As Steve commented on yesterday’s post “On May the 6th, or the nearest Saturday, The Mr Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris Dancers dance along Ock Street to celebrate Tom Hemmings Birthday.” Les Badcock, the brother of the current Mayor of Abingdon, and the bagman of the Mr Hemming’s troop, is seen in the first picture.
Tom Hemmings was important in restoring the tradition of Morris Dancing in Abingdon in the early 20th century as was Cecil Sharp and Mary Neal at a more national level.
Today was the nearest Saturday to Tom Hemmings’ birthday, and there were six dance troops in town.
They collected at the White Horse Pub for their first set of dances, and having danced at a number of different pubs during the morning arrived at the Market Place (or Market Square as some call it) at 2pm.
One lady did ask me whether it was Abingdon’s May Day celebration. But Abingdon Dancers tend to go to Oxford for what is a very big event on May 1st. This year they got soaked for the honour.
At least we had some sunshine in Abingdon.
These are the Oxford City Morris Dancers paying a return visit from the city to one of the surrounding Market Towns. One came incognito. Goes by the name of Stan I believe.
Next big Morris event in Abingdon is the election of the Mayor of Ock Street on June 16th. The election of the next Mayor of Abingdon is this Wednesday 9th May.
As well as the Sunday morning church bells, Morris is one of the things I miss, no longer living in the Oxford/Abingdon area. Good show chaps and chapesses.
(It will be good to see them all at the Olympic opening ceremony) ???
Wouldn’t Morris dancing at the Olympics opening ceremony be great – better than “Street Dance”? ( in my humble opinion!!!)
I realise some people are fond of this activity, but ….
Can we not ban it?
Morris Dancing IS the original Street dance and yes we should be at theOlympics
Black Flag, how could you say such a thing? Morris is part of out heritage and should be cherished – not much survived the Industrial Revolution (not that we had much of one in these parts).
It also links us to our common European heritage. Google “Ball de bastons” and “Festa Major” in Vilafranca del Penedes where my other roots lie. Folk dance is very much alive and kicking there. That’s what we should have.