Mr. Charles A. Binyon

At the end of the table is Charles Arthur Binyon who played a major part in the formation of LBG. At different times he served as chairman, manager, book-keeper and president. From left to right: - , E P Churchill (Eddie) (Vice President), John Hall JP (Committee member), C A Binyon (President), Walter Bearcroft (Committee member) and Victor Smith (Manager and Secretary.)

Bell ringing and Charles Binyon
...
I was introduced to the bells in St.James Church by Mr. Charles A. Binyon, on whom you already have an excellent account, of his life and work in the Vale, and Badsey in particular.
...
Richard Phillips writes: We have replied to Roger saying we would be very interested in an article about his memories of bell ringing and Charles Binyon.

Binyon, C A & bells | Charles A Binyon & bell ringing Badsey: Bells and Charles A Binyon
...
and Charles A Binyon
...
Some Further Reminiscences on Charles A. Binyon
...
The senior Sunday School teachers in those days were Miss Ethel Sladden and Mr. Charles Binyon.
...
And it was Mr. Binyon who, as an experienced "ringer" and a member of the Badsey band, picked out some of the bigger boys from the Sunday School class and taught them how to "chime" the church bells. "Chiming" is a somewhat less energetic (and definitely less perilous!) method of sounding the bells, compared with the "full circle ringing" used by the senior band. Thus I became one of the Sunday morning "chimers", and we chimed the bells of St.James church for 15 minutes or so before morning service each Sunday. My maternal grandmother, who never missed attending a Sunday service except for illness, told me she preferred to hear the bells chimed, as it was a much more "gentle" sound than that produced by full circle ringing.

However, this experience with Sunday morning "chiming" was not really my first encounter with the bells themselves. Several years earlier, while attending Sunday School, Mr.Binyon had asked me if I would like to help him wind up the church clock that afternoon. Of course, I quickly said, "Yes, please". So each Sunday, after lunch, I would meet Mr.Binyon at the church, just before 2 o'clock, and ascend the tower's spiral staircase to the clock room.
...
Above the clock room is the bell chamber, and sometimes Mr. Binyon would allow us to go up the last leg of the old stone spiral staircase, very much worn down by centuries of footsteps, to gain access to the bell chamber. There we could stand right next to some of these big bells. Mr. Binyon arranged it so that we got there at about 1 minute before 2 o'clock. And he would say, "Now listen carefully". And a few seconds later the clock mechanism would start to whirr down below in the clock room and the first large clock hammer lifted. Then it fell back onto the rim of its appointed bell with a resounding blow. The sound produced as each of the hammers stuck the bells right next to us was deafening and we kids jumped out of our skins! Mr.Binyon stood quietly by, smiling broadly.

As an occasional special treat on warm summer Sunday afternoons, Mr. Binyon would allow us to climb up the vertical iron ladder that led from the bell frame to a trap door in the roof of the tower.
...
And I thank Badsey and, of course Mr. Binyon, for "just being there" and providing this wonderful opportunity.
...
Some Further Reminiscences on Charles A. Binyon
...
Charles A Binyon

The influence of Mr. Binyon on my life-long love of bells and bell ringing has already been mentioned. But his influence went way beyond that. The prime example that springs to mind is his enthusiasm for passing on his knowledge of things that kids in that era did not normally come up against at school. And this he did each week when we met with him to wind up the church clock each Sunday afternoon. I can recall sitting with him in the church porch one sunny Sunday afternoon, when he pulled out a small magnifying glass and a piece of paper, and focused the image of the sun on the paper into a moderately large circle of light. Of course, we kids knew the trick of burning holes in the paper if you focused the bright area down to a tiny spot. But that was not Mr., Binyon's intent. Rather, he showed us the dark areas on the image, which, he explained, were very active sunspots, telling us of their interference effects on radio transmissions. On other occasions, he taught me to recognize stars and constellations, and what one might see in the night skies of the southern hemisphere. Little did I think then that one day I would indeed look into the night sky of the antipodes, while on an Australian bell ringing trip, and see the Southern Cross instead of the Great Bear.

He taught me to recognize different classic architectural styles and gave me an insight into the marvels displayed in so many of our English churches and cathedrals. If you go into Badsey Church, you will probably find a framed drawing, which he made of a wall plan of the church, showing each architectural period in a different colour. He was a good pen and ink artist and drew many excellent pictures of Badsey church from different aspects and of other interesting buildings. His drawings inspired my interest in drawing, resulting one day on my producing the drawings for the screen, which now forms the ringer's gallery in the tower.

On one occasion, he asked my parents' permission to take me on a "field trip". This involved the pair of us getting on our bikes out and riding through Broadway and Winchcomb and on to Gloucester. There we had lunch in a restaurant and then explored the magnificent cathedral. That afternoon Mr. Binyon gave me a practical lesson in church architecture from Norman to Early Perpendicular, finally visiting the tomb of King Edward II.
...
Mr. Binyon was also a chess enthusiast and he taught me how to play. But I wasn't very good at the game. However, a few years later he found out that my Dad played a good game of chess, and from then on Mr. Binyon was a regular visitor at our house for their weekly game of chess (and supper, of course!).

These are just a few of the memories of Mr. Binyon as seen from the eyes of a youngster. He was truly a learned gentle man, always willing to pass on some of his great breadth of knowledge to whoever wanted to listen. A shy man in many ways, but a tower of strength in others. Whether it was country nature walks, astronomy, architecture, or history, he always gave us something of value. I recall one Sunday summer afternoon, on a walk along Badsey Lane, talking of the various Ages in history, like the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, when he said to me, "You know, I think they will call this "The Travel Age". I don't think he was far wrong!

By the death of Mr Binyon, Badsey Church has lost one of its most faithful members. The son of a clergyman himself, his early training in service for God's Church remained with him throughout his long and active life. His notes on the history of the church published some years ago show the great love he had for his parish church. He was intensely proud of the church clock and tended it with such care that as a timekeeper it could hold its own with any in the land. The bells too were of particular interest to him and he was a member of the Ringers for over half a century. It was, however, as Treasurer of the PCC that he laid the foundation of our now sound financial position. In his early years in this office, it was only by the most careful planning that the church was able to meet its budget. On the death of Sir Julius Sladden, Mr Binyon took over the reading of the lessons, and his mellow voice and unaffected reading always impressed the listener with his obvious sincerity.
...
As the Garden of Rest is a memorial to Charles Arthur Binyon, this was most fitting, since the two men were partners in market gardening in the 1890s and early 1900s, and lifelong friends. He was one of the great Badsey growers, a founder-member of the LBG and active till a great age. Originally a member of the Church of England, he became a keen Methodist, and also a supporter of the Badsey Friends Mission.