This history of the Trinity Cathedral tower is drawn from articles in The Clapper, the quarterly journal of the North American Guild of Change Ringers (NAGCR).
Planning, Building/Casting, and Dedication (Vol. 12 no. 2 April 1985)
On Maundy Thursday of 1970 two church members, Josephine and James Patterson, spoke to the then-Dean, The Very Reverend George McCormick, of their wish to make a gift to the cathedral. The Dean had read of change-ringing bells and suggested that their gift take that form. During the next day’s Good Friday services another church member, Robert Bell, mulled over the high-rise buildings going up around the Cathedral and independently concluded that the addition of a bell tower and adjoining chapel along Bayside Drive would delineate a quiet courtyard garden in the open area by the sanctuary. He persuaded local developer Tibor Hollo to donate the tower.
In December 1983 Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London founded the eight bells, in two castings. Each bell is named after someone associated with the cathedral, including Josephine (#7) and Jim (#6) Patterson, donors of the bells, Bob (#8) Bell, who persuaded Tibor Hollo to donate the tower, and Dean George (#4) McCormick. The bells were installed in the as-yet-unfinished tower by Whitechapel’s Trevor Bailey, who was also teaching a group of local novice bellringers.
The bells were dedicated on Sunday 2 December 1984. Trevor Bailey, a group of ringers from Washington National Cathedral, and individual ringers from New York City and Boston’s Old North Church climbed two extension ladders to get to the ringing chamber. The Washington ringers rang a quarter peal of Stedman Triples for the morning service, and a mixed band rang a quarter peal of Cambridge Major for the afternoon service of dedication. The Washington ringers included current ringers Susan O’Neill, Quilla Roth, and Neville Withington.
NAGCR‘s 1996 Annual General Meeting held in Miami (Vol. 23 no. 4 Autumn 1996)
Nine quarter peals were attempted during the weekend, of which seven were achieved. Current ringer Ken Whiting is mentioned.
Ringing is re-started in Miami (Vol. 30 no. 1 Winter 2003)
Ringing had apparently ceased for some years, and the Miami band is described as having been “restarted” by current occasional ringer Andrew Boulton. Three ringing couples from other parts of the U.S. celebrated their wedding anniversaries in Miami and while there rang with the local band, which apparently was at the level of Call Changes and Plain Hunt.
NAGCR‘s 2008 Annual General Meeting held in Miami (Vol. 35 no. 4 October 2008)
Twelve years after the first one in Miami, NAGCR held a second Annual General Meeting here. Current ringers Rob Bannister, then tower captain, Jim Nolan, and Judith Paul are mentioned.
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