When St. George's Church was opened for public worship in the year 1832, it possessed only one bell, which, we are informed, 'rang at seven o'clock and at eight o'clock on Sunday mornings, summoned the people to the services, did duty at marriages, and tolled the knell at funerals; it also served the purpose of a 'passing bell'. For over twenty years this useful bell remained the solitary occupant of the belfry, until in the year 1853 it was replaced by a full peal of eight bells.

The new bells were purchased by the proceeds of a public subscription begun in 1852, which realised £831 9s. 3d. The bells were cast by Messrs. C. and G. Mears, at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London; they were then brought to Hyde, along the Peak Forest Canal, and landed at the Wharf in Canal Street. Their arrival was, by the Hyde people of that day, regarded as an event important enough to warrant public celebration.

A parade was organised, and on the 3rd of February, 1853, the bells were conveyed through the town on a lorry.

On the bells were the following inscriptions;- "William Sidebotham, Thomas Antrobus (church- wardens), treble; Thomas Howard, No.2; John Sidebotham, No. 3; John Wharmby, No.4; Benjamin Goodfellow, No.5; Edward Clarke, No.6; Alexander Read, M.A., incumbent No.7; Dei Gloria, St. George's Church, Hyde, tenor."

The first peal was rung on Palm Sunday, March 20th, 1853, by the Society of Change Ringers from the Parish Church, Mottram.

During the ringing of the first peal it was discovered that the bells were placed too low in the tower; it was accordingly decided to re-hang them in a higher position. During the re-hanging, on August 10th, 1853, a serious accident occurred. The sixth bell fell, breaking the leg of Mr. Wilson, the contractor, and crashing through the floor of the tower until it reached the stone floor of the main entrance porch of the church, where it broke- into the vault of Captain Clarke, which is situated under the tower; and but for the presence of a second covering stone in the vault it would, in all probability, have fallen upon and broken the coffins lying there. The bell was smashed to pieces, but a new one was cast without delay, and the full peal were then re-hung in a suitable position.

The St. George's bells have played no mean part in the history of the town of Hyde, they have rung Sunday after Sunday to call the people to the house of prayer, pealed forth joyfully on the happy occasions and tolled mournfully when death has been at work in our midst.

In 1920 the bells were recast by Taylors of Loughborough. At this time the weights were increased but the tuning remained the same.

However following a long period of silence when the church building was closed ( more details for this can be seen elsewhere on the Church website ) a number of ringers from the Chester Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers carried out the necessary (surprisingly little) maintenance to make the bells ringable again.

For a period of time only occasional ringing took place on the bells, with ringers from local towers supplying ringers for special services and holding very occasional practice nights on the bells.

But following the interest of some of the Church members a new local band was formed and trained with the aim of both ringing in the "new millenium" and ringing the bells for worship.

The 2006 band is made up of some of those who learnt and rang for the Millenium and others who have joined since.