Frederick Thomas Ring, 1855-1951

Fred Ring was born on 1^st September 1855 at Wissenden – between Bethersden and Smarden – and baptised at Bethersden on 2^nd December. He was the eldest son of Thomas, an agricultural labourer, and Martha Maria, née Millen. In 1861 they lived at Farm House Cottage, Wissenden Grove. The 1871 census lists Fred as ‘Thomas’; he is working as a farm servant for Thomas Millen (presumably a relative of his mother), at Tearnden Farm, Bethersden.

In 1881 he was back in the parental home, Mudlark, Bethersden, and he’s listed as “Ag lab”. The following year he married Matilda Mary Williamson at Waltham Cross, on 2^nd November 1882. The marriage record gives him the occupation “Farmer”, but in subsequent censuses he always appeared as “agricultural labourer”, “Farm Labourer (General)” or similar.

The 1891 census shows them living at Ashford Road, Bethersden; they have two sons and a daughter. In 1901 their address was specified as Coles Cottages, Ashford Road, and they have another daughter. Ten years later the family had moved to Maple Cottage, Bethersden, and would remain there for the next four decades. In 1921 Fred’s employer is given as J D Cameron, Gentleman Farmer.

In the 1939 Register he is listed as Thomas F Ring, and his birth year is erroneously given as 1885. Sophy Theobald, a widow, is living with Fred and his wife, and carrying out “Unpaid Domestic Duties”.

Fred died at the grand old age of 95, in 1951. His obituary in the Kentish Express, Friday 2^nd March 1951, ran as follows:

AGED 95, Mr. Frederick Thomas Ring, of Maple-cotts, the home of Mr. and Mrs. F. Ring, died on Feb. 22 after a few days’ illness. Born at Wissenden, he had lived in the parish all his life. His wife died in 1946. Formerly he was a hop-drier for Mr. Jenner of Yalding, and later he worked for 25 years on the farm of the late Capt. Cameron, of Lowood. In his younger days he was a glee-singer and bellringer, and he sang in the church choir as a tenor.

Francis Collinson collected two songs from a Mr Ring, one of these being noted in November 1942. Now there were several men with the surname Ring living in Bethersden in September 1939, including Fred’s sons Walter and Frederick. However it seems most likely that Collinson’s singer was Fred, given that we know he had been involved in music-making in Bethersden.

A report on the annual Bethersden Hop Dryers’ Dinner in the Kentish Express, 23^rd October 1909, gave the names of those who had “helped with the evening’s entertainment, giving songs, etc. :– Messrs. H. Elliott, W.F. Parker, F. Ring, Lovel Woodcock, G. Burden, Leslie Woodcock, L. Cole and L. Mannering; with Mr. Elliott (of Ashford) as accompanist”. In a sign of the times, “Selections were given by Mr. Beale on his powerful gramophone”.

In December 1913 Fred Ring was contributing to the entertainment at a meeting of the Mid Kent Hunt:

Some very good songs were rendered during the evening, those contributing to the enjoyment including Messrs. Ryan, Cornwallis, Heath, Parker, Ring and A. Farrance while a glee was given by Messrs. Ring and Buckman.

The following week, Fred was again singing, at the “sixth annual dinner of the Royal Standard Slate Club”:¹

A most enjoyable evening was spent and some capital songs were sung by Messrs. Parker, Ring, Greenway, Kingsland, Kingsnorth, Brown, Dyke, and others; a trio was given by Messrs. Buckman, Batt and Ring; and a duet by Messrs. Buckman and Brown, accompanied by Miss Jeffrey (pianist), and Mr. Jeffrey (violin), of Biddenden.²

33 members of the Slate Club received a payout of £1 6s. 8d.

The event at the Royal Standard took place on Saturday 14^th December, but Fred Ring, Horace Buckman and Jim Batt were also present at a similar event the following Wednesday, for the Bethersden Share-Out Club, at the Bull Hotel. On this occasion

Those who contributed to the harmony of the evening were Messrs. Parker, T. Venner, A. Woodcock, T. Ring, Batt, F. Wraight, J. Woodcock, P. Murrell, A. Dunk, A.W. Buss, etc. Mr. W. Elliott ably accompanied.³

Members of this club each received £1 11s. 1d “the largest sum paid out since the Club has been running”.

Songs

• The Fox and the Bear (Roud 1140)
• A Man Who is Married (Roud 21870)

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1. Kentish Express 13 December 1913 ↩︎
2. Kentish Express 20 December 1913 ↩︎
3. Kentish Express 20 December 1913 ↩︎