FIRST MEETING AT PORT SUNLIGHT
The following report has been extracted from the December 22nd 1906 edition of The Bell News and Ringers' Record p447.
It is understood the Port Sunlight was excluded from joining the Chester Diocesan Guild because of a dispute between the founder of this church, William Hesketh Lever (who had offered the building as the parish church of Port Sunlight) and the Bishop, who had declined the offer on the grounds that a parish church already existed in nearby New Ferry (St Mark's). Lever was not best pleased when he was, apparently, further instructed that, not being in an Anglican church, the bells should cease ringing! The Lancashire Association, being territorial rather than Diocese based, welcomed Port Sunlight into their fold. PFH
THE LANCASHIRE ASSOCIATION
On Saturday, December 8 [1906], the Liverpool branch held their monthly meeting at Christ Church, Port Sunlight ;this being the first meeting held at the above town (sic), which has just been included in the Lancashire Association. The bells were set going at 4 p.m. with touches of Grandsire, Treble Bob Major, then at 6 o'clock we were ordered to stand, as tea was waiting for us. We adjourned to The Bridge inn, where between 30 and 40 ringers sat down to an excellent knife and fork tea. The Rev. Gamble Walker (sic), in a speech welcoming the ringers to Port Sunlight, wished them every success, and hoped they would continue to improve the status of ringers and ringing in general. He said he had been a ringer for over twenty years, but the difference between his ringing and theirs was, that his was the ring of matrimony, and theirs the bells, but whilst he rang with an invisible rope, it was stronger and more lasting, than the rope attached to the bells. Passing on he said he was very glad to be among them that afternoon, and hoped that he would meet them again at Port Sunlight very soon. The Rev Gamble Walker having to leave early, Mr. H Rimmer (Huyton) was asked to be chairman for the business part of the meeting, and in his opening remarks he asked that a vote of thanks be accorded to the Rev. Gamble Walker, for the way he had entertained them that day, and also to Mr. E. Breeze (steeplekeeper) for having everything in readiness. This concluding the meeting, the tower was again visited and the bells kept going till 9 p.m. with touches of Grandsire, Treble Bob and Stedman. This ending one of the most successful meetings ever held in connection with the Liverpool Branch.
The following towers were represented : Liverpool, Tuebrook, Garston, Cressington, Woolton, Huyton, Aughton, Bootle, Rainford, and the local company. T.H. jr.