If you are familiar with London Surprise Minor, there is almost no new work to learn for the Major. The main challenge is not the work, but getting used to the order in which it appears, which isn't always the same as in Minor. To help with understanding the method, we will first look at the structure of the method, which has several distinctive features, which can be clearly seen in the grid:
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The first thing to notice is all the plain hunting below the treble (highlighted in the second diagram). Note that this hunting is wrong - all the leading is backstroke then handstroke. Of course the treble is always working right, so you always have to make a place between passing the treble and the wrong hunting; these places are shown green in the third diagram.
The only other things to note are
It's easier to see what's happening above the treble on another grid:
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Again we have a large chunk of hunting, on the back 6 bells, while the treble is in 1-2. And again it is wrong - you lie behind back-and-hand and you make thirds back-and-hand.
Then fishtails are made, as in Minor, when the treble is dodging 3-4, shown in the third diagram. For clarity, I've only highlighted some of the lines, but in each case you can make fishtails in 5-6 up, then go back in, or in 5-6 down, then go back out, or in 7-8 up, then go back in, or in 7-8 down, lying behind before and after.
The only other work above the treble is treble-bobbing while the treble is in 5-6 and 7-8. And making seconds at the lead end.
So now we've seen almost all the work, we have to learn how it fits together in the blue line, using the structure of the method to help us.
| 2nds place bell | |
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Like Minor, 2nds place bell starts by dodging with the treble, then making seconds and a point lead before making 4ths. However here it has to do some more wrong hunting before it can go up to the back. So it goes back to lead wrong, then has to make 5ths to get right again and dodge with the treble in 5-6. Now, as you go up to 7-8, then treble goes down to 3-4, which means that the 7-8 work must be a fishtail, followed by wrong hunting across the lead end. That takes you to 3rds place bell. |
| 3rds place bell | |
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As in Minor, the first work is an extra blow in 3rds (as we're still hunting wrong), before going out to a fishtail in 5-6, then down to pass the treble and hence (as in Minor) make 4ths before hunting wrong down to the front. Make 6ths before passing the treble. Again knowing the fishtails happen when the treble is in 3-4 helps us here; we dodge 7-8 up (while the treble dodges 5-6 down), then make fishtails in 7-8 front the back. This is like the "Long London" in Minor, except that the 7-8 dodge isn't with the treble. Then hunt (wrong) down to 5ths place bell. |
| 5ths place bell | |
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Again, this starts like Minor, going in to 3rds, then doing the Stedman whole-turn on the front. But then hunt out (wrong) to make 6ths, before dodging with the treble in 7-8 up. Then dodge 7-8 down (while the treble is in 5-6) before making fishtails in 5-6 and hunting out again (wrong, of course). You become 7ths place bell just after lying behind. |
| 7ths place bell | |
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This is the nicest place bell, made easier by being the pivot bell. You start with 4ths-dodge with the treble-3rds (this manoeuvre is familiar from the Minor). Then you plain hunt wrong - down to the front, up to 5ths (which is hand-and-back). That's the point of symmetery, so you go back down and lead wrong again, before 3rds-dodge-4ths up. Hunt (wrong) up to 8ths place bell. |
| 8ths place bell | |
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This is the reverse of 5ths place bell. Carry on hunting for 4 blows (while the treble dodges 1-2), which will take you down to 5-6 for your fishtail. Back up and treble bob until you meet the treble. You will meet it in 7-8 down, then make 6ths and hunt in wrong. This is where you do have to be awake as it's very easy to forget your Stedman whole-turn. Then make 3rds and hunt (wrong) up to 6ths place bell. |
| 6ths place bell | |
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This is the reverse of 3rds place bell. Carry on hunting up wrong, like behind and do a fishtail 7-8, before treble-bobbing until you meet the treble. You pass the treble in 7-6, so then you have to make 6ths and hunt in wrong. Make 4ths on the way out, in order to pass the treble and make a fishtail in 5-6. Hunt wrong down to 3rds, then become 4ths place bell. |
| 4ths place bell | |
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The reverse of 2nds place bell, so the end is in sight! Plain hunting for 4 blows takes you up to the back, so do a 7-8 fishtail and come back in. You will meet the treble, so must dodge 5-6 down and must make 5ths afterwards to get into the wrong hunting. Then remember to lead (wrong) and make 4ths (wrong) before getting to the point lead and making 2nds. Lead, dodge with the treble and make seconds, to become 2nds place bell. |
My intention was to show how straightforward the elements of London Major are and explain some of the structure that explains how the bits fit together. Most of the method is actually just wrong hunting! The skill is in knowing when to stop hunting and do something else. With the explanations included above, it probably sounds more complicated than it is. Here's the (simpler) summary:
| 2nds place bell | |
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Dodge, lead, seconds, point lead, 4ths, lead, 5ths, dodge with treble 5-6, Fishtail 7-8 and back in. |
| 3rds place bell | |
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3rds, fishtail 5-6, 4ths, lead, 6ths, 7-8 up, fishtail 7-8, lie. |
| 5ths place bell | |
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3rds, Stedman, 6ths, 7-8 up with treble, 7-8 down, Fishtail 5-6 and back up. |
| 7ths place bell | |
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4ths, dodge with treble, 3rds, Lead, 5ths, lead, 3rds, dodge with treble, 4ths. |
| 8ths place bell | |
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Lie, fishtail 5-6 and back up, 7-8 up, then 7-8 down with the treble, 6ths, Stedman, 3rds and up. |
| 6ths place bell | |
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Lie, fishtail 7-8, lie, 7-8 down, 6ths, Lead, 4ths, fishtail 5-6, 3rds and up. |
| 4ths place bell | |
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Fishtail 7-8 and back in, 5-6 down with treble, 5ths, Lead, 4ths, Point lead, 2nds, Lead, dodge 1-2 with treble, Make 2nds. |