February 22, 2026 12:10 pm | by Terry Brown | Posted in Tributes
John Bryan Maxwell Pattison (known as Bryan) was born in February 1936 near Penrith in Cumberland to John and Evelyn Pattison, and before 1949 the family had moved south to Bedford.
Although I never had the pleasure of knowing Bryan personally, I was aware that he made an exceptional contribution to ringing in Bedfordshire some 6/7 decades ago and that he is still fondly remembered. This obituary has been compiled from research into his peals and from the various tributes and memories of others.
Bryan was a well-respected and very popular ringer who rang 223 peals (Conducted 120) from Doubles to Surprise Maximus between 1952 and 1967. His peal total includes 98 (Conducted 59) for the Bedfordshire Association and 6 (Conducted 4) handbell peals. He is first listed in the Bedfordshire Association’s Annual Report in 1951 as a member at Cardington. He was clearly a ringer of considerable potential from the start and his first peal was the first on the newly augmented six at neighbouring Cople (8th April 1952, 4th to 7 Minor methods) along with the Bedfordshire stalwarts of the day (Ron Sharp, Pat Chapman, Henry Harding, Eddie Jeffries, and Bryan Sims) so, in such august company, very high standards would have been expected of him. Also in 1952, at the age of 16, he became Tower Captain at Cardington and on 29th November 1952 he rang a peal of Plain Bob Major at Cardington on the 19cwt tenor – this was his first peal of Major and also his first peal as Conductor.
Many of the peals conducted by Bryan enabled members of the band to achieve “firsts”. On 20th February 1954 Bryan conducted a peal of Plain Bob Doubles on the six at Stagsden with five first pealers – this was the first peal by a band from Bedford Modern School and, at the time, this was the youngest band to ring a peal for the Bedfordshire Association with an average age of approximately 16. Later in 1954, Bryan conducted further peals by pupils of the Harpur Trust schools in Bedford (Oakley 27th March 1954, Sharnbrook 30th March 1954, and Old Warden 13th September 1954). On 12th July 1954, Bryan conducted a peal of Plain Bob Royal at Bedford (St Paul’s) – this was not only his first 10 bell peal but also Stephen Ivin’s first 10 bell peal. On 22nd September 1958 the first peal by a Sunday service band at Bedford (St Paul’s) was conducted by Bryan (Grandsire Caters). His party piece was to play Grandsire Caters on the piano!
Bryan’s move to University was put on hold for two years in 1956 for National Service in the RAF based at Padgate (Warrington), Bridgnorth, and Brampton (Huntingdonshire). Bryan attended Durham University where he was a founder member and the first President of the Durham University Society of Change Ringers – he conducted the first peal for that Society on 22nd October 1959 at Benfieldside. On leaving University after completing his doctorate in nuclear science, Bryan stayed in the North East to work until 1966 when he took a post at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (known as CERN) based at Geneva in Switzerland studying cosmic rays and high energy particle interactions, becoming a renowned astrophysicist. He remained in Switzerland for the rest of his life.
Bryan’s move abroad was a great loss to ringing in the UK. After moving to Switzerland in 1966, over the following 3/4 decades he would very occasionally join service ringing and practices at Bedford (St Paul’s) when making fleeting visits to his parents in Bedford. Despite not ringing regularly, he would ring complex methods effortlessly and faultlessly as if he had never been away!
During the 1960s, Bryan met Patricia who became his wife. Outside work and family, Bryan had a long-standing involvement with the RAF Association and he was made a Life Vice President in recognition of his lifelong dedication to the Association and its Swiss Branch. Bryan was also a keen cricketer and was awarded the prestigious “Services to Cricket” award by Cricket Switzerland (formerly the Swiss Cricket Association). In the 2003 New Year Honours list, he was awarded the OBE for services to British interests in Switzerland. In 2017, he had the honour of laying a wreath on behalf of the RAF Association at the National Service of Remembrance at the London Cenotaph in Whitehall.
Bryan died peacefully in his sleep in Switzerland on 16th November 2024 at the age of 88 – he was remembered in a Peal at Tanfield (6th December 2025) and in Quarter Peals at Islington (24th March 2025) and Bedford (28th December 2025). Rest in Peace.
Compiled by Richard Hillson
(Acknowledgements: Stephen Stanford, Phyllis Jones [nee Gray], Jennie Taylor [nee Davies], Anthony Smith, Clive Smith, Phil Rogers, Chris Pickford, James Saunders, Ann Fletcher, BellBoard, and PealBase)
November 19, 2025 3:51 pm | by Terry Brown | Posted in Tributes
Anthony Smith gave this tribute to Vernon at a meeting of the Ancient Society of College Youths – Vernon Green by A-Smith for ASCY
Richard Grimmett gave this tribute to Vernon at a meeting of the Ancient Society of College Youths, and used with his permission – Vernon Green R Grimmett
May 17, 2025 9:54 am | by Terry Brown | Posted in Tributes
Owen Davis wrote this eulogy for John Long – JOHN B LONG EULOGY – for Web