This note has appeared on the Cambridge University Guild group from the President that I think people here would be interested to read. Paul was one of the founder members of the ULSCR. For years he would tell us that he was “almost” one of the founder members, but didn’t make the first ever practice/meeting. For years he expressed his regret at not getting in earlier as he would have loved to have been considered a founder member. He came along to the 50th anniversary dinner, and discovered to his delight from the minute books and the old stagers there that he WAS at the foundation meeting. So for 50 years he didn’t know he was a founder member, but was equally delighted to discover that he was. He was a good ringer and a terrific guy around whom there are many stories. May he rest in peace.
I am sorry to have to report that Paul K Williamson died on Friday (29th April), aged 89. He was Secretary of the Guild in 1944, and remained an regular participant at Guild events until recent years. He rang 177 peals for the Guild, including the Guild’s first on twelve, and two by Trinity College bands. He rang in the first ever peal of Glasgow Surprise Major, at Frindsbury, Kent in 1947, and also in the then record length of 12,663 Stedman Cinques at Christchurch, Oxford in 1946 to which he rang the 9th.
His funeral will be at 1.30pm on 18th May at Ash Priors, Somerset where he lived. Ringing for the service will be by a placed band, but there will be general ringing following the service and refreshments at Ash Priors Village Hall.
Dickon