Last Updated 6th February 2001
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Meeting at Cecil Sharp House 30th March 1957
The fifty-seventh meeting of the Morris Ring was held at Cecil Sharp House on Saturday March 30th 1957 and was intended in part as a follow-up of the previous one so that teams who adopted the Lichfield dances should have the opportunity of checking & polishing their performances before the start of the new season. The Squire decided to make this meeting also an opportunity for introducing some of the more recently collected Tyneside Rapper figures to clubs in other parts of the country, and particular interested was added to the occasion by the presence of Jimmy MacKay, fiddler of the Royal Earsdon Sword Dancers. Everybody present, dancers as well as musicians, took great benefit from Jimmy’s fiddling & from the advice he freely gave to all who spoke to him.
The morning session started at 11a.m. and was directed mainly to the Lichfield dances under the guidance of the Burton upon Trent club. About 60 men were present. In the afternoon the number increased to77 and the squire gave some intensive instruction in Rapper. Although there were not
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more than half-a-dozen complete club teams further sets were soon made up. Among the figures taught were Single and Double Guard, Choker, Fiddler, Bulldog & Follow-we.
At 6.30 three short films were shown in Trefusis - one of the Ring Meeting at Abingdon last September (kindly lent by Miss Brewer of Abingdon) and two pre-war films of the Royal Earsdon and High Spen teams (kindly lent by the Librarian at Cecil Sharp House). The Feast was at 7 o’clock in Storrow & was poorly attended. Only 37 men booked for the meal and it was believed that not all those were actually present! There were no speeches & after two or three songs the meeting was brought to a close.
The total attendance during the day was 79 men, representing 22 clubs.
[Signed]
Bill Cassie
29/6/57
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