Result of competition to name Rochdale Town Hall bells announced

Rochdale Town Hall

The winning entries to name Rochdale Town Hall’s bells have been announced following a special competition.

Judges gave a ringing endorsement to five names: Our Gracie, the Bamford Bell, Little Ben, the Bobbin Bell and Recedham. The gongs were also christened with a family name – the bells of Co-operation.

The competition winners were:- St Andrew’s CE Primary School, Rochdale (The bells of Co-operation); Holy Family Primary School, Rochdale (Our Gracie); Louise Taberner (Recedham); Gordon Fletcher (Bobbin Bell); Ian Jenkins (The Bamford Bell); Hilary from Cheshire (Little Ben).

The naming competition was launched after the bells received national publicity when they rang out across the land as a stand in for Westminster’s world famous Big Ben, which is undergoing repairs, on BBC Radio 4 over Christmas.

Hundreds of ideas were submitted by residents across the borough and beyond – with one entry even sent in from Australia. Where more than one person had suggested the same name, a draw was held to choose the winner.

The winners were announced live on BBC Radio Manchester’s Phil Trow show, which was broadcast from Rochdale Town Hall on Wednesday 27 February. The show also featured local celebrity chef Andrew Nutter and Rochdale actor Ben Davies who has starred in Hollyoaks and Waterloo Road.

Councillor Allen Brett, leader of the council, said: “The response was staggering, so a huge thanks to everyone who sent us their excellent ideas. Everyone entered into the spirit of the competition and it was great to see so many schools taking part. We chose names that reflect the borough’s values, history and rich heritage.

“As leader of the council, I am proud that Rochdale has received so much positive publicity on the back of the bells being played live on BBC Radio 4. This is another exciting chapter in the history of the Rochdale Town Hall as we begin an ambitious £16m redevelopment scheme for our iconic grade I listed building.”

Miss Morris, a year 2 teacher at St Andrew’s Primary School, said: “We are thrilled that one of our selections was chosen. The competition sparked a lot of interest at the school and it linked in with the children’s project work and the school’s values. It was a great idea and the children were so excited about winning and going live on the radio. Thanks to the council for getting local schools involved and we are really looking forward to our tour of the town hall.”