Ring A Ding Ding...
...and The Pompey Chimes

Is there a connection with the Chant "Ring a Ding Ding" and "The Pompey Chimes"?
The origins of the "Pompey Chimes" chant lies with Royal Artillery (Portsmouth) FC, circa 1890 who played many of their home games at the United Services Recreation Ground in Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, within easy earshot of the Portsmouth Guildhall clock bells, which inspired the chant.
The Royal Artillery held the nickname "The Gunners" because of their British Army origins and also "Pompey", adopted from the city of Portsmouth in which they were based, ergo Pompey Gunners. The Pompey Chimes date back as far as the 1890s. Referees are said to have used the chime of the nearby Guildhall clock to let them know when the match should finish at 1600. Just before 1600 the crowd would sing along with the chimes to encourage the referee to blow the full-time whistle.
The only time the bells stopped was during the war, until they were turned off by the city council in 2003 for urgent repair work.
The Victoria Bell is the biggest, weighing in at 3.9 tons.
The Royal Artillery were expelled from the FA Amateur Cup in 1898, for professionalism. Because of the scandal of their expulsion and ending the League season poorly, Royal Artillery then decided to disband.
From out of the ashes of Royal Artillery (Portsmouth) F.C., a new club was soon founded. Many of Royal Artillery's supporters then transferred their allegiance to the new club and brought the 'Pompey Chimes' chant with them from Burnaby Road to the newly created Fratton Park.
The original words to 'The Chimes', as printed in the 1900-01 Official Handbook of Portsmouth FC, were:
Play up Pompey, Just one more goal!
Make tracks! What ho!Hallo! Hallo!!
Now supporters chant:
Play Up Pompey, Pompey Play UP.
Is the Ring a Ding Ding chant a direct descendant of the Pompey Chimes? I'll leave it up to you...
Ring a Ding Ding P-O-M
Ring a Ding Dong P-E-Y
Ring a Ding POM
Ring a Ding PEY
Ring a Ding a Ding Dong POMPEY!
What's Happening...






