Christ Church Bell Ringers
Christ Church received its first peal of six bells following a bazaar held in the Town Hall in 1864. Originally it was unclear which of the Southport Churches was to receive the bells with Trinity, St. Pauls, and Christ Church being considered. Finally the choice fell on Christ Church as “being central in position and possessing a new and commodious tower”.
As a full complement of ringers was not always available for ringing when services were held, a chiming apparatus was installed to enable the Verger to chime the bells in these instances.
Christ Church was to wait a further 18 years for their ring of six to be augmented to an eight. The two trebles were added to the ring an F# and a G.
By 1950 the bells were beginning to show their age and were recast and rehung. The work was to take two years. During this time the spire was removed as it was found to be in a dangerous condition.
Christ Church ’s first Tower Captain was John Mason who was 60 when the bells were first hung in the tower.
The ringers in Christ Church have always maintained a close link with the Church.
Following the closure of the Church in 1987 the Tower was closed soon afterwards. In the next seven years the old church was demolished and a new purpose-built building erected. The new building was re-opened on Christmas Eve 1994 and the Emmanuel Ringers of Southport rang out the cobwebs. A working party, in January, cleared seven years of pigeon droppings and nest material and prepared the bell chamber for ringing to resume.