Ivor Allsop, 1st August 1930 – 2nd November 2012
His life was celebrated on Monday 19th November at Grenoside crematorium where Peter Halfpenney delivered this eulogy on behalf of The Morris Ring:
Eulogy from The Morris Ring
Ivor Allsop was Squire of the Morris Ring from 1978 – 80, a post he described as a ‘Benevolent Dictatorship’. As a component part of any organisation or group activity, particularly at management level, one can approach such involvement from two directions. What can I get out of it, or what can I put back into it? It was the latter, benevolent approach that Ivor favoured and before, during and after his term in Office he dedicated much of his life to collecting and collating archival material for the Morris Ring. The work he did was outstanding.
Ivor was down-to-earth, unassuming and unpretentious. He was a little shy in front of an audience, but he also fought shy of too much pomp when he saw that in others. His approach was one of lower public profile but more one-to-one contact. Thus quietly and behind the scenes he was a source of great encouragement and support to so many in the Morris and folk world in general.
As a popular Squire, Ivor was inevitably invited to many a feast during and after his Office. Vegetarianism was not as common in those days and it was often the case that the plate of sliced meat and veg placed before him had to be whisked away, the meat removed and an emergency substitute found. All too often this was just cheese. The lightest snack so served was simply potatoes with a lump of cheese. The meal had however been jazzed up as a nod to haute cuisine – the potato had been mashed!
My personal memory of Ivor is viewed so often through a kitchen hatch. Attendees of the jigs instructionals in Sarrat and other such gatherings will remember him playing sous-chef to Bert Cleaver’s Gordon Ramsey.
Ivor was a member and honorary member of several Morris sides over the years, but his main love was of the Longsword Dances, some of which he introduced to the Barnsley Longsword Side, the side he helped form in 1968. Incidentally Barnsley joined the MR in 1972, receiving their membership staff at the Huddersfield Ring meeting from the then Morris Ring Squire, Mr Bert Cleaver. Another lifetime friendship forged through the fellowship of Morris.
His deep affection for folk custom and tradition is legendary and his knowledge thereof, if not encyclopaedic, was certainly extensive. If he couldn't answer a folk related query directly from memory he was able to consult his extensive personal library and usually come up with a result. Author himself, his ‘Longsword Dancing’ publication has become the sword equivalent of Bacon’s ‘Black Book’ as the definitive reference.
Another work by Ivor never far from my hand over the past two years is the aptly if lengthily named booklet, ‘Information on Regalia, Gifts and Doles together with notes on the Advisory Council, The Morris Ring Logo and the Morris Ring Archive’. This is a very readable and well-researched catalogue of the paraphernalia and customs attaching to the Morris Ring. These publications, as with all things Morris, are available from our Morris Ring Shop and of course come with free advice entitled ‘a shopkeeper’s view of how the world should be run’.
The Morris Organisations are not the only folk art groups that revere Ivor. His contribution to the world of folk has been recognised by the EFDSS by the award of their gold badge. Folk dancing was an activity he could enjoy together with his beloved Joyce Mary whose life we celebrated in this very place on Maundy Thursday just 19 months ago. Much of his time since then without Joyce by his side has been tough for him but he endured in his usual low-key, uncomplaining manner with the unfailing support of his son, Philip and Ivor’s many friends.
The debt of gratitude owed him by the Morris Ring and others is immense. Ivor will be held in great affection by all who knew him and the regard and respect he earned is underlined by the huge turnout today; testament to a great man.
There is another avuncular, jolly, white bearded gentleman associated with the approaching season. This year I think that the angels & Joyce will be enjoying a magnificent Xmas present from Santa, albeit a little early.
Peter J Halfpenney
Past Squire of the Morris Ring
An obituary written by Phil Heaton & Derek Schofield has also been published in The Guardian's "Other Lives" section
http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/nov/22/ivor-allsop-obituary