverett & Terry Streeter) 1993 Derby Cathedral (David Sansum)
1992 Darley Dale (Philip Hudson) 1991 Derby Cathedral (Tim Peverett) 1990 Derby Cathedral (Philip Graves)
Horsley Cup Winners 1961 – 1989 (with judges where known)
1989 Heanor (Bob Smith) 1988 Heanor (Gordon Halls) 1987 Ticknall
1986 Ticknall 1985 Ticknall (Ian Roulston) 1984 Sawley (David Friend)
1983 Stanton by Dale (Ian Campbell) 1982 Stanton by Dale (Trevor Kirkman) 1981 Darley Dale
1980 Derby Cathedral 1979 Old Whittington 1978 Sawley
1977 Derby Cathedral 1976 Derby Cathedral 1975 Old Whittington
1974 Derby Cathedral 1973 Old Whittington 1972 Old Whittington
1971 Derby Cathedral 1970 Derby St Peter 1969 Bolsover
1968 Derby Cathedral 1967 Derby Cathedral 1966 Derby Cathedral
1965 Dronfield 1964 Dronfield 1963 Sawley
1962 Derby Cathedral 1961 Alvaston