The Lincoln Ringers' Jack

Much has been written about this 18c artifact now residing quietly in its own special case in Lincoln Cathedral. It has had a chequered career and seen famous people.

Presented to 'The City Ringers' in 1782 by the Mayor of Lincoln, Alderman Henry Bullen, (a Brewer), it was held in great affection for years by the ringing fraternity of the City. This may have been partly due to its size and the claim to hold 22 pints of ale!

It lodged at the 'Great Tom' public house near the Cathedral for some of its early life and moved to 'The Black Boy' near the Castle during the 19c when the former house closed. The 'Black Boy' was a popular establishment in uphill Lincoln in those days and provided a comfortable refuge for such people as the well-known engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunell when working on Torksey Lock and, more often, for the Public Hangman, William Marwood and his predecessors, when doing 'jobs' at the Castle prison.

Annual meetings of the Cathedral Ringers were held here for many years in the company of 'The Old Leather Jack' which was regularly filled with 'nut brown ale', until December 24th 1898 when the minute reads - 'We then adjourned to the Black Boy Inn when much disappointment was shown on account of the absence of the Old Leather Jack - Mr John Kirk the Landlord having left the house and taken it with him - but nevertheless we spent a jovial evening'.

Mr Kirk had apparently claimed the Jack against a debt of 13 shillings owing for ale. This must have been quite a quantity because there is a previous entry billing ale at 2 shillings a gallon!! Was the debt incurred by the eight ringers in one session I wonder? I have the feeling that we shall never know the answer to this.

So the Jack went on a journey to Hove from which it only returned in 1955 having been bequeathed to Lincoln Cathedral by Mr Kirk's daughter. Now the Black Boy Inn, with all its history, is the Castle Hill Club and in 1999, the year the Central Council met in Lincoln, the Club had the Black Boys head which had formerly been part of the old Inn sign, renovated by the Art College. Central Council members may well remember this being exhibited in the Chapter House.

Following the renovation an approach was made to the Dean for the Jack to be returned on semi-permanent loan to the Club for exhibition with the Black Boys head behind the bar. This, however, much to the relief of the Ringers, was not granted but the Dean very graciously agreed that a replica could be made by the Club.

This has now been accomplished in fine style by Derek Lowe of Northampton, a craftsman in leather, with the decoration done by Nigel Leaney of Lincoln. The new Jack was unveiled at the Club on Sunday 9th October 2005, some 223 years after the orginal with them both side by side!! Members of the Cathedral Company were invited to take part in the ceremony at which the Chairman of the Club astonished us by announcing that we had all been elected Honorary Members.

The Cathedral Ringers now have a standing and much appreciated invitation to take refreshment in the Club following ringing activities. Note: we never put anything 'on the slate'!!