When St Andrew’s bells rang half-muffled for the internment of the ashes of Betty and George Pugh on 16th June 2017, there was an historical connection to a previous Hornchurch bell ringer.
Betty Pugh (ne Jarvis) was the niece of John Jarvis who was a St Andrew’s bell ringer in the early part of the 20th Century. Betty was the mother of four sons; Antony, Malcolm, Nigel and Chris Pugh who knew about the connection and that their Great Uncle’s name was on a peal board in St Andrew’s tower.
John Jarvis was a member of the band that rang a peal on the 8 bells of Hornchurch in 1922. The peal was significant because, although it was the 35th peal on the 8 bells, it was the first peal by a local band on the 8 bells. A peal by a local band is always difficult to achieve and explains why a peal board was produced to commemorate the event.
The photograph shows the four Great Nephews with the peal board delighted that their Mother and Great Uncle have been remembered in this way.
Antony, Malcolm, Nigel & Chris Pugh with the peal board that commemorates their Great Uncle’s peal in 1922.
Another photograph shows the historical peal board in more detail.
Our records show that John Jarvis rang just the one peal at St Andrew’s, Hornchurch.