The stories of travelling bellringers, their tours, tragedies and triumphs, bring glimpses of a forgotten lifestyle and reveal new insights into the popular culture of the day. This colourful world of entertainment is brought ot life througfh personalities, music, spectacle and laughter. The narrative of the bellringing families is situated within a wider context. A host of other performers make an appearance, including musical clowns, balloon artists, acrobats, those who worked in waxworks and pantomime, ans some of the earliest pioneers of the Australian film industry. Contents include: Handbells in history p11. Handbells in Australia and New Zealand p31. Father and sons: the Lynch family, 1867-1883 p47. The grand tour: the Lynch family, 1883-1884 p69. 'Their hands have lost no cunning': the Lynch family, 1884-1939 p81. The Payne family: 'native of the Golden City' p101. The Steele-Payne Klokkenspelers p117. The Belle Cromes: a leading lady p139. The Faust family of acrobats p153. The marvellous Corricks p173. Family bellringers and the local community p199.