Funeral of Chris Holland - 29 August

On 29 August, we danced at the funeral of our member, Chris Holland. 

Chris danced with London Pride from the 1990s and was loved and respected by us all.

The funeral was at St Michael and All Angels where Chris worshipped. The church was packed with his friends, and we heard some of his last words, written while he waited for surgery.

If there is Morris dancing in heaven, the vicar said, Chris would be dancing a jig there now.

During the service, Richard Wyber danced a jig, and we heard Chris's favourite poems.

Eight of us led the congregation to the Blackheath Halls which were quickly alive with conversation,

Along with a keen mind, one of Chris's gifts was the ability to make an occasion happen, without having to hog the limelight - and it seemed he'd done this one more time.

We danced on the stage of the recital room while people talked, and Chris's wife Maggie joined us for the traditional farewell dance, Bonnie Green Garters.

Ad Hoc Music Practice and Dance in Soho

 

A cancelled tour with Sharp Morris left us at a loose end in Soho. Naturally we had a music practice and a bit of a dance.  With some audience participation. 

  

Croydon Night Of Dance 2014

The tenth Croydon Night of Dance featured a great set of sides including St Alban's, Rampant Rooster, Wild Hunt Bedlam Morris, Northwood Morris, the very famous Blackheath Morris Men, Steampunk Morris, The Belles of London City, Ravensbourne Morris, Old Palace Clog and of course ourselves!

This was a truly momentous night, with more dancing than you could shake a stick - in fact many many sticks - at.

All rustled up by James Denny, with a fine welcome from the Builders Arms and the Glamorgan.

Pictures below...

Upcoming event: Phoenix Garden Agricultural Show

We've had a flyer sent us for the Phoenix Garden Agricultural show - it's in the shadow of Centrepoint but a world away!

More details about the Phoenix Garden at
http://www.thephoenixgarden.org/aboutus/how-to-find-us/

Best Morris Dancers Ever!

Some fan art from our Westminster Abbey show:

17 July: King's Cross

We started the evening at the Rugby Tavern, a pub-restaurant which looks a lovely place to eat, but is now so "gastro" that some of us had trouble buying a drink without a seat reservation.

With only four of us, things looked grim, till we were rescued by our audience. Flora from Sharp Morris. showed up in sandals expecting to watch, but willingly filled up a short side of four, and put up with our dancing - very slovenly compared with the crisp style of Sharp Morris, who dance under the masterful John Russell. If you can't make our Tuesday Practice, you should get to Sharp Morris at Cecil Sharp House!

With the dancing, the venue came to life. Locals came out to cheer us on, and the pub clientele applauded. 

Then on to the Rugby Tavern, with Flora still on board, and gathering up a couple more audience on the way - visiting form Nottingham. 

The Rugby is always good, with friendly locals (and usually a group of street cleaners passing as they stop work for the night), and a couple of pints of Whitstable Bay.... 

Highlights of the dancing were Flora carefully doing our Bampton Sidestep - going straight up, not at an angle - and us attempting to match the elegant bow in her displays for Dearest Dickie. There is always more to learn! 

Thanks again for joining us Flora - you're a Morris angel!

12 July: Westminster Choir School Fete

It was a blisteringly hot Saturday, and the thousands of tourists milling around Westminster were mostly quite unaware of a school fair taking place a few yards away.

Dean's Yard, next to Westminster Abbey,  is the headquarters of the Church of England, and also holds Westminster School and Westminster Abbey Choir School., whose summer fete this was.

We enjoyed strawberries, and beer from the Ringers Arms - a regular beer tent run by the Westminster Abbey Company of Ringers. No pix of us dancing as we didn't have any spare hands....

This really was your typical school fete, with Tombolas, barbecue and bric-a-brac, and a bouncy-castle-like thing. It felt strange to have that, right in the heart of town.

We alternated shows with the excellent Haringey Young Musicians' Big Band - one of whom tried extending his range of instruments... 

10 July: Chelsea

As in previous years, we danced at the Anglesea Arms and the Scarsdale Tavern.

5 July: Fete, Charterhouse Square

We graced a Medieval (or possibly Elizabethan) fair in Charterhouse Square, Smithfield. 

 Jeremy's sprightly Lumps of Plum Pudding

We met a couple of the Brothers - the gentlemen pensioners who live in Charterhouse. 

We also met Pearly Kings and Queens, and we enjoyed a pint in the Fox and Anchor afterwards. Sometime when we are feeling stronger, we might try theif "City Boy" breakfast - which includes Eggs, Liver and Bacon, Sausage and Black and White pudding... 

1 July: Tufnell Park

A couple of new pubs (to us) in Tufnell Park. The Pineapple is friendly and probably a good place for a longer drink and food. The Tufnell Park Tavern, was also very welcoming and we had friends in the audience there.

25 June: Maida Vale

We visited our usual normal haunts in Maida Vale. The Prince Alfred and the Warwick Castle.

23 June: Hammersmith With Spring Grove

A damp evening meant we had little on the way of audience, but we still enjoyed dancing with Spring Grove at a couple of riverside pubs in Hammersmith.  

We started at the Rutland and Blue Anchor, in drizzle

And went on to the Old Ship where it was dryer.  

We had plenty of dances in common and our musicians seemed to work well together. We will meet again! 

17 June - Camden Brings The Best Audience Participation

Something about the environs of Cecil Sharp House brings out a fine quality in the audience. We started at The Albert in Princess Road, where an 8-year old told us we were "really cool" and proceeded to join in on the pavement. She's done Morris at school, and we've met her here before. 

 The audience also included London Pride's official Braid Weaver, and the Squire of Chingford. They watched us before going on to Sharp's Folk Club - apparently they actually missed some of John Kirkpatrick, in order to see us. I hope it was worth it...

At the Spread Eagle we met "Dazza", of Welsh Border side Carreg Las.In London for business, his colleague "outed" him and he was up and jigging,  

Also at the Spread Eagle we met friends from the Cecil Sharp House Tuesday Morris class, with their teacher John Russell. Oh, and Rachel and Michelle from the Belles of London City.

A great night out all round.

Holy Trinity School Fete 18 May

Dancing at Holy Trinity School Fair, East Finchley, with Michelle Griffiths

Sunshine, dancing, excellent food from the parents.. and then off to the Windsor Castle for a pint and a little more dancing in the sun.