Bell ringer Tony Ammerlaan celebrated his 80th birthday on Sunday 22nd September 2019.
Tony has been a bell ringer at St Andrew’s for a large number of those 80 years.
He was taught to ring in 1953, aged 14, and rang his first quarter peal in 1957, on the tenor to Plain Bob Triples.
St Andrew’s tower was closed for 3 years in 1958 and Tony then began a long break from bell ringing to start a family. It was his old school friend and work colleague, Ray Rogers, who persuaded Tony to return to the tower in the mid 1990’s and Tony has remained a loyal member of the band ever since.
In 2003 he took on the role of steeple keeper whose job it is to keep the bells in good working order and the tower clean and tidy. In this respect, Tony has done an excellent job.
Additionally, Tony is involved in the local school visits to St Andrew’s where he regularly entertains groups of primary school children with stories from the tower.
It therefore seemed more than fitting that Tony’s 80th birthday was marked with a celebratory drink and presentation in the tower.
The photograph below shows Tony with his wife Joyce receiving his present from bell master Clive Stephenson.
A quarter peal was rung on his actual birthday with details shown below:
Hornchurch, Essex
St AndrewSunday, 22 September 2019
1260 Plain Bob Triples
1. John W Stephenson
2. Ros C Skipper
3. John M Church
4. Jaime Hamper
5. James Laken
6. Christopher C M Pain
7. Clive J Stephenson (C)
8. Hayden R MushamFor Evensong and to celebrate the 80th birthday of Tony Ammerlaan on this day.
First in method – 4.
First on 8 – 8.