Handbell Ringers of Great Britain

North West Region

The Golden Age of tune ringing on handbells was towards the  end of the Victorian era. Around the North of Engand there were many  large handbell teams ringing sets of 150 or more handbells. Much of the  ringing was competitive and  the  biggest of  these contests was held at Bellevue, Manchester.   During the war there was very little  handbell activity  -  but  it did slowly  regain some of it's  early popularity  as  life  returned  to  normality after the war.   In 1967  a group of enthusiasts in the North West  of  England met at  Ashton Grammar  School and  as  a  result of  that  meeting the  Handbell Ringers of Great Britain was formed. In 1975 the Association had grown so large that it  was decided to divide  into  seven  regional Associations  and  hence,  along  with  the  other  six  regions,  the North West Region of H.R.G.B. was formed.