Society outings

Friday 24th by the 2.22,
Ringers off to the station ! you wonder where to?
Why, off to Drayton ! what place is that?
Well, if you don't know, you're no ringer its flat-
Now just come with us, at least in your mind-
For as you're no ringer you must stay behind-
We'll go on before for we dodge so about,
You scarcely would know when we're in or we're out!

Now fancy us landed at great Audley End
Where a few breezy minutes enforced we must spend-
No ! stay-we all rush to the " Neville Arms " bar-
Then rush faster back to the Great Eastern car!
A whistle (no bell) and again we are off
As the train moves along with a jolt and a cough,
And the telegraph poles seem whizzing' along
To the accompaniment of a joke or a song!
But each little instance, I must not dilate
Or I shall never have time to relate
The half of what happened on this ringing tour,
And you would not read it-of that I am sure

As usual, the train stopped at Liverpool Street,
And a bottle of "ginger" enlivened out feet,
Which we used to carry us on to Bank-
Then down in a hole in the ground we all sank!
Then further below went down in a lift!
And down, down, down, we fancied to drift-
In the tuppenny tube went spinning along
To the marble arch-and it didn't take long!
Then a tram we mounted and rode up the street
That they call Edgware Road-just to save our feet-
Then to Paddington Station all ran in a hurry-
You ought to have seen some of us do a scurry!
Not a moment to spare, barely in time-
If they'd left us behind, we'd thought it a crime-
But, there we were-and I really must say
I don't think I have travelled so fast as that day-
A mile in a minute and some rather less,
If you want to go it-try the Western Express.
We then changed at Didcot, when there we had got,
Though funny the name, it is not a bad spot.

Now off again, and before very long,
Abingdon we can name in our song-
There are objects of interest many to view-
We found " diggings " provided and 'tween you and me,
The view most refreshing appeared then to me,
The bountiful spread provided for tea.
A promenade after, and then the "Blue Boar"
Suggested the means of " one tooth-ful more. " 
There a pleasant hour sat with the joke and the chat,
With song, and with toast, and what pleased us most,
We had Ward in the chair, and he was our host.

But the liveliest meeting must surely have end,
And then it occurred that the best way to spend
The following day, was then to retire
To say " good-night " and the pillow admire.

Next morning a walk by the famed river side,
A walk to Drayton was then the decide.
To Drayton by foot-path where many had been, 
From one to the other is two miles between :
Past the church to the vicar's, where breakfast awaits
With a hearty welcome and many hand shakes,
And the great F. E. R. now heads the repast,
" Pray fall-to my friends-May it not be the last. "
          

Now for business, and up the light bells now swing,
And a peal of " Stedman " we're trying to ring ;
Two hours, two minutes, too sad to relate
We were sailing away on this good peal of eight,
When one of the ropes with the wheel not content,
(With no malice perhaps in its courses intent,)
The arm of the ringer encircled as well,
And so shortened the space from its end to the bell
As to shorten our pleasure and bring to an end,
And sadly out the belfry we wend.

A " ginger beer " and a little stroll round,
And we were again at the vicarage found,
Where luncheon awaited, F. E. R. at the head
And having done justice to the bountiful spread,
The gardens surveyed, and the loveliest flowers
That entwined so sweetly the Reverend's bowers.

With our hearty best thanks for the kindness received,
            And hopes of another good visit well sealed
            Our brake breaks away to Abingdon's streets,
  And at the station the Great Western meets.

To Oxford ! we cry, and soon the grand sight
Of its glorious towers appear in their might,
From the tram's upper deck exteriors surveyed
And alighting, the interior inspection was made.
We had very good guides in brothers Pitstow:
Who vied in the various attractions to show
In most out-of-way places they gave us a look.
(They'd be capital guides for the great Messrs. Cook.)

To tell of the sights of this wonderful city,
I will not attempt in this poor little ditty;
But one thing I must not pass by without mention,
And you will not notice this little detention
When I tell you that we accidently met
A ringer as good as any born yet:
Charlie Hounslow by name, of good reputation,
I hope he won't mind this little narration.
Mr. Payne, too, of the Long London peal,
At Merton we met and the welcome was real.

(One of our band had a curious whim,-
Passing his hand o'er his two-day's growth chin
Says he " you may think I funny behave
But I can't go further without having a shave."
So he missed the sights that most of us saw,
All through thinking he had a rough jaw.)
And then we went back again, back to the train,
Back to Paddington, might and main:
Just missed a train then off to the city,

And as we found later, a disastrous pity.
From Bishopsgate bursted as if for a prize!
The main train was gone,-oh ! what a surprise.
In future, let none of the G.E.R. complain,
Their great punctuality gave us the pain
Of waiting about until the 10.2,
And even that wouldn't carry us through,
So we had to walk for two miles or more ;
But that was a walk we'd encountered before.
And we well knew the roads though dark was the night,
So we managed to reach home again and all right,
And though of the walking you might hear us complain,
Not one but would gladly see Drayton again.     J. F. P.

2010 - East Kent (centered on Ashford)

2009 (Autumn) - South Leicestershire (centered on Ullesthorpe)