In Memoriam - Tom Goodyer

Workmen hoisting bells of St Andrew's Cathedral, 1965

Image courtesy Moore College archives

This Sunday, 1st September, the Cathedral bells will peal from 12:45pm – 4:45pm.

This very rare full bell peal occurs in memory of the late Tom Goodyer, who died earlier this year, aged 96.

Tom was instrumental in training a new team of ringers at St Andrew's when the bells were installed in the 1960s.

Tom served the Cathedral's team of bell-ringers for decades, including a long stint as Captain of Bells. In ‘retirement’ he still served at the Cathedral and across other bell-towers in Sydney until his recent frailty.

His son, Andrew, still helps ring here at the Cathedral. 

Sandy Grant, the current Dean of Sydney, said,

“The bell-ringing ministry is one of those that is not seen but it is certainly heard. It’s heard before the mid-morning Sunday Service, during practice on Monday evenings after Evensong, as well by arrangement for weddings, and at special occasions, like the 96 toll solemn commemoration of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

In my view, the great value of the Bell-Ringing ministry is that it reminds city-dwellers and visitors - in loud and unmissable terms - that a Church community is alive and active right here in the heart of the CBD.”