Notes for: Catherine Elizabeth Willers
From the Chelmsford Chronicle, 19 Sep 1930: The bells of St Mary's Church, Bocking, which have been silent for over two years, to allow of their being re-conditioned, were re-opened on Saturday by the Bishop of Chelmsford . . . At 5 p.m. the visiting ringers sat down to tea, under the chairmanship of Mr C. H. Howard. The company included a young lady, Miss Kitty Willers, who had cycled alone from Trumpington, near Cambridge, to be present at the re-opening of the bells, and to take part in the ringing.
And the Essex Newsman, 20 Sep 1930, has: Miss Kitty Millers (sic), aged 25, of Trumpington, Cambridge, rode a pedal bicycle nearly a hundred miles, mostly in drenching rain, in order to be present at the re-opening ceremony of the Bocking bells. "I love bell ringing" she said "and my bicycle helps me to enjoy it." When she started back at night on the return ride to Trumpington it was still raining.
From the Chelmsford Chronicle, 28 Aug 1931: On Saturday a peal of Double Norwich Court Bob Major, 5,024 changes, was rung upon the bells of the Parish Church in three hours by: . . . 3; Miss Kitty Willers, . . . Miss Willers, who resides at Trumpington, Cambs, cycled nearly seventy miles to take part in this peal. She is the secretary for the Archdeaconry of Ely.
Cambridge Evening News 23 Feb 1977: Miss Kitty Willers, for more than 60 years a bellringer at Trumpington parish church, has died at the age of 78, having lived her whole life there. Her cycling and bellringing feats established her reputation as something of an eccentric. Until recently she would think nothing of cycling hundreds of miles. Once she refused offers of a lift to Loughborough to see the church’s new bells being cast. When the church party arrived at the foundry they found Miss Willers there already as part of the reception committee. She had started cycling at four in the morning.