The Newsletter No.57 June 2008

Reminder:

Following a suggestion made at the ARM if you are prepared to receive the Newsletters ONLY in electronic form please email me to let me know. It will save acres of trees and the Morris Ring a lot of money.

The Times

As I put the finishing touches to this Newsletter we have made The Times and although the picture is rather disturbing the article was extremely positive and Paul Reeces letter placed the d iscussion of a potential place for the Morris at the 2012 Olympics into the public arena. I copy both here for any of you who have missed them.

The Times June 2, 2008

Morris dancers' raucous return to spiritual home

Morris dancers take part in the 75th Thaxted Morris meeting in the village of Thaxted in Essex. Thaxted Morris dancers from across Britain gathered in Essex this weekend for a raucous and colourful celebration of the folk tradition.

Thaxted is considered the modern spiritual home of morris dancing and the local side hosted the gathering, the largest in the country. Processions to the town's Guildhall drew hundreds of dancers and musicians, culminating in the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance.

Organised by the Morris Ring, an association of more than 200 morris dance sides inaugurated in 1934, the gathering is a celebration of a tradition that is more than 500 years old. The term morris probably developed from the French word morisque, meaning a dance, while the first confirmation of a performance of morris dancing, according to the Morris Ring, was in London on May 19, 1448.

At its inception, morris dancing was usually performed by one or two dancers, although now it is more common to see groups of four or more. The dancing, like many folk traditions, declined during the 19th century, mainly as a result of the loss of patronage by the gentry and the growth of other leisure pursuits. Some rural villages kept the tradition alive and when Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 1887 morris dancers were present.

This provoked some interesting responses over the following days. I include just a few they are all available on http://www.timesonline.co.uk

The Times :

June 4, 2008

Morris dancing for the Olympics: Celebrating one of our most enduring traditions

Sir, It was a delight to see your coverage of our 75th morris weekend meeting in Thaxted. We were able to show the very best of our folk dance traditions from around the country with stunning performances from Saddleworth representing the North West clog dance tradition and Monkseaton performing the intricate and highly entertaining North East rapper and longsword traditions. Among sides dancing the Cotswold tradition were Helmond, who performed these dances during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, and East Suffolk celebrating their 50th year with the 80-year-old Des Herring performing in the hobbyhorse that went over to mainland Europe in the Normandy landings. Together with the recent International Sword Spectacular in York with 44 sides from across the UK, US and Europe, the very best of our peoples proud regional cultural identity was on display free.

The upsurge of interest in our folk traditions and the ability of the performers of the morris dance, in its different forms, to put on large-scale, colourful and moving performances is achieved largely through self-financing in order to keep these traditions alive at a time when regional cultural identity is increasingly being eroded. As we enter the four-year period of the cultural Olympiad, its planned regional events and the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Games in 2012, there is a strong case to be made for featuring one of our most enduring traditions: the morris dance.

June 5, 2008 A dance too far? To morris dance or not to morris dance? Sir, It is with great consternation and horror that I read of the attempt to include morris dancing in the 2012 Olympic celebrations (letter, June 4). It is well known that the long chord sounded at the beginning of a performance is to allow all sane people present to withdraw to a safe distance. Alas, I fear that some of our foreign visitors could be unaware of this, resulting in immeasurable international damage. I personally am unable to visit venues such as Warwick Castle etc without carrying a sturdy umbrella to ward off the infestations of morris dancers that appear to hatch during the late spring. Surely for once we should be able to use the health and safety directives for the good of humanity and rid our green and pleasant land of this blight.

Sir, I fully support Paul Reeces proposal (letters, June 4) that morris dancing should feature in the London Games in 2012. Would he also consider teaching the England rugby union team a few steps in order that they might have something suitable with which to reply to the All Blacks haka?

June 6, 2008 Morris men in 2012: Yes, minister?

Sir, As Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell was the force behind the amendment that exempted morris dancers from the Licensing Act 2003. As Minister for the Olympics, surely it is a foregone conclusion that she will use her influence to include morris dancing in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games (letters, June 4 and 5)? Her silence on this issue is bizarre.

Some other thoughts from our Squire

• ST GEORGES DAY AND BEYOND. It is important to be able to identify the Morris within the publics imagination as something that is expressive, celebratory, lively, and as a vital extension of community, regional identity, or even Englishness. Although considered to be rooted in English culture, the Morris in all its manifestations is a much wider phenomenon without boundaries, practiced around the world and having parallel vestiges and manifestations in Europe, North Africa, India and South America. It is part of the peoples culture as a live continuity of that cultural spirit that has to respond to changing circumstances.

There are specific times in the calendar which have been traditionally and continue to be associated in some way with the Morris that may need to be strengthened or redefined. May Day, St Georges Day, Boxing Day and Plough Monday are some that spring to mind. Compared to St Patricks Day and possibly St Davids Day and St Andrews Day as well, St Georges Day does not have the same weight of attachment, identity and rallying appeal of coming together on one day to celebrate our Englishness. More people are however getting behind it as the notion of English Culture and our collective identity is felt to be being eroded on all sides, particularly politically, in favour of the lowest common denominator, Internationalism, and pandering to imported cultures instead of supporting our own.

The pan Irish pan Celtic cultural phenomenon is able to tap into that vast world wide Irish Diaspora, of longing and a collective identity with their spiritual homeland that has been so cleverly tapped by Riverdance and Guinness, and to the point where films and travelogues of wild places, even in Scotland and Northumbria, have a haunting soundtrack featuring the Irish pipes rather than their native counterpart. Education of the young and those who should know better who work in the cultural and media sectors should be part of our remit.

The English sit content with the culture of their gardens having conquered and civilized the wild parts of the world not aware that the culture of others has been eroding the very cultural foundation of the people who gave them their engine of industrialisation, urbanisation and expansionism in search of greater resources and markets. They are now culturally doing unto us as we did to them. International sport is perhaps the only arena where national pride, passion and identity is still raised.

It is now time to find the rallying points to stimulate resurgence in the value of and belief in our own culture before it is lost. Those who think that they havent got a culture are the easiest to have it taken away from them and the sad thing is they dont even know when theyve lost it.

St Georges Day and May Day already attract the Morris, but not necessarily on a big enough scale that is likely to get national exposure and impact. Torquay are promoting and trying to enlist the large scale support of the Morris at their St Georges Day gathering. Jockey Morris Men and other guest sides regularly come together to perform for St Georges Day and the Plough Tour in Birmingham. A national newspaper or television competition for the most inspiring event may just raise the profile. If the Irish can take over Trafalgar Square for St Patricks Day we should at the very least be able to match them. It has to be big or at least involve simultaneous or connecting events across the country. Gatherings of as many sides in red and the white kit, hats or shoes could also grab the imagination and be a feature for the headlines; this could also connect with team sports colours

• LOOK SHARP! THE CENTENARY CELEBRATION OF SHARPS VISIT TO WINSTER
  From Sharps arrival at Darley Dale station by steam train and his being met by members of Winster Morris and a group of lead miners, every aspect of Sharps historic visit was meticulously recreated and acted out in the schools and the grand stage of Winster itself. The Friday and Saturday celebrations culminated in a very moving, entertaining, humorous and currently very politically relevant showings of a production by Cotton Grass Theatre Company based on the work of Cecil Sharp and Mary Neals promotion of the Morris dance, specially written for the occasion and a must for any Morris gathering. This special weekend gathering included two Morris tours featuring along with the hosts, Winster Morris Men, Tony Daniels Bampton side and sides from Headington, Eynsham, Abingdon and Thaxted. This was believed to be the largest meeting of traditional sides featured in Sharps Morris Books in any one place.
• Media coverage. In raising the profile of the Morrisby courting the media who are responding with more positive and supportiveattention it would be appreciated if allForemen and Squires of sides dancing out in public, and especially at Morris Ring Meetings, ensure that their sides uphold the highest traditions of the Morris Ringconcerning standards of dance and appearance and not cause disrespect to what we hold dear.

If your side wear whites every man performing should be in whites. It only takes one man in off white, cricket cream and shades of pale and tired grey to ruin the effect, as does shirts hanging out. We are upholding a tradition not the latest fashion statement.

If you are fortunate to have a rapper side performing with a Betty and a Tommy would fools and beasts of Cotswold sides respect their tradition and cease fooling in the performance space while they are performing.

Morris Dancing and Swords

• The Armada has been repelled. Quite a lot of hot air has been blowing around this subject. Kate Hoey has helped to clarify the situation in the Independent newspaper comment on 18^th June 2008 when it was reported that concerning the pressing matter of Knife Crime and Our Morris Dancers, she's written to the Home Secretary enquiring of the effect that crime legislation is having on "the ability of traditional folk dancers to a) buy and b) use swords as part of their dances". It will, no doubt, please all to discover that said dancers are well-protected. Says the Home Office: swords "for use in performance" will continue to be legal.

Quote from Andy King, Squire of Plymouth MM At last I can sleep at night!

Previous to this notice Paul Reece stated:"We must counter the notion that the Act, which is already law concerns all swords and by their use in sword dancing is likely to be banned. The Act which is designed against 'Sumarai' and lookalike swords is only concerned with curved swords over 50 cms measured in a straight line from the tip to the hilt. Consequently very few sides fall into this category. The Joint Morris Organisation are assessing the size of the problem, but it is considered to be very very small. I only know of two sides that use curved sides, Plymouth Morris Men is the only Morris Ring side and they use curved naval cutlasses. They have approached their MP who is looking into it for them and we are awaiting the result. All efforts have been and are being made behind the scenes to resolve the matter at the highest level. Despite the alarm and natural concern in the sword fraternity that has been generated by the petition, as it is based on a fallacy, the petition is likely to be counterproductive."

Enjoy your dancing, playing and fooling and show that you are enjoying it and proud of your tradition. Have a good Summer.

St Georges Day Poem

(Read on BBC Radio 4 Today Programme 3^rd May)

Once more into the breach dear Morris dancers,
Once more
Jingle your bells
Thwack sticks
Raise flagons
Cry God for Harry and St George
Gallant knight and slayer of dragons
Patron Saint of Merrie England
And Georgia
And Catalonia
And Portugal
Beirut
Moscow
Istanbul
Germany
Greece
Archers
Farmers
Boy scouts
Butchers
And sufferers of Syphilis
Multi-cultural icon with sword and codpiece
On, on, you bullet headed Saxon sons
Fly flags from white van and cab
But, remember,
Stout yeoman
Your champion was Turkish
So, get drunk!
And have a kebab!

Corrections

1 ARM Minutes:

Thanks to Jason Standing (Westminster Morris Men) for pointing out the following error:
a. Overseas Bagman said: "There are no Associate overseas sides"
In fact, Adelaide are Associates of the Morris Ring. Sorry chaps.

Newsletter No 56
I notice on page 5 of Newsletter No 56 that Rolf Gardiner is referred to as the "founder of the Cambridge Morris Men (CMM)". We havegot it clear that he had nothing to do with the actual formation of the Morris Ring, so I wish to nip in the bud the suggestion that he founded the CMM.

There is no doubt that he was the main mover behind the Travelling Morrice(TM) and with Arthur Heffer who supported him from the start they correctly are referred to as the Co-founders of the TM. There is also no doubt that the Tour, with his idea of dancing in public in the streets, was a major turning pointfrom the academic situation (under the auspices of the EFDS) to the now regular events of sides with private parties, fetes and indoor shows given second place. Thus his contribution was great ? next after Sharp..

As for the CMM, there had been regular practises since 1920, and private showshad been given, one in front of the Prince of Wales, but no street shows in towns or villages. Mainly at Kenworthy Schofield's suggestion the Inaugural Meeting of the CMM was held on October 24^th 1924 to agree "that some form of Club should exist bymeans of which former members of Cambridge Morris Sides should be kept in touch with men now dancing at Cambridge. For this purpose it was agreed that an annual dinner be held in Cambridge..........

J D (Jim)La Touche was elected the first President, but as he was shortly leaving for India an Inaugural Dinner was held in his honour on November 11, after dinner a basic constitution was agreed and R K Schofieldwas elected President with M Pasteur as secretary. This "club" soon took over all morris activities in Cambridge

It was at an informal meeting in February after reading the minutes that "it was agreed that Christian names be used in all matters relating to the CMM" (This was very unusual at the time especially at Cambridge.)

Rolf was not at any of the above occasions, although he, with other non resident men, attended the First Annual Feast on April 25th 1925. After which H H Thomas, Kenworthy the Squire, (Kenworthy) and Arthur Heffer told of the history of the local EFDS, dancing 1919 to 1924 and of the Cotswold tour.

I have had a session with David Fowler and although his main interests are not the Morris he is doing a great deal of research on Rolf and has found him to be a very interesting man.

Reminder: The Morris Ring - Annual Representatives Meeting Plus

Friday 7^th to Sunday 9^th March 2009

Longslade Community College, Wanlip Lane, Birstall LE4 4GH

In an attempt to attract a wider participation in this central plank of our organisation the Advisory Council suggested that we combine the important business element of the weekend with some instructionals with topics that might not attract enough support to make them viable for a weekend on their own but where the joint lure might provide interest to some younger members and introduce them to our democratic processes. The idea is that people can attend for the instructional element and attend the ARM if they so wish, or attend the ARM and the instructional element if they want to, or simply have a pleasant sociable weekend surrounding the ARM as has become the recent tradition.

It is hoped that men will book for one instructional and, travel arrangements permitting, attend all the sessions of that instructional. Those who chose not to attend the ARM will be free to practice, watch sport on TV or sample the delights of Birstall.

Friday evening. Those who want to enjoy the usual mixture of informal conversation, interspersed with dancing, singing and drinking as the mood takes you will be able so to do but also available will be

20.30 - 22.00 Instructional Session One

Saturday

9.00 - 10.30 Instructional Session Two
11.00 - 12.30 Instructional Session Three

13.45 - 16.45 Annual Reps. Meeting

17.15 - 18.15 Advisory Council Meeting.

19.00 - FEAST (followed by informal dancing/singing)

Sunday

9.30 - 11.00 Instructional Session Four

11.30 - 12.30 Instructional Showcase / Review of weekend

Initial suggestions for Instructions are:

• Longsword (Organised by Brian Tasker. Squire elect)
• Musicians. (Clive Du Mont possibly focussing on how larger groups of musicians can still be responsive to the needs of the dancers.)
• One of the traditions from the point of view of the current generation of dancers of that village.

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Brit youngsters clueless about their traditional foods

(DailyIndia.com - Jacksonville, FL, USA) Haslet - a salted pork and offal dish - proved particularly tricky, with a quarter of those aged 18-24 identifying it as part of a morris dancer's attire.

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Morris in Schools: Thelwall MM involved with a local schools local history project.

We had been into the local Junior school about 10 years ago and decided to have another workshop with the school's top Juniors. The teacher explained how the Education Authority were looking for schools to explore local customs and the Morris in Thelwall would be an ideal topic.

We spent a day in school talking about the history of Thelwall MM and the wider Morris community- some rapper and long swords were taken in and the children watched a selection of video clips to illustrate the differences in traditions. A selection of Thelwall and Lymm kit was tried on by the class. The afternoon was a chance for the children to learn some fairly simple Cotswold dances.

Pictures taken on the day. The children learned to dance Lads a Bunchum from Ducklington and Winster Processional and hope to Thelwall MM dancing at the Thelwall Rose Queen Festival in June

They then embarked on their project to build a Morris beast and a Fool's costume together with Morris hats researching kit from various websites via the Morris Ring site.

Several members of Thelwall MM took part in the sessions in school and we had a tremendous reception. The local Authority are displaying the finished items in the summer.

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Jockey with BBC Radio 4 on the Plough Tour - 12th Jan 2008

Claudia Hammond - looks at the psychology of team dynamics. By visiting groups around the country and talking to leading academics, she'll find out what makes successful teams tick.

Programme 2: Morris Men

Photo courtesy of Iain "The Horse"

Claudia struts her stuff with the Jockey Morris Men in Birmingham. Claudia joined 'Big Gary', 'Shoulders' and 'Fiddler' all members of the Jockey Morris Team from Birmingham as they preparing for Plough Day, one of the biggest dates in the Morris dancing calendar. Its when they drag an old farming plough around the city to bring prosperity and good luck for the New Year. Prof Dominic Abrams, a group psychologist from the University of Kent, studies.

The team dynamics of this band of 25 men, aged 18-80. How do they use uniforms and nicknames to develop a strong group identity? And how do they cope with the inevitable mickey-taking that they experience as a team?

To listen again follow this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/teamspirit_20080325.shtml

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313^th Meeting of the Morris Ring & 75^th Annual Meeting in Thaxted.

This plaque is on the wall of the house in which the Morris Ring was constituted on 2^nd June 1934. We pay an annual plaque site rent to the householder of a bunch of red roses. The rent is traditionally paid by the Officers of the Morris Ring during the annual meeting of the Morris Ring in the town. Paul Reece, Squire of the Morris Ring and of Thaxted Morris Men, paying the rent in red roses for 2008.

The Immortal Memory: Over the last forty plus years I have listened to many toasts to The Immortal Memory . This one was a privilege to hear and I thank Mike (Garland) for allowing me to share it with you.

Gentlemen,

In proposing the toast to the Immortal Memory I am going to break with my own tradition; I have written this down because this is East Suffolk's 50^th year and so what I am going to say concerns the team and one man, and I want to make sure that I get the basic facts correct.

The Barne family has a long and illustrious history. Barne Inlet, Barne Glacier and the Barne Arms in Dunwich are all named after the family. Michael Barne was appointed by Scott to the Polar Expedition, and awarded a DSO in the First World War.

Ivo Barne, his son, grew up in Suffolk, and told how he travelled from Dunwich in a one-horse gig to the railway at Darsham en route to boarding school. By the 1950s he had started to play the concertina, an instrument that was still popular in the remote time-warp that was Suffolk (despite getting a less than enthusiastic mention in the novel Three Men and a Boat), and he had moved to Barham. Perhaps the locals in Dunwich were also less than enthusiastic about the concertina.

Ivos' next door neighbour in Barham was Des Herring, who had danced with various teams, but in 1958 was putting together East Suffolk Morris Men. Being short of a musician, and hearing Ivo playing the concertina in the garden one day, Des realised that he had found his musician. So often are great endeavours founded on the purest chance.

When Ivo moved to Felixstowe his large, old house became the practice venue for the new team, fuelled each week by Ivos home made beer. The whole brew had to be finished each week so that the bottles could be recycled ready for the next practice session. When the Side applied for admission to the Ring, the Squire of the day came to Ivos house to inspect the men. History doesn't relate whether there was a special brewing for the occasion!

So began a particular routine in the lives of two men. Irvine Reid, a much respected doctor from Felixstowe, and a member of Cambridge Morris Men and London Pride Morris Men, had joined East Suffolk, and each week he would leave Bath Road in Felixstowe, collect Ivo in Trimley, and join the Monday evening tour. As Irvine often says, he went out more frequently with Ivo than he did with his wife!

Ivo had many interests and threw himself with great enthusiasm into them all. But he loved his Morris and when I joined the team he was a regular fixture playing alongside other musicians who, as is so often the case, came and went. Steve and John and Roland and Mike, and again, as is so often the case with musicians (my sincerest apologies if this does not apply to you or your team), when they fell out Ivo was the calm at the centre of the storm. Indeed all those years before it was said that Scott highly rated the ability of Michael Barne to calm possible tensions, and it was clearly a family trait that was passed from generation to generation.

When Ivo's wife died he still came to practice that week. He knew no other way than to be among the friends who he knew would support him through the troubled time. And afterwards it was the Morris that gave him the greatest pleasure.

One winters night in January 1988 Ivo went with a small East Suffolk party to the Woodside Ale. He enjoyed an excellent meal, danced an energetic version of Swaggering Boney with Hammersmith men, and stood in the penultimate dance, Getting Upstairs. During the final figure of the dance he sank slowly and gracefully to the ground and had left us. At our next practice we broke with tradition and finished the session by dancing Bonny Green Garters, the dance that Ivo hadn't been able to dance. I know that many of the Sides present on that fateful night also joined in that tribute at their next practice sessions.

We danced in church at his funeral and afterwards went back to the old house in Trimley. His son told us that Ivo had left only one instruction for his wake there should be quantities of beer for the men!

In a way there can be no greater tribute to Ivo than the comment made by Irvine. The down to earth doctor who has seen so much pain and suffering in his long career, who famously removed Ivor Allsops stitches on the steps of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and who waggled one of our mens fingers and calmly said its broken as the man fainted at his feet, simply says of Ivo "I miss him".

I believe Ivo danced and played for many reasons. Love of the tradition, possibly; love of things old and venerable, probably; a love of England, certainly; but above all, a love of his fellow man. When Alec Hunter proposed the toast to the Immortal Memory at the Inaugural Meeting of the Morris Ring he also mentioned specifically Sharps' love and respect for humanity.

At that Inaugural Meeting the toast was to the Immortal Memory of Cecil Sharp in honour of the work that Sharp did to revive the dance. Over the years Sharps' reputation has taken a bit of a battering, and possibly because of that I fear that the Toast has not always received the reverence that it deserves. You may want to say that d'Arcy Ferris, Percy Manning or Mary Neal had just as great an impact on the revival, but it has always been my way to draw attention to the work of the countless thousands of dancers who have kept the Morris alive on the streets. I much prefer to drink to their memory, and to the memory of a man like Ivo, who I knew and admired and respected. You might want to remember the great names of the recent Morris World , Lionel Bacon, Russell Wortley, Walter Abson and so many more; or men snatched untimely from us, Roy Yarnell, Richard Boswell, Jim Catterall, again among many others. Without their love of the dance and music, and their work in keeping the dance alive on the streets, the collections of Sharp, Butterworth, Carey and all the others would become as dry as the worst ancient antiquarian collections.

Next Thursday East Suffolk will again dance at a funeral. Alan Tong died last week and will lie at Wrabness, near to Colin Fleming. As Alan played the concertina Colin will now have someone to play for him! He may not have had the length of Ivos' attachment to East Suffolk, but he has become another of the many who demand our attention and great respect as we drink, keeping our own silence as is the custom, but with the names of our friends ringing in our ears, the toast To The Immortal Memory.

Thanks: This wonderful tyg (designed and made by John Brooke Steel of Ripley Morris Men) was presented to Dolphin Morris Men at the 313^th Meeting of the Morris Ring, the 75^th held in Thaxted, in recognition of their stalwart work as hosts for the Morris Ring Jigs Weekend at Sutton Bonington for the past ten years. Dolphin Morris Men are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year.

Comment: One stalwart of many a Thaxted said Thaxted 2008 was exceptional. There was little of the fairly average or even bland performances as visiting sides excelled themselves with some decidedly different, interesting and pacey showdances. The overall standard did show distinctly improvement and was of a higher standard than for some time. The best in 15 years.

Jim Catterall Memorial Window

During the last hymn of the traditional church service at the 75^th Annual Meeting in Thaxted this fitting memorial window was dedicated to his memory by Father Raymond Taylor, Vicar of Thaxted.

Photo by Daniel Fox

The Letchworth Tapes -> CDs

As you may know work is underway to transfer the much used Letchworth tapes onto CDs. Mike Chandler has checked all the master CDs and spotted a couple of blimps on a few of the tracks. He handed the masters over to BfB at Thaxted and he is now working his way through them re-checking before we go for mass reproduction. There were 15 tapes and that is a lot of music to listen to! The two Headington and Fieldtown tapes will be consolidated into double CD sets and the Sherborne Tape has three tracks too many to fit onto one CD, so that will also have to be a double CD set.

Linked to this Steve (Adamson) is also compiling a track database of the 325 tracks, (Sample below) - all very time consuming but hopefully available for the Christmas market.

LMM 2	12	Headington	Country Gardens	A.(ABCB)2	MDT	185 & 321	Kenworthy Schofield	Pipe & Tabor
LMM 2	13	Headington	Bacca Pipes (4 figs)	[A.(AB)4.A].A.(AB2)4.A	MDT	197	Kenworthy Schofield	Pipe & Tabor
LMM 2	14	Brackley	Jockey to the Fair	A.(A2.B3)4	MDT	104	Mike Chandler	Pipe & Tabor
LMM 2	15	Bampton	Fools Jig	A.(AB)4.A	MDT	57	Mike Chandler	Pipe & Tabor
LMM 2	16	Adderbury	Lads a Buncham	A or Ch (AB)6	MDT	7	Kenworthy Schofield	Pipe & Tabor
LMM 2	17	Adderbury	Constant Billy	A. (AB)6	MDT	6	Kenworthy Schofield	Pipe & Tabor

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EFDSS Presidential Nominations.

The Trustees of The English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) are delighted to nominate Shirley Collins MBE and Eliza Carthy as the Societys President and Vice-President respectively. The nominations will be proposed at the EFDSS AGM in November.

Bernard Fishlock

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It is with great sadness that I heard Bernards death. Leader of the Marshfield Mummers, the Paper Boys, Bernard died peacefully at home in Marshfield in the middle of May. I spent my first seven Christmases in Marshfield and remember being absolutely terrified and yet fascinated by these strange colourful, paper-decked men. As Mike Pearson, (Professor of Performance Studies Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies at Aberystwyth University) put it:
"Bernard will be greatly missed by his family, by his friends, by his community. But he will linger in the performances of the Mummers. Older members say that it takes many years for them to stop imagining their departed colleague still there in a role. And every time Tenpenny Nit strikes himself on the head - to show his little wit - Bernard will be present: this action was his invention when for many years he played that character
And when at 11 o'clock in the square we hear these words, its Bernards voice well remember: Room, room, a gallant room I say...

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Barbara King

Golden Star Morris

 

 

 

 

 

A selection of new paintings in oil and watercolour celebrating folk dance and local landscape http://www.barbaraking.co.uk

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More Morris in the Media : Seen in Portsmouth Today

Bowlers and bells say thanks to lawyers 3^rd June 2008 By Adam Kula

The Morris Men at Warner Goodman

A very unusual recipe for business success was trotted out for a Fareham-based law firm last week. Almost a dozen costume-clad Morris Men brought a traditional, fleet-footed fertility blessing to the doorstep of Warner Goodman over the bank holiday weekend to repay the firm for its years of sponsorship. And when a similar ritual was carried out last year, 11 members of staff became pregnant.
More accustomed to sober-suited visitors, the offices saw the arrival of 11 Chanctonbury Ring Morris Men, came to bid the firm a prosperous financial year with an energetic ceremony with bells on.
They performed a specially-chosen series of clog dances on the paved streets outside the office, to an appreciative crowd of Fareham shoppers.
John Grzegorzek, the group's tour organiser, said the fertility rites were their way of repaying the firm for its 'invaluable' sponsorship.
He said: 'The firm has kindly helped us out by paying for the design and printing of our dance programme leaflets since 2006, and we wanted to say thanks in the best way we know how.
'From a business point of view, they've done a really professional job of producing our programmes. Most Morris groups get their programmes made up on the photocopier in work and just hope the boss doesn't notice. Their support has been a real boost.
'It's given us a professional programme which we wouldn't have otherwise had, and it's the reason we decided to come down here from Sussex.'
Nicola White from Warner Goodman's marketing department said: 'One of our retired law partners, Tony Bennett, is a dedicated Morris dancer himself, so we thought it was appropriate.
'Our logo appears on all their literature, and it's something that's quite different and a lot livelier than just a straightforward advert.'
Following a similar fertility performance outside the firm's headquarters last year, 11 of the firm's female staff fell pregnant.
Mr Grzegorzek said: 'I'm not sure I can accept responsibility, although it's an interesting thought. We don't want to be lumbered with parental responsibilities!'

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Treasurers Ramblings

I am delighted to inform you that ALL our Members & Associates subscriptions are, once again, 100% fully paid up. I mention this as the last straggler finally caved-in to my amorous (sic) numerous advances and settled a mere 5 months, 3 weeks and 2 days after the publicised deadline date of 30.11.07. Such practises can have financially crippling ramifications for your Morris sides dancers and musicians should they/you ever be of the wrong end of any unfortunate incident resulting in a public liability insurance claim. All aspects of life in 2008 are ever increasingly litigious by default and The Morris is no exception.

In an attempt to prevent any repeat of the above and further ensure the administrative welfare of our Members and Associates, we are encouraging that all future subscriptions be settled via Bankers Standing Order (BSO). This was last attempted approx 16 years ago, but was considerably less than successful due to the confusion over the ambiguous payees reference that appeared on our bank statement i.e. I had no idea who had paid what.

With this Newsletter we have included a bespoke letter of explanation for the information and attention of the nominated person responsible for settling your annual subscription (usually your Treasurer, but not always). This correspondence provides details of the amount due, the deadline date and the individual payee reference to be used.

Please! Please! Use only the payee reference provided (or as near as possible) and not one of your own making.

And the news gets even better. The above will not only free me from spending the first half of every year chasing up the subscription stragglers, but it will also see the end of the annual subscription renewal form landing on your Bgm/Trs hall carpet. However, this form has also been very useful for informing us of any change in your Morris sides officers and/or contact details. To this end, the annual subs renewal form will be replaced with a very simple request for contact info confirmation. It has to be said that such information is now being received throughout the year and more frequently than ever before. This is invaluable for the purposes of keeping our contact address database as up-to-date as possible. Our grateful thanks to all and long may this existing trait continue to improve.

If you have any questions, queries, doubts or concerns regarding any aspect of the above, you know where I am, please do get in touch.

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5^th International Sword Spectacular 2008

This event took place in York over the weekend of 23-26 May 2008. This is the first time that York has been chosen as a venue: Scarborough and Whitby having been used previously. York proved to be a good choice with plenty of good dancing sites all around the city centre.

Forty four sides took part, including twelve from overseas. The UK sides were fairly well balanced between rapper and longsword and included thirteen sides from the Morris Ring. This must be the greatest number ever of Morris Ring sides dancing sword at a single event. For the record they were: Castleford, Claro, Coventry, Coventry Mummers, Goathland Plough Stots, Grenoside, Handsworth, High Spen, Hoddesdon Crownsmen, King Stone, Plymouth, Redcar and Southport.

On the Saturday morning there was a procession through the city centre followed by displays at ten separate venues. It was great to walk across the city and see sword dancing taking place wherever one looked. Paul Reece, Squire of the Morris Ring, watched the displays and attended the official reception as our representative. Coventry danced the Ampleforth sword dance at the Saturday evening ceilidh. Danced slowly in 9/8 time it had the same ethereal quality as the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance does in the evening at Thaxted. It was a beautiful and truly memorable performance.

On Sunday morning there was a conference which featured a review of sword dancing in the 1920s and 1930s and film of the dancing on the island of Korcula off the Croatian coast. Some of their sword dances are fighting dances and some are linked sword dances. The fighting dances are so like our Morris stick dancers that it is easy to imagine that they could have a common origin. Sunday afternoon provided another opportunity to see dancing around the city. This was followed by a gala performance by all the sides in the Theatre Royal. A special feature was a sequence of dances by all the English traditional sides: Flamborough, Grenoside, High Spen, Goathland Plough Stots and Handsworth. The Flamborough men were accompanied by their childrens side who danced with wonderful confidence and skill. Grenoside were resplendent in their new jackets. Handsworth completed this set with a dance of incredible vigour and skill. No one watching could possibly accuse them of dancing boring longsword. Many sides are struggling to find new dancers but our traditional sides are flourishing and producing performances of a standard equal to anything produced by the foreign sides.

The European visitors included sides from Belgium, Italy, Germany, the Basque Country, the Czech Republic and Austria, all dancing their native sword dances. Some were slow and stately; others were fast and dynamic: sword dancing in Europe takes many different forms. Whether they share a common origin is unknown but they demonstrate the variety of dances it is possible to perform with swords linked hilt and point. There were also sides from America and Norway performing their take on the English tradition. Orion Longsword from Boston showed how the concept of the longsword dance can be developed into something new while retaining the basic form of the dance.

Events like this take an enormous amount of organising and the imposition of new rules and regulations makes the task more difficult year by year. There are no plans as yet for another Sword Spectacular but it is to be hoped that someone will take up the reins again and put on another festival in perhaps four years time.

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Friday 13^th June 2008

Morris men have a merry old time

THE men of the Hartley Morris were in their element when they were joined by six other Morris sides from across the country for the annual Hartley Ale Tour. The 80-plus dancers toured Kent on either the Goachers Brewery tour, starting from Tovil, or on the Larkins Brewery tour, Chiddingstone, before uniting for an evening celebration at The Swan, in West Peckham.

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Joint Morris Organisations: Cultural Olympiad

This starts on 24th August 2008 and runs through to August 2012. This is a reminder to your side to seek for ways to get the Morris involved in your area.

This reminders me that Steve Heap reported last June that the National Campaign for the Arts had organised a meeting with Tessa Jowell and others to discuss the current position and movement within the Olympics and Paralympics planning groups. .. FolkArts England had been unable to attend but posed the question:
"could the minister confirm that London would not break with the modern Olympic tradition by including the traditional heritage and culture of music, dance and song of the host nation."
She did not answer the question at the time but does anyone know if we have since received an answer?

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EPITAPH TO CONWY MORRIS

Sadly Conwy Morris succumbed to poor numbers and has hung up its clogs in October 2006. Richard & Anna Scott, who spent many years actively involved in the side, and are now proprietors of the Tal-y-Cafn Country Inn, have dedicated a room to the History of Conwy Morris and the Morris Dance in general. Whilst they have quite a wide variety of paraphernalia, photos and mementoes they are continually on the look out for any other suitable material.

The Tal-y-Cafn is situated on the A470 close to Bodnant Gardens & the walled town of Conwy, on the edge of Snowdonia. Anyone in the vicinity is more than welcome to come & enjoy a jar, reminisce & pay homage to the Morris in The Conwy Morris Room.

Originally formed as a Morris Ring Side Conwy Morris first danced in public on May Day 1979. Formed by a former member of Leyland Morris Men, Brian Gregson, the side performed dances in the North West, (clogs and decorated hats), Border, ( sticks and no hats), and Cotswold, (handkerchief), traditions wearing trim on kit of red, white and green to reflect the colours of the Welsh National flag. A separate Ladies team first danced in July 1981 and whilst dancing jointly, each side performed its own dances. Eventually a lack of men saw the merging of the two sides and the beginning of mixed dancing and the team became members of Open Morris.

Over the years they danced not only traditional dances but choreographed a number of dances of their own - one of which, Conwy Tunnel, was written to commemorate the opening of the new tunnel and was performed for the first time in the presence of H.M. the Queen, who in return requested to meet them a very memorable moment for the team. Sadly in October 2005 the side folded due to declining numbers. See http://www.talycafn.co.uk

Instructionals

The Morris Ring Musicians Instructional

Whitchurch Morris Men will be continuing their celebrations of their 60^th anniversary with special Autumn Feast. on Saturday 8^th November at Wilstone village Hall. Dancing after lunch on Saturday, through to evening feast, and overnight indoor/outdoor camping for those who wish to stay. This will form part of The Morris Ring Musicians Instructional

That weekend 7^th- 9^th November. Full details to follow.

Fools and Beasts Unconvention 2009:

Just had confirmation from Henning that the dates for Utrecht Unconvention will be 23-25 Oktober (sic) 2009 - Rob and Trigger

Jigs Instructional 2009

Sutton Bonington Village Hall provisionally booked for 16^th 18^th January 2009

Pipe and Tabor Players

Morris Musicians Workshop: Pipe and Tabor - The Original Morris Instrument.

Whether you are an experienced taborer, or thinking about learning, this is the workshop for you. Sunday 26^th October 2008 10am 4pm at Pitchcombe Village Hall, Pitchcombe, Stroud, Gloucestershire. 12 includes lunch.

To book contact or Tel: 01453 763181

Further details of all three can be found on: http://www.pipeandtabor.org

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Some Requests for help

Dr. Ricard Moren-Alegret

Dr. Moren-Alegret is Coordinator, GRM, Department of Geography, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain; & Visiting Fellow and Associate Researcher, CRER, SHSS, University of Warwick, UK. Currently, as Visiting Fellow at Warwick University, where he is carrying out a research project titled "Cultural Diversity, Symbolic Integration and Traditional Organisations. A Comparative Approach" funded by the Spanish Science and Education Ministry.

Previously,a research project was conducted on some cultural organisations in Catalonia and, at this moment,his research team is also involved ina fieldworkin other regions in Spain studyingseveral cultural groups. Ricards current research project on cultural organisations in England is focused on morris dancing sides and itincludes a series of qualitative interviews with key informants. He has asked that I publicise this information:

"WERE YOU BORN ABROAD AND NOW YOU BELONG TOA MORRIS SIDE IN ENGLAND?

Please,contact me before mid August 2008 in order to interview you regarding a research project titled " Cultural Diversity, Symbolic Integration and Traditional Organisations. A Comparative Approach"thatis being carried out from Warwick University.One of themainobjectives of the research project is to learn from the experience of people who have been living in more than one country and have joined English morrissides (any style, any kind of team, and including musicians). The interview will last about half an hour and it can take place anywhere in England. Contact details:

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Forest of Dean Family Weekend. A wonderful annual event in a superb part of the country. Can you spot your friends?

Photo by Tom Mockford

 

Taken at the DEAN HERITAGE CENTRE with an innocent bystander. (Thats not Moss!)

 

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Bampton 2008 I recommend Banbury Bill's evocative account of this event that first appeared on the MDDL and reproduced in the edition No. 56 of The Circular.

 

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On-line video tutorials

Steve BfB Adamson says these are worth a look. Sadly, the YOKSHIRE DALE S WORKSHOPS is no more but their site is still up and running. These are worth a look: videos and instructions: http://web.mac.com/geoff.bowen14/ydw/engstart.html

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MORRIS RING PUBLICATIONS

The Morris Circular

Harry Stevenson: Editor of the Morris Circular
Erin House,
59, Olivers Battery Road North,
Winchester
SO22 4JB
Mob: 07775 785271
. Tel: 01962 855911

Copy date for issue No. 57 is 31^st August 2008 and issue No. 58 is 31^st October 2008.

The Morris Dancer

David Thompson: Editor of The Morris Dancer
13 Lark Close,
Littleover,
DERBY,
DE23 2TE
Tel: 01332 770578
or

It is planned that The Morris Dancer will become an important vehicle of academic excellence; it will become a worthy flagship journal of the Morris Ring. Through this our various archivists, and others, will share with both members and the wider Morris world their recent archival doings, their long term dreams and the erudite results of research and ponderings. David plans that each edition of the Morris Dancer will have as a theme such as a regional variant of the Morris. Further information and copy to David Thompson.

85 Ways to Tie a Rapper Knot?

A few years ago a book called "The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie" was published. It describes how two mathematicians devised literally dozens of new ways of tying a necktie, using a branch of maths called Topology. For a long time Mike Whitehead has been fascinated by the possibility of the same maths being used to devise new rapper figures. Topology is about the behaviour of surfaces, see for example the Mobius Band in the form of a Trefoil Knot on the British Topology Home Page at http://www.maths.gla.ac.uk/~ajb/btop.phtml. It seems that, just as a necktie is a surface to be manipulated by topology, then a rapper set of five men joined in a ring by swords is also a surface that could be manipulated by topology. If a necktie can be studied mathematically to create new knots, then a rapper set might similarly be studied to create new rapper figures.

Mike claims not to be clever enough to learn topology himself, but asks whether there are mathematicians out there with the necessary skills who might be interested in having a go at applying topology to rapper figures.

The British Topology Home Page includes a database of topologists and there are three in UK who declare an interest in Knot Theory. So Mike is searching for rapper side who might be interested in exploring this idea with a topologist.

If your rapper side is interested in exploring this fascinating idea please contact Mike 01454 417809 or

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A photo from our Squire-Elects family album

(The one on the left is Richard Tasker - Brian's eldest son.)

CONCLUSION

Please share all the news and information hidden within these pages with your side and let us have feedback. If the news you want to read is not included - unless that involved winners of races (sorry Trigger) or lottery numbers please let me know. As I have said many times now this is your Newsletter and I need your contributions please do react. A couple of light-hearted contributions that I have received:

Spam message: Time and Attendance: get Stafford Morris Men a low-cost and easy-to-use clock in system. For 459 you get:

1 clocking terminal ready to use

1 CD with Time management Software

25 Proximity badges

1 USB key

Are Staffford the only Morris side not using this technology? Perhaps it explains why not everyone is on time for our shows.

Book Review: Leicester Morris, although not specifically by name, now has a reference in the scientific literature. This is a review of the book from the 2006 White Dwarf Conference. The book contains a few pictures of Leicester Morrismen along with some of the worlds most eminent Space Physicists - scary.

15th European Workshop on White Dwarfs (ASP Conference Series, Vol. 372), edited by R. Napiwotzki & M. R. Burleigh (Astronomical Society of the Pacific, San Francisco), 2007. Pp. 668, 23.5 15.5 cm. Price $77 (about £38) (hardbound; ISBN 978 1 58381 2396).

Excerpt from the review by Virginia Trimble: This is the sort of volume that an expert might well keep on a handy shelf till the next one arrives in order to look up names (stars and astronomers) and numbers. On the other hand, if you have no other pictures of members of an SOC Morris dancing in flowered hats, you might want to keep it forever.

Professor Martin Barstow. Leicester University & Leicester MM

Beer I finish with a thought about beer: The public image or caricature of a Morris Dancer usually involves beer. I include this picture as an inspiration to all of us.

Ben Franklin is reputed to have said In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria. Scientists have demonstrated that if we drink one litre of water each day, in a year we would have absorbed more than one kilo of E. Coli a bacteria found in faeces. In other words, we are consuming lots of sh**. As we do NOT run that risk when drinking beer, because it has been through a purification process of boiling and fermenting, is it better to drink beer or water?

Future Dates:

2008

4^th 6^th July 314 Whitchurch MM 60^th Anniversary Morris Ring Meeting

11^th -13^th July 315 Mersey MM 80^th Anniversary Morris Ring Meeting

5^th 7^th September 316 Dartington MM 40^th Anniversary Morris Ring Meeting

2009 THE MORRIS RINGS 75^th ANNIVERSARY

6^th 8^th March ARM Hosted By Leicester Morrismen

28^th March Nottingham Revels - Hosted by Open Morris in Nottingham

29^th May - 31^st May 317 Thaxted Morris Ring Meeting

24^th 26^th July 318 Exeter Morris Ring Meeting

21^st 23^rd August 319 Men of Wight Ring Meeting

4^th 9^th - September 320 Bathampton MM 75^th Anniversary Morris Ring Meeting

2010

Notice the gaps here! Is your side going to host a meeting in 2010, or 2011, or 2012?

5^th 7^th March (?) ARM Hosted by TBA ...

4^th June - 6^th June Thaxted Morris Ring Meeting

2011

4^th 6^th March (?) ARM Hosted By TBA

3^rd June - 5^th June Thaxted Centenary Morris Ring Meeting

TBA... Bristol 60^th Anniversary Morris Ring Meeting

2012

3^rd 5^th March (?) ARM Hosted by TBA

25^th- 27^th May Chipping Campden Cotswold Olympic Morris Ring Meeting

1^st June - 3^rd June Thaxted Morris Ring Meeting

27^th-29^th July Hartley 60^th Anniversary Morris Ring Meeting

WHITCHURCH MORRIS MEN ARE COMING TO CHEDDINGTON

Friday 4^th Saturday 5^th Sunday 6^th July

Whitchurch Morris men are holding a Morris Ring meeting to celebrate their 60th birthday. 100 Morris men from all around the country will be based at the village hall. It is hoped you will see them:

outside The Swan and The Three Horseshoes on Friday night.

On SATURDAY they will be touring the area starting off in Aylesbury Market Square at 10.00am.

Tour A

11.00am. The Harrow. Cambridge Street
12.00 noon Roald Dahl Festival Aylesbury
St. Marys Church
Aylesbury Library
1.00pm The Bell. Bierton
2.00pm The Unicorn. Cublington (Lunch)
3.30pm The White Swan. Whitchurch
4.30pm The Rose and Crown. Wingrave
5.30pm The Anglers Retreat. Marsworth

Tour B

12.00 noon The Three Horseshoes. Winkwell
1.00pm The Steam Coach. Boxmoor
1.45pm The Fishery Inn. Boxmoor (Lunch)
3.30pm The Rising Sun. Berkhamsted
5.00pm The Greyhound Inn. Aldbury

SUNDAY

9.30am Parade to the parish church of St Giles.
10.00am CHURCH SERVICE
After the service we will be dancing outside the church
12 noon onwards Dancing at The Swan and The Three Horseshoes.
ALL Villagers are very welcome to come to watch and join us - any time.

http://www.whitchurchmorris.org.uk

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The Illustrious Order of Fools and Beasts

Fools and Animals Unconvention, Colton, Staffordshire, Hosted by Stafford Morris, 17-19 October 2008

Open to all Fools, Beasts and Morris Characters from any team from the Morris Ring, Open or Federation. Accommodation will be Indoor Camping in Colton Village Hall. There will be various Workshops over the weekend, and the tour on Saturday will probably be to Rugeley further details to be announced. Cost £50 per person. Please book your place by filling out and submitting this form a.s.a.p.. Applications for Saturday attendance only with or without Feast welcome - pro rata. Queries by phone or e-mail to Robert Chisman

(Download application form here)

Return the form with cheque for the full amount (£50 pp) payable to "The Illustrious Order of Fools and Beasts" to
Robert Chisman, Fools and Beasts Convener,
Robert's Pharmacy, The Coombes, Polperro, Cornwall, PL14 2RG,
Tel: 01503 272250 (day) 01503 272437 (eve)
Email:

Sidmouth John Gasson Jig Competition 2008

A copy of the instructions and an entry form is available here

This competition is organised in memory of John Gasson, who was tragically killed on his way to Sidmouth Festival in 1987. John was himself a fine jig dancer. Whether dancing or playing, his personal standards were high, and raising the general standard of display dancing was something very dear to him. Hopefully this competition may in some way help further that aim. This competition is sponsored by Pete Collinson, Ian Campbell, Trefor and Rhian Owen, Janet Dowling, Chris and Tracey Rose.

Rules

1. The competition is for English jig dancing.
2. The competition is not open to step dancers, or to Irish jig dancers.
3. Members of teams booked at the Festival may enter.
4. Dancers must be accompanied by live music.
5. The competition will be held on Sunday 3 August 2008, in the Blackmore Gardens Dance Marquee at 2.00pm.
6. Closing date for entries is Sunday 3 August 2008 at 10 a.m. Telephone: 07885 832567 to find out where to hand in forms. Try and send them to me before hand so that we know how many entrants we have. Or hand them into Artists Information.
7. Entrants will be judged according to the following criteria: Dance technique; Artistic appreciation; Presentation; Music.
8. The judges' decision is final.
9. The winners of the John Gasson Memorial Trophy may not enter the competition the following year but are required to start that competition with the winning jig of the previous year.
10. The solo jig section is for a maximum of two people per jig. The double jig section is for a maximum of two dancers and one musician per jig.

The judges will have a wide range of expertise covering the criteria to be assessed. The winner will be presented with the John Gasson Memorial Trophy which may be held until the following year, when it must be returned to Tracey Rose by Saturday 1 August 2009.

Double Jigs Section.

This is sponsored by Ian Campbell. There are two additional prizes. One (sponsored by Pete Collinson) is for the Best New Entrant. The dancer must not have entered the competition before but the musician may have. The other is The Audience Appeal Prize. This prize is intended to recognise that the "best" jig by technical standard is not necessarily the one with most audience appeal. The judging criteria is deliberately flexible: it may be that the winning jig is chosen for its impressiveness or for some particular feature or it may be a very simple dance, but performed with a warmth of spirit or good humour, or with a special audience rapport. The performance must be technically competent, but not necessarily excellent. The prize will not be given for a "spoof" dance, created primarily for an audience of fellow dancers, though it might well be given for a novelty jig in the spirit and tradition of, say, the Bampton Fool's Jig.

There is an additional category(sponsored by Janet Dowling) for Best Dancer Aged Over 40 Years of Age. The dancer can either be entering the double or solo jig sections and will be entered for all the above categories as appropriate and the additional category.

Although this is a competition, it is hoped that everyone will benefit from the resulting improvement in the general standard of dancing, which is the aim of the competition.

There is a limit on the number of entries, so please do not delay your entry. Please as soon as possible before Thursday 31st July 2008 to let me know you will be entering. Any queries Tel: 01795 530335; Mob: 07885832567. Please report to Blackmore Gardens Dance Marquee at 1.30 pm for running order.