22 October 2024
The Ring does not tend to make a big thing of anniversaries not divisible by 25, but 90 years is a considerable achievement and should not go unmarked, so yesterday, 20 October 2024, I organised a small celebration in London for the six founding sides: Thaxted, Letchworth, Cambridge, Oxford, East Surrey, and Greensleeves. Following a tour of several hostelries in the Camden area, the sides converged on Storrow Hall in Cecil Sharp House for tea, following which each side individually performed some of the dances that are recorded in Walter Abson’s The First Log Book (pp 6-7) as the mass dances done on that very day in 1934.
Banks of the Dee FT, Oxford
Dearest Dickie FT, Cambridge/Thaxted
Shepherd’s Hey FT Greensleeves
Lads Adderbury, Letchworth
Constant Billy Sherborne, East Surrey
Blue-eyed Stranger Headington, Oxford
Plus two further dances
Old Tom Bampton, Letchworth
North Skelton longsword, Greensleeves
Matt Simons (Squire, Cambridge) talked about the lead-up to the founding of the Ring, and I mentioned the first meeting, along with naming the Inaugural Sides who were there too, but mainly reviewed what has happened to the Ring in the last 25 years, what has been achieved, and issues we will face.
It was great to have all those original sides together again, and I thank everyone for coming, and thank EFDSS for allowing us to book the hall. My deep gratitude goes out also to our area rep for London and the South-east, Lewis Elliott, who prepared the way by suggesting the excellent pubs on the tours and collecting information, for taking me on a rekky there a couple of weeks ago, and also leading one of the tours yesterday.
I've posted a number of photos on the Morris Ring Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/TheMorrisRing/posts/pfbid022ynhaDCsjUnZLMtMAJ2x...
... as have Letchworth Morris https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid025phKcErZa8vXHiw...
... and videos from the inimitable Area Rep, Lewis https://www.facebook.com/share/p/bNzrjFE5Bj3vhQTP/
... and his many excellent photos (and descriptions)
But there is more. Our West Midlands area rep, Matthew Turvey, suggested to me earlier this year that the Ring’s 90 years be marked at various times by one or more quarter peals of bells around the country. He has enlisted bell-ringers from within the Morris and beyond, and so far these have taken place as follows:
27 Aug 2024 Broadway (St Eadburgha) and Frampton Cotterell (St Peter)9 Sep 2024 Abbots Bromley (St Nicholas)
18 Sep 2024 Clapton in Gordano (St Michael)
24 Sep 2024 Horspath (St Giles)
11 Oct 2024 Chipping Campden (St James)
18 Sep 2024 Clapton in Gordano (St Michael)
24 Sep 2024 Horspath (St Giles)
11 Oct 2024 Chipping Campden (St James)
On 20 October he and colleagues were able to ring the bells at Chearsley, Bucks while the celebrations at Cecil Sharp House were ongoing. There are others still planned at Buckland, Glos; Garlickhythe, London; Harbury, Warks; and Thaxted, Essex
We all thank Matthew and his fellow-bell ringers for doing this—and also for inspiring me to organise yesterday’s event.
Very best wishes to all,
Nigel Strudwick
Squire of the Morris Ring