A Surprise for Jill Staniforth
- Details
- Category: East Midlands
- Published on Wednesday, 11 March 2009 18:50
- Written by Administrator
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By Val Webb – Treasurer East Midlands Branch of the Ladies Guild
With additions by Rosie Mason - Secretary.
During my covert, convoluting, complex and very long ‘cloak and dagger’ conversations with the committee members of the East Midlands Branch of the Ladies Guild of Change Ringers some very interesting facts came to light. Mrs. Jill Staniforth made a fatal mistake – she gave me information about herself. I committed this to memory and after a small amount of further research can utilize these seemingly innocent comments. Jill is a past President our the Guild and on 20th May 1961 she conducted the Ladies Guild`s first peal of Royal at the church of St. John the Divine Leicester – the method being Cambridge. Jill also told me with her customary good humour, that she was the first lady to ring at St.Paul`s Cathedral – she knows this to a fact as she rang the treble, thus starting first and finishing first !
Despite her high achievements Jill also told me that she is just as happy to ring rounds and call changes with those who are learners in our art as she is conducting the more advanced methods. This a sign of a true ringer.
Jill is a Life Member of the Ladies Guild of Change Ringers and represented us on the Central Council of Church Bellringers for at least 27 years. Initially this was a Miss Jill Poole and latterly as she is today; Mrs. Jill Staniforth.
However the most interesting fact to come to light is that in 1947 (exactly 60 years ago) Miss Jill Poole was the secretary of the Midlands Branch of the Ladies Guild. It is to her great pride that her daughter Rosemary is now the secretary of the branch which has succeeded the old Midland branch and that is us the East Midlands branch.
A porcelain figure was presented to Jill on this occasion from the branch by The National President of the Guild – Janet Stevenson - in recognition of her support and work to the guild. On a further occasion Sat 22nd September 2007, Jill was presented with a Certificate of appreciation for 60 years work from the National Guild.
All of this came to Jill as a great surprise, a lady who is still ringing and eager to support all aspects of the exercise.
Photos supplied by Rosemary Mason