Death of bell ringer who served for 50 years

A DEDICATED bell ringer who rang in more than 500 church towers has sadly died.

Joe Thornley, bell tower captain at St John’s Church in Farnworth for 50 years, passed away in April at the age of 93.

“He was a very generous man who will be much missed,” said Dorothy McGlynn, St John’s PCC Secretary.

Mr Thornley was born in Farnworth on April 20, 1926. He and his younger brother Bill grew up in Cross Street, Farnworth. He attended Queen Street Council School, before joining Wadsworth’s in Bolton as a lift engineer, a career which was to last until he retired in 1993.

When he was 15-years-old he was inspired to become a campanologist, after reading an appeal for ringers at St Paul’s Church, Walkden, in the Farnworth Journal.

He served as a machine gunner in the Manchester Regiment, during the war and whilst serving in Malta rang the six bells of the Anglican Cathedral of St Paul’s in Valletta.

On ‘demob’, at the end of the Second World War, he went back to Wadsworth’s and also to ring at St Paul’s Walkden.

However, he had always wanted to see the eight bells at St John’s Farnworth and Kearsley Parish Church restored for ringing. Mechanical Ringing had been installed as part of the Church Centenary in 1926.

After the presentation of new ropes in 1943, the bells were manually rung only on special occasions, such as Sermons and

Article source: https://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/17663963.death-of-bell-ringer-who-served-for-50-years/