George Seth

25th August 1888 – 7th June 1978

Age 89

 The following obituary was published in The Ringing World of 28th July 1978 (Page 639)

The Bedfordshire Association lost one of its oldest members on June 7 when George Seth died in his 90th year.   He was born and brought up in Keysoe in rural north Bedfordshire, and farmed a small-holding at Brook End for many years.   During the War, he drove vehicles for the local airfields, and also kept a pub for a short time in Keysoe.

The band there used to ring call-changes on the heavy five melodious bells, which are rung from the base of the tower.   Despite the usual transport difficulties of the time, George determined to learn change ringing, and this when well over the age of 50, and committed to the duties of churchwarden.   He rang seven peals, including the last one at Keysoe in January 1957, with Derek Jones and Brian Bladon in the band.   His last peal was at St.Peter’s, Bedford in June 1964, at the age of 76. 

In 1959 he moved to Bedford and tragedy struck when he lost his wife, son, and son-in-law in the space of a few months.   He determined not to let this dispirit him and he joined the Elstow Abbey ringers at a time when there was a keen young band.   He used to be a regular quarter-pealer, and always enjoyed one for his birthday. 

He lived with his daughter for some years before moving to the Moat House in Bedford in 1970, where he was happy, and popular with all the staff.   He was regularly visited by local ringers, and it used to give him great pleasure to talk about old times.

 It was with sadness that ringers heard he had died suddenly, and unfortunate that few were able to attend the funeral at Keysoe on June 13, where he was laid to rest with his wife.   It seemed appropriate that he should be remembered in a way of which he would have approved, and on July 5, a band who had all rung with him in the past met at Elstow Abbey and rang a half-muffled quarter-peal in his memory.   He was also specially remembered during the service at the Bedford District Meeting at Bromham on July 1

Our sympathy is extended to his daughter and others of his family.

M.J.M.

Elstow, Beds,  5th July 1978

A Quarter Peal of 1260 Doubles (3m)

1   Mrs M Bird

2   Mrs K A Marriott

3   S H Stanford

4   R P Wood

5   M J Marriott (Cond)

6   D A Hammond               

Half-muffled in memory of George Seth