Mavis Whitehead

Read by Ian Carey, on the presentation of the trophy to the winners in 2025.

Before presenting ‘The Mavis Whitehead Trophy’ to the winning team, I thought I would, very briefly, tell you a little bit about Mavis.

Mavis was a ringer here at the cathedral for over 50 years. She was a dedicated and loyal member of the cathedral band and seldom missed a ringing session. Indeed, If Mavis was absent then you knew there was something seriously wrong.

On a Thursday evening, Mavis liked to man the north door of the cathedral greeting local ringers and visitors alike, but she did have an ulterior motive for doing so. She liked to have a last drag on her cigarette or eat her apple before climbing the stairs to the tower. Heart surgery later in life put paid to the former but the apple always remained.

Mavis was a very kind and generous person. When we augmented in 2010, we approached Mavis asking if she would like to consider donating one of the bells in memory of her dear friend. Mavis’s immediate response was ‘when do you need the money’?

During my tenure as tower captain, Mavis would occasionally hand me a little white envelope. Inside there was always a handwritten note thanking me for including her in ringing activities at the cathedral and enclosing a little something to ‘buy yourself a drink’ with. The last envelope I received was several years before she died. Inside this time was her usual handwritten note but asking me to arrange a band for her funeral when the time came. She enclosed 12, crisp £5 notes and requested that each ringer be paid for their services. That was the type of person Mavis was.

She also liked a good banter and could give as good as she took. You seldom won a bantering match against Mavis and if you ever got close, she would end up calling you ‘a cheeky monkey’.

Mavis lived in a 5th floor flat not far from the cathedral overlooking Southsea Common and within earshot of the cathedral bells. She enjoyed spending time sat on her balcony and liked nothing better than having a large glass of sherry and a bowl of peanuts beside her. So, as well as receiving the trophy today the winning team will also receive a bottle of Mavis’s favourite sherry ‘Croft Original’ and a large bag of peanuts and I hope that maybe this tradition will be carried forward in years to come as a lasting reminder of the friendly and kind person that Mavis was.