[Home] [Introduction] [Principles] [Meetings] [Action] [Events] [Publications] [Archive] [Links] [Contact]

Irish Quaker Logo

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Ireland

Ringing True: The Bells of Trummery and Beyond
350 Years of an Irish Quaker Family

This book has recently (July 2006) been published by Sessions of York. Written by Bill Jackson, whom some Friends may remember as the Chief Executive of APSO up to 1989, its contents are very much 'as it says on the tin'. Unusually for a Scot, Archibald Bell was convinced of the Truth in Armagh in 1657. He became a member of Maghaberry Meeting when he leased land in the virtual Quaker colony of Trummery about 1670.

The story ends with a six times great-grand-daughter, Prof Jocelyn Bell Burnell FRS, presiding over London Yearly Meeting. Between are narrated the doings and ministry of many of the family in connection with Lurgan, Lisburn, Belfast, Waterford and Carlow Meetings, the Friends Schools and the Brookfield Agricultural School. The sufferings of early Friends, the challenge of violence in the 18th and 20th centuries and the struggle to end slavery - all feature. As do the stories of the Bells who emigrated, to great prosperity or early deaths, whether in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or even Cuba.

We have archived the script, with spaces for the pictures; we hope eventually to add the latter. Ed 22/07/06

[Home] [Introduction] [Principles] [Meetings] [Action] [Events] [Publications] [Archive] [Links] [Contact]