‘The old tunes are the best’, so they say, but some of these chimes rung from churches in Stafford and Stamford do not sound at all familiar. It’s a shame we don’t hear them so much nowadays.
“The Merry Church Bells, – In the Staffordshire Advertiser of last week, there is an account of the chimes newly fitted up in the venerable tower of St. Mary’s, Stafford, and a list is given of the tunes adapted to each day. On Sunday, a psalm tune; Monday, ‘Life let us cherish,’ Tuesday, ‘My lodging is on the cold ground;’ Wednesday, ‘There is nae luck about the house;’ Thursday, ‘The Harmonious Blacksmith;’ Friday, ‘We won’t go home till morning;’ and Saturday (being market-day), ‘Oh, dear, what can the matter be?’ – In the venerable church of St. Mary’s at Stamford, the chimes play two psalm tunes alternately on Sundays; on Monday, ‘General Toast;’ Tuesday, ‘Tight Little Island;’ Wednesday, ‘Grammachre Molly;’ Thursday, ‘My lodging is on the cold ground;’ Friday, ‘God save the Queen;’ and Saturday, ‘Highland Laddie.’ – We have often heard it remarked that the Stamford chimes are not excelled by any in England.”
The Stamford Mercury, 27th October, 1848.