Ring the Bells (The St Agnes Carol)

By John Martin Rogers of St Agnes

(1862-1911)

 

 

A tribute written to John Martin Rogers by the late Ruth Jennings of St Agnes:

Composer of Ring the Bells (referred to as the St Agnes Carol)

Ring the Bells was composed by the late John Rogers of Higher Bal.

It was a brilliant composition for a local man of those days and he gave a manuscript autographed copy to the choir master of St Agnes Methodist Choir at that time (The late Mr. John Angwin) and it was sung by the choir every Christmas night for 50 years in succession.

John Rogers died on a Christmas morning and at the choir’s Carol service, in the Wesleyan Chapel that night, Mr Angwin paid tribute to the Christian character of John Rogers and the choir stood to sing the Carol as their tribute.

For many years it was sung both indoors and in the street, as it was the choir’s custom in those years. Whatever day Christmas Day fell on there was a Carol service in the Chapel at 6.00pm followed by carol singing in the street. There would be at least 700 in the Chapel and some 50 in the Choir. So, therefore, this precious heretige (sic) should not be allowed to die.

 

 

A group of St Agnes singers made an audio recording of the carol and this has also been deposited in the Cornish Music Archive at Kresen Kernow.

Music by John Rogers.

Words by John Rogers.

Singers assembled by Malcolm Rogers of St Agnes (Nephew of John Rogers)

Recording made in St Agnes Parish Church by Clive Ellison of St Agnes.