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History

The SocietyBrancepethFormer MastersThe Website

Our History

The Durham University Society of Change Ringers was founded in 1959 and originally existed alongside the Durham College Society until the two merged in the 1960s.

St Brandon’s, Brancepeth

The church of St. Brandon, Brancepeth is an eight bell tower and is located about 5 miles south-west of Durham. It has been DUSCR’s home tower for several decades.

The church burnt down in 1998, resulting in a multi-million pound project to restore the church and the bells. Pictures of the damage due to the fire can be seen on the church website. DUSCR’s long awaited return home finally came on the 22nd January 2005 following the recasting of three of the bells.

Following the reconsecration on the 23rd October 2005 the first peal on the restored bells was rung on the 23rd October 2005 (see BellBoard entry).

More information about the fire and appeal can be found in the Ringing World article written by Daniel Sandham viewable below.

Former DUSCR Masters


  • 2022-2023 Andrew Booth

  • 2021-2022 Miles Baker

  • 2019-2021 Alex Riley
  • 2018-2019 Isabella Seale
  • 2016-2018 Rachael Sanderson
  • 2015-2016 Elizabeth Hopper
  • 2014-2015 Victoria Harris
  • 2013-2014 Megan Corless
  • 2012-2013 Matthew Jones
  • 2011-2012 James Watkins
  • 2010-2011 Matthew Jones
  • 2009-2010 Andrew Enzor
  • 2008-2009 Ellen Crabtree (nee Dew)
  • 2007-2008 Stephen Croxall
  • 2006-2007 Robert Criddle
  • 2005-2006 Adrian Rowland
  • 2004-2005 Brian Spurling
  • 2003-2004 Jonathan Martin
  • 2002-2003 Izabelle Thompson
  • 2001-2002 Thomas Redgate
  • 2000-2001 Claire Thomson
  • 1999-2000 Andrew Burns
  • 1998-1999 Jane Garner
  • 1997-1998 Michael Williams
  • 1996-1997 Joanne Johnson (nee Garner)
  • 1995-1996 Joshua Eldridge
  • 1994-1995 Erlend Hindmarch
  • 1993-1994 Peter Ellis
  • 1993 Matthew Durham
  • 1992-1993 Vanessa Baker
  • 1991-1992 Alex Sage
  • 1990-1991 Alastair Bradshaw
  • 1989-1990 Caroline Peverett (nee Burton)
  • 1988-1989 Susan Kelk
  • 1987-1988 Yvonne Collingham (nee Parkin)
  • 1986-1987 Janet Hallet (nee Caley)
  • 1985-1986 John Dobson
  • 1984-1985 Richard Everett
  • 1983-1984 Sarah Jacot (nee Trueman)
  • 1982-1983 Ian Jorysz
  • 1981-1982 Tim Pink
  • 1980-1981 A Jane Fitt
  • 1979-1980 Hilary Squire
  • 1978-1979 Paul Trueman
  • 1977-1978 David Gibbons
  • 1976-1977 Caroline Cox
  • 1975-1976 Nigel Gale
  • 1974-1975 Hilary Small
  • 1973-1974 Jeffrey Ladd
  • 1972-1973 Jonathan Evans
  • 1971-1972 Diana Bradford
  • 1970-1971 Philip Rogers
  • 1969-1970 Nicolas Webber
  • 1967-1969 M Alec Beaumont
  • 1966-1967 Stephen Wells
  • 1965-1966 John Freeman
  • 1964-1965 David Marshall
  • 1963-1964 William Wilson

DUSCR Presidents (Pre-merger)

  • 1959-1960 Bryan Pattison
  • 1960-1961 Nick Webb
  • 1961-1963 Bryan Pattison

Durham Colleges Society Ringing Masters (Pre-merger)

  • 1962-1963 William Wilson
  • 1961-1962 Bryan Pattison
  • 1960-1961 Angela Fenwick
  • 1959-1960 Bryan Pattison
  • 1958-1959 Chris Herbert
  • 1957-1958 Margaret Alderman
  • 1956-1957 Geoffrey Simms
  • 1955-1956 J Robin Worsdall

The Website

The DUSCR Website has been around in several different guises for the last twenty-or-so years, and with the help of the Internet Archive this page contains a few screenshots… (Note that no responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of these records – something may well have been missed out, and if this is the case, please accept our apologies. It’s just a bit interesting seeing how things have developed!) All screenshots for version 3a and earlier were taken on 2nd October 2008, screenshots for versions 4 to 5a were taken on 27th September 2019 and the comments for versions 4 and earlier were written by Rob Criddle.

Version 1: c1998

The original site was created by Chris Cooper and Michael Williams, and included basic details about the Society.

Version 2: c2001

This site introduced the then-popular (and now wonderfully underrated) concept of frames to DUSCR. The colour scheme looks to be rather exciting! Created/maintained by Claire Thomson (now Bell), who now does something similar for the OUSCR.

Version 2a: c2003

A slightly different colour scheme was introduced (perhaps) by Izabelle Thompson (now Bimson) when she started looking after the site.

Version 3: c2004

This guise of the site saw the sad removal of the navigation frames. Brian Spurling used the familiar Garamond-based font scheme, with a plain white background.]

Domain

The domain name duscr.org.uk was purchased on 18 October 2007 after many months of arguing within the Society! It has made publicisation of the website far simpler, despite initial objections from the more traditionalist members (who doubtless still fondly utilise the dur.ac.uk/~dds8crs address – something dating back to the days before the University decided to introduce more memorable folder names!).

Version 3a: January 2008

Identical to version 3 of the site, the only change being an improved navigation system which allowed far more pages to be reached from the links on the home page.

Version 4: 15 September 2008

The site was completely redesigned using php by Rob Criddle. Much of the original content created over the last 10 years was retained, and a very similar menu structure was used.

Version 5: 2011

The site was completely redesigned by James Watkins with a new navigation menu with drop downs.

Version 5a: 2017

The site remains largely unchanged, but a new section containing news about the society appearing on the homepage added by Joseph Walker.

Version 6: 2019 (Current Version)

The website is completely re-designed by Sam White and is now responsive to mobile devices, looks more modern and should be easier to navigate and maintain.