Last Updated 6th February 2001
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Meeting at Winchester 28th-30th. June 1957
The fifty-ninth meeting of the Morris Ring was held at Winchester on the week-end of June 28th-30th 1957 at the invitation of the Winchester Morris Men.
About 150 dancers took part, representing 18 clubs, of which 12 sent complete teams. The clubs represented were Abingdon, Bedford, Burton upon Trent, Coventry, East Surry, Exeter, Gloucestershire, Headington Quarry, London Pride, London Rodney, Martlet, St. Albans, Standon, Thames Valley, Westminster, Whitchurch, White Horse & Winchester.
The Winchester County Secondary Boys School, Romsey Road, formed the headquarters for the meeting and a buffet supper was available here on the Friday evening. This was followed by informal dancing in the roped off car-park of the near by Stanmore Hotel, a well patronised hostelry. The event turned out to be a kind of Morris Ale out-of-doors & in public – the Bagman felt that no harm would come from taking the box round among the spectators lining the Hotel verandah. Dancing continued at least till closing time and the men gradually crept away to their mattresses
[p75 - Souvenir Programme of the Winchester Ring Meeting]
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on classroom floors (noting on the way the letter posted on the door from the commander of the local Army unit from which the bedding had been hired, regarding the penalties for bed wetting). Some men (and one wife) took to their tents on the playing field. The Bagman slept and was unaware of a reported nocturnal visit by the Hampshire Constabulary.
At 8.30 in the morning an excellent school breakfast was enjoyed, and two hours later 7 tours set out in bright sun-shine: -
Tour A: Whitchurch & London Pride to Crwley, Stockbridge, Broughton, King’s Somborne & Sparsholt.
Tour B: Thames Valley & Burton upon Trent to Wherwell, Andover, Abbott’s Ann, Clatford & Lechford.
Tour C: Headington Quarry & Exeter to Kingsclere, Sutton Scotney, Hurstbourne Priors, St. Marybourne, Longparish & Barton Stacey.
Tour D: White Horse & Martlet to Itchen Abbas, Abresford, East Straton, Micheldever & King’s Worthy.
Tour E; Westminster & London Pride to Twyford, Bishop’s Weltham, Botley, Durley & Shawford.
Tour F: An amalgamation of incomplete teams
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to St. Cross, Bishopstoke, Eastleigh, Chandler’s Ford & Otterbourne.
Tour G: East Surry & Abingdon to Braishfield, Romsey, North Baddesley, Ampfield & Hursley.
These tours were planned under the shadow of petrol rationing and with a view to the use of public transport, though in the event rationing had been abolished before the time came. By an unfortunate oversight no directions were left behind for late arrivals, and consequently one or two teams spent some hours searching for their fellow tourers. At the Hospital of St. Cross, near Winchester, the men on tour F claimed by ancient custom "the dole", by which each received a horn of good stock ale, and of course they danced for the Bedesman. At Romsey the police imposed an eleventh hour ban on dancing on the site previously agreed, & the alternative situation by the station proved valueless. At King’s Worthy the Winchester Men danced by special request at a garden party. The heat was phenomenal 94 was reported by the Headington team. At King’s Sombourne a thunderstorm broke at 3 o’clock, the advertised time of the show – a wedding was also in progress here, but the storm ceased in time for a programme of Haste to the Wedding and Getting up Stairs as the couple left the church.
All tours returned to Winchester for tea in the Guildhall at 4.45. This was followed by a procession to Castle Yard were an hour & a half’s show was given before
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a large crowed of spectators. This was highly successful & was witnessed by the Mayor & Mayoress of Winchester. During the course of the dancing the Squire of the Ring was approached by an American who announced that he would like to buy the Ceremonial Brooch to take back to the States!
The Feast was at 8p.m. in the Guildhall, the guest being the Worshipful the Mayor of Winchester (Councillor Miss E.R. Barnes), the Mayoress (Miss ?, daughter of the former Mayor), and the Very Rev the Dean of Winchester (Dr.E.G. Selwyn). After an excellent meal of soup, meat salad, cold sweet & cheese, the Squire gave the formal toasts and then invited Donald Cassels to propose the health of the Morris Ring. Donald commented on certain changing aspects of Ring
[p79 - Feast Menu - Wonchester Ring Meeting]
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Meetings – on the increase of sword dancing, particularly under the influence of the present Squire, and on the various ingenious methods of collecting he had recently observed. He was happy to couple Bill’s name with the toast particularly as to-day was his birthday. "Happy Birthday to You" was sung with acclamation and the toast was drunk.
In the course of his reply the Squire mentioned the draft cider which the Exeter men had generously brought through for the benefit of the company. He drew attention to the valuable work performed by the less publicised officials of the Ring – Wallie Newall, the correspondent for unattached dancers, and Reg Howes, Keeper of the Scrapbook. He noted the tankards in front of each past Squire except his own immediate predecessor and saying he wished to remedy this deficiency, he forthwith produced a fine new pewter tankard and, to general applause, presented it to Donald.
The toast of the City of Winchester & the Winchester Morris Men was proposed by Wallie Newall. He welcomed the Mayor and Mayoress to the Morris Feast, thanked the Mayor & City Council for their hospitality and the Dean
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of Winchester for his kind co-operation. He also expressed the gratitude of the Ring to the Winchester Morris Men for their excellent organisation of the meeting. Replying to the toast, the Mayor (Miss E.M. Barnes) welcomed the Morris Ring to her city with one of the most brilliant & witty speeches ever heard at a Ring Feast. The Bagman was indeed so dazzled by her performance that he failed to take any notes of what she said. Lionel Bacon (Squire of the Winchester Morris Men) also replied on behalf of his club. He looked on it as a kind of coming of age for a club to have a Ring Meeting in its midst. He welcomed the clubs present and pointed out that the gratitude expressed in their toast was due very largely to the Bagman for the Meeting, Freddie Wilder, as well as to all members of the club.
This concluded the speeches. The Bagman then read from the log book an account of the Meetings at Cecil Sharp House on Sept. 22nd 1956 & March 30th 1957. Songs were contributed by Wallie Newall, John Burgess, & Jim Phillips; and the proceedings closed at 10.30 p.m. Afterwards there was dancing in the
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streets and, so far as is known, no men were arrested.
Another excellent school breakfast was enjoyed on Sunday morning and this was followed by a meeting of Club Representatives. At 10 o’clock the men assembled at the Castle Yard and made a procession from there to the Cathedral for Matins. The preacher was the Dean who gave an excellent & appropriate address. After the service there was dancing in the South Close, and a thoroughly enjoyable and successful meeting came to an end with lunch at the school.
C # House Kennworthy Schofield
22 March 1958
[In pencil]
The Bagman (E.J.R. Dec 1959) noted from a Headington conversation at C # House, 22/3/58, that on the occasion Charlie Jones, looking over the bridge into the river, lost his teeth into the river; and went in after them!
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