OFFICIAL LOG OF THE 3RD VMM ENGLAND TOUR
Logkeeper: Graham Baldwin
Itinerary
Friday, May 25 to Saturday, May 25:
London - with the Hammersmith Morris Men and New Esperance Morris
Sunday, May 26:
Eynsham, Oxon. - with Eynsham Morris
Monday, May 27:
Bampton, Oxon. - with the Traditional Bampton Morris Dancers
Tuesday, May 28:
Pershore, Worcs. - taking the dances back home
Bishop's Castle, Shrops. - with the Shropshire Bedlams and Martha Rhoden's Tuppeny Dish
Wednesday, May 29
Belmont, Lancs. - with Rivington Morris
Thursday, May 30
Ripon, Yorks. - with Ripon City Morris, Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers and the Flag & Bone Gang
Friday, June 1 to Sunday, June 3
Thaxted, Essex - attending the Thaxted Ring Meeting
Official Log
Friday May 25
Met up with the Smiffs and NEsps at the Brook Green Hotel, Shepherds Bush Road, Hammersmith at around 8:00pm. Dispersed to various accommodations (courtesy of the Smiffs and NEsps)
Saturday May 26
Kitted up and made our independent ways (by tube and train) to the Flask pub at Hampstead to meet up with Cottonmill Morris (from St. Albans), Hammersmith MM and New Esperance Morris to start a walking tour of Hampstead and the Heath. Dancing and drinking started around noon. Moved on to another pub for more dancing and drinking, eventually arriving at the Spaniards pub around 2:00pm for lunch (plus, you've guessed it - more dancing and drinking). Ended the official dancing day at the Holly Bush. Met up with Jenny Howard, Bruce Henderson, Janet Dowling and many more names and faces.
After a meal at our host's homes, we all ventured to deepest Clapham Junction for a Smiffs/NEsps party.
Sunday May 27
Two lucky men ventured out to Heathrow to pick up the tour minibuses, bringing them back to pick up the rest of us at the Brook Green Hotel at noon. We finally got "on the road" around 1:00pm, on our way to Eynsham in Oxfordshire.
Met up with the Eynsham men at 2:30pm at Eynsham village square. After a pint or two the dancing started and continued throughout the afternoon, ending with a great singing session in one of the Eynsham pubs. VMM finally got to see some of the Eynsham dances they had learned by e-mail from Mike Heaney realizing, to their amazement (and great satisfaction), that they had got them all right!
After organizing our billet in the village hall, we all ventured out to sample Eynsham's culinary delights, ending up (of course) at another pub for another singing session with some of the Eynsham men.
Monday May 28
After feasting on dozens of fresh eggs provided by one of the Eynsham men, supplemented by some groceries acquired the night before, we set off for Bampton, a few miles down the road, arriving 10:30-ish. After checking in at the Bush Centre (our billet and also lunch and tea stops for our hosts, the Traditional Bampton Morris Dancers), we met up with Lawrence Adams and his men at the Morris Clown pub. The day was mostly spent doing the usual Bampton Whit Monday thing - seeing all three sides dance in their own distinctive ways. However, as TBMD's guests we had lunch and tea with them, and had the good fortune to spend some time talking with Son Townsend about his recollections of the Bampton morris, memories spanning 70 years. Met up and chatted with many people - Derek Schofield, Francis Shergold, Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Michael Blanford etc. etc. - too many to mention them all. It seems, not surprisingly, that Bampton is the "place to be" on Whit Monday for anyone connected with the Morris.
At 6:00pm we went out to dance with the other invited sides including Mr. Hemming's Morris Men from Abingdon. After dancing at the Morris Clown, the Elephant & Castle and the Horse Shoe, we ended up with a massive music and singing session at a marquee specially constructed at the back of the Romany.
Tuesday May 29
Lawrence and the TBMD treated us to breakfast in the Romany and we were back "on the road" by 10:30am heading for Pershore, Worcestershire, where, we had been warned, the media were waiting for us (BBC, ITV, radio and newspapers) to report on the fact that we - the Vancouver Morris Men from Canada - were to "return" a whole suite of Pershore dances to their "home". We were treated like royalty, even being presented with medals by the Lord Mayor. We met up with Annie Jones, the widow of Dave Jones, the man who singlehandedly saved the Pershore morris from effective extinction by his research in the 80's. However, the highlight was meeting George Collins and Sam Dufty, two 82-year-olds who, as children, followed and imitated the Pershore Not-for-Joes dancing in the 20's and sang the songs along with the dances as we performed. When they said "Yes, that's what they used to do" after we had danced, we realized that we had achieved our primary objective. We were also treated to a pub lunch, after which we were back "on the road" heading for Bishop's Castle in Shropshire and our evening appointment with the Shropshire Bedlams and Martha Rhoden's Tuppenny Dish.
En route, we stopped at Cleehill to admire the view southeast over the Vale of Evesham to the Cotswold Hills, from which we had come. We also performed the Cleehill dance in front of a few sheep and a startled local dog.
After checking into our billet at the VMM's Brian Jones' place out in the booney's near Bishop's Castle (- Brian has been a Shropshire Bedlam for 20-odd years and now lives in Vancouver -), we ventured off into even deeper Shropshire countryside to a wonderful feast laid on by our hosts, followed by an evening of dancing at a local pub. It was interesting to see the different styles of Welsh Border presented by the Bedlams and VMM - two equally valid interpretations of much the same sources, a point agreed between us and the Bedlam's own John KirkPatrick.
Wednesday May 30
After a wonderful night's sleep in Jones's UK abode (yes, all 18 of us on one small cottage!), we were back "on the road" by around 10:00am headed for our first tourist stop at IronBridge, en route to the Wright's Arms at Belmont, just north of Bolton, Lancashire. We were well looked after by the Rivington women, being treated to a scrumptious meal, followed a wonderful evening of dancing, included a surprise appearance by the Horwich Prize Medal Morris Men (even if they were dancing out of kit!) We were billeted with various members of Rivington and Rumworth, and met up with Peter Bearon who amazed those of us staying at his house with his vast collection of music and videos.
Thursday May 31
We were back "on the road" by 11:00am on our way to Ripon to meet up with Ripon City Morris Dancers, Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers and the Flag & Bone Gang. On the way one minibus stopped at Skipton to have a look around while the other stopped at Grassington. We met up at Ted Dodsworth's farm (Ted being the Squire of Ripon City Morris Dancers) for tea at 4:00pm. Dancing took place outside Ripon Cathedral, starting at 6:00pm. We had met most of the Ripon folk during our 1994 tour, and many of them visited us in Vancouver in 1998, so this was a bit of a "reunion" of sorts. The evening turned into a mini Morris festival as we had Hexham MM and Scaro Morris & Sword show up as well. A great evenings dancing was enjoyed by all, followed by a lively singing/music session in the Black Lion, during which we had the pleasure of experiencing Ripon City's novel mumming play, The Drinker.
Friday June 1
After a wonderful brunch at Ted's farm, we set off on the final leg of our tour to the
Thaxted Ring Meeting, Essex. Both minibuses stopped at Ripon for some souvenir shopping before charging down the AI. One bus stopped at Peterborough while the other stopped at Cambridge for sightseeing. Both buses arrived at Thaxted around 7:30pm and checked in at The Star pub. We discovered we were to be billeted with Silurian MM and Chalice MM in the Church Hall for the weekend. After supper at the Rose & Crown, impromptu morris took place outside the Star, in which VMM participated.
Saturday June 2
After breakfast, we set off on tour with Anstey MM, Cambridge MM, Offley MM and Whitchurch MM, dancing at the White Hart in Stebbing, the Onley Arms in Stisted, the Chapel Inn in Coggeshall, the Lion in Earls Colne, the Falcon Square in Castle Hedingham, returning to the Guidhall, Thaxted. After tea, the mass dance displays outside the Guildhall commenced, initiated by a mass processional into the village center for which VMM and Silurian joined forces to perform a the Much Wenlock processional. VMM and Silurian continued their association during the evening with both sides assisting the other for their show dances by providing additional music and singing. Following Thaxted MM's unique performance of the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, the evening ended with sessions in the village pubs, particularly the Rose & Crown (where the VMM enjoyed themselves).
Sunday June 3
After breakfast, sides gathered at the Guildhall and processed to Thaxted church, the VMM having the honour of carrying the horns used by Thaxted MM in the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance. In the church, the VMM also had the honour of performing the offertory dance, Black Boy, from Pershore. Following the church service, there was much dancing in the church grounds, culminating in the performance of the crowd-pleasing Dilwyn and Cleehill dances from a joint VMM/Silurian side comprising 16 dancers and a 6-piece band. VMM and Silurian then retired to the Star for more joint dancing and drinking.
Things finally came to a close for us around 2:30pm when we had to finally start making preparations for departure, with men scattering to Greece, Spain, the Lake District and some, of course, back to Heathrow for the return trip to Vancouver. A great time was had by all!
Many thanks to the VMM Tour Committee and, above all, to our gracious hosts in England.
Logkeeper: Graham Baldwin
Itinerary
Friday, May 25 to Saturday, May 25:
London - with the Hammersmith Morris Men and New Esperance Morris
Sunday, May 26:
Eynsham, Oxon. - with Eynsham Morris
Monday, May 27:
Bampton, Oxon. - with the Traditional Bampton Morris Dancers
Tuesday, May 28:
Pershore, Worcs. - taking the dances back home
Bishop's Castle, Shrops. - with the Shropshire Bedlams and Martha Rhoden's Tuppeny Dish
Wednesday, May 29
Belmont, Lancs. - with Rivington Morris
Thursday, May 30
Ripon, Yorks. - with Ripon City Morris, Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers and the Flag & Bone Gang
Friday, June 1 to Sunday, June 3
Thaxted, Essex - attending the Thaxted Ring Meeting
Official Log
Friday May 25
Met up with the Smiffs and NEsps at the Brook Green Hotel, Shepherds Bush Road, Hammersmith at around 8:00pm. Dispersed to various accommodations (courtesy of the Smiffs and NEsps)
Saturday May 26
Kitted up and made our independent ways (by tube and train) to the Flask pub at Hampstead to meet up with Cottonmill Morris (from St. Albans), Hammersmith MM and New Esperance Morris to start a walking tour of Hampstead and the Heath. Dancing and drinking started around noon. Moved on to another pub for more dancing and drinking, eventually arriving at the Spaniards pub around 2:00pm for lunch (plus, you've guessed it - more dancing and drinking). Ended the official dancing day at the Holly Bush. Met up with Jenny Howard, Bruce Henderson, Janet Dowling and many more names and faces.
After a meal at our host's homes, we all ventured to deepest Clapham Junction for a Smiffs/NEsps party.
Sunday May 27
Two lucky men ventured out to Heathrow to pick up the tour minibuses, bringing them back to pick up the rest of us at the Brook Green Hotel at noon. We finally got "on the road" around 1:00pm, on our way to Eynsham in Oxfordshire.
Met up with the Eynsham men at 2:30pm at Eynsham village square. After a pint or two the dancing started and continued throughout the afternoon, ending with a great singing session in one of the Eynsham pubs. VMM finally got to see some of the Eynsham dances they had learned by e-mail from Mike Heaney realizing, to their amazement (and great satisfaction), that they had got them all right!
After organizing our billet in the village hall, we all ventured out to sample Eynsham's culinary delights, ending up (of course) at another pub for another singing session with some of the Eynsham men.
Monday May 28
After feasting on dozens of fresh eggs provided by one of the Eynsham men, supplemented by some groceries acquired the night before, we set off for Bampton, a few miles down the road, arriving 10:30-ish. After checking in at the Bush Centre (our billet and also lunch and tea stops for our hosts, the Traditional Bampton Morris Dancers), we met up with Lawrence Adams and his men at the Morris Clown pub. The day was mostly spent doing the usual Bampton Whit Monday thing - seeing all three sides dance in their own distinctive ways. However, as TBMD's guests we had lunch and tea with them, and had the good fortune to spend some time talking with Son Townsend about his recollections of the Bampton morris, memories spanning 70 years. Met up and chatted with many people - Derek Schofield, Francis Shergold, Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Michael Blanford etc. etc. - too many to mention them all. It seems, not surprisingly, that Bampton is the "place to be" on Whit Monday for anyone connected with the Morris.
At 6:00pm we went out to dance with the other invited sides including Mr. Hemming's Morris Men from Abingdon. After dancing at the Morris Clown, the Elephant & Castle and the Horse Shoe, we ended up with a massive music and singing session at a marquee specially constructed at the back of the Romany.
Tuesday May 29
Lawrence and the TBMD treated us to breakfast in the Romany and we were back "on the road" by 10:30am heading for Pershore, Worcestershire, where, we had been warned, the media were waiting for us (BBC, ITV, radio and newspapers) to report on the fact that we - the Vancouver Morris Men from Canada - were to "return" a whole suite of Pershore dances to their "home". We were treated like royalty, even being presented with medals by the Lord Mayor. We met up with Annie Jones, the widow of Dave Jones, the man who singlehandedly saved the Pershore morris from effective extinction by his research in the 80's. However, the highlight was meeting George Collins and Sam Dufty, two 82-year-olds who, as children, followed and imitated the Pershore Not-for-Joes dancing in the 20's and sang the songs along with the dances as we performed. When they said "Yes, that's what they used to do" after we had danced, we realized that we had achieved our primary objective. We were also treated to a pub lunch, after which we were back "on the road" heading for Bishop's Castle in Shropshire and our evening appointment with the Shropshire Bedlams and Martha Rhoden's Tuppenny Dish.
En route, we stopped at Cleehill to admire the view southeast over the Vale of Evesham to the Cotswold Hills, from which we had come. We also performed the Cleehill dance in front of a few sheep and a startled local dog.
After checking into our billet at the VMM's Brian Jones' place out in the booney's near Bishop's Castle (- Brian has been a Shropshire Bedlam for 20-odd years and now lives in Vancouver -), we ventured off into even deeper Shropshire countryside to a wonderful feast laid on by our hosts, followed by an evening of dancing at a local pub. It was interesting to see the different styles of Welsh Border presented by the Bedlams and VMM - two equally valid interpretations of much the same sources, a point agreed between us and the Bedlam's own John KirkPatrick.
Wednesday May 30
After a wonderful night's sleep in Jones's UK abode (yes, all 18 of us on one small cottage!), we were back "on the road" by around 10:00am headed for our first tourist stop at IronBridge, en route to the Wright's Arms at Belmont, just north of Bolton, Lancashire. We were well looked after by the Rivington women, being treated to a scrumptious meal, followed a wonderful evening of dancing, included a surprise appearance by the Horwich Prize Medal Morris Men (even if they were dancing out of kit!) We were billeted with various members of Rivington and Rumworth, and met up with Peter Bearon who amazed those of us staying at his house with his vast collection of music and videos.
Thursday May 31
We were back "on the road" by 11:00am on our way to Ripon to meet up with Ripon City Morris Dancers, Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers and the Flag & Bone Gang. On the way one minibus stopped at Skipton to have a look around while the other stopped at Grassington. We met up at Ted Dodsworth's farm (Ted being the Squire of Ripon City Morris Dancers) for tea at 4:00pm. Dancing took place outside Ripon Cathedral, starting at 6:00pm. We had met most of the Ripon folk during our 1994 tour, and many of them visited us in Vancouver in 1998, so this was a bit of a "reunion" of sorts. The evening turned into a mini Morris festival as we had Hexham MM and Scaro Morris & Sword show up as well. A great evenings dancing was enjoyed by all, followed by a lively singing/music session in the Black Lion, during which we had the pleasure of experiencing Ripon City's novel mumming play, The Drinker.
Friday June 1
After a wonderful brunch at Ted's farm, we set off on the final leg of our tour to the
Thaxted Ring Meeting, Essex. Both minibuses stopped at Ripon for some souvenir shopping before charging down the AI. One bus stopped at Peterborough while the other stopped at Cambridge for sightseeing. Both buses arrived at Thaxted around 7:30pm and checked in at The Star pub. We discovered we were to be billeted with Silurian MM and Chalice MM in the Church Hall for the weekend. After supper at the Rose & Crown, impromptu morris took place outside the Star, in which VMM participated.
Saturday June 2
After breakfast, we set off on tour with Anstey MM, Cambridge MM, Offley MM and Whitchurch MM, dancing at the White Hart in Stebbing, the Onley Arms in Stisted, the Chapel Inn in Coggeshall, the Lion in Earls Colne, the Falcon Square in Castle Hedingham, returning to the Guidhall, Thaxted. After tea, the mass dance displays outside the Guildhall commenced, initiated by a mass processional into the village center for which VMM and Silurian joined forces to perform a the Much Wenlock processional. VMM and Silurian continued their association during the evening with both sides assisting the other for their show dances by providing additional music and singing. Following Thaxted MM's unique performance of the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, the evening ended with sessions in the village pubs, particularly the Rose & Crown (where the VMM enjoyed themselves).
Sunday June 3
After breakfast, sides gathered at the Guildhall and processed to Thaxted church, the VMM having the honour of carrying the horns used by Thaxted MM in the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance. In the church, the VMM also had the honour of performing the offertory dance, Black Boy, from Pershore. Following the church service, there was much dancing in the church grounds, culminating in the performance of the crowd-pleasing Dilwyn and Cleehill dances from a joint VMM/Silurian side comprising 16 dancers and a 6-piece band. VMM and Silurian then retired to the Star for more joint dancing and drinking.
Things finally came to a close for us around 2:30pm when we had to finally start making preparations for departure, with men scattering to Greece, Spain, the Lake District and some, of course, back to Heathrow for the return trip to Vancouver. A great time was had by all!
Many thanks to the VMM Tour Committee and, above all, to our gracious hosts in England.
