WHAT ON EARTH IS MORRIS DANCING?
No one can be sure of its origins. The earliest references, dating from around 1500, are to royal entertainments. But we know that by 1700 Morris dancing had become a firmly established part of English life. Today there are well-known traditional Morris dance teams in the Cotswolds, the Welsh borders and in the north-west where the Morris is often danced in clogs. The earliest known reference to the Morris in Derbyshire is from Tideswell in 1797. The first mention of Morris in Winster dates from 1863 by which time we know that it was well-established in the village.
We welcome anyone who would like to join us for a dance. We dance the traditional Morris dances of Winster. We have both a men's and a women's team and we also dance as a mixed team of both men and women.
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THE MORRIS DANCES OF WINSTER
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This is it and that is it And this is Morris dancing The piper fell and he broke his neck And he said it was a chancer. You don't know and I don't know What fun we had at Brampton A roasted pig and a cuddled duck And a pudding in a lantern. |
THE WINSTER GALLOP
A polka - a classic English folk dance tune. We dance it in public and then get people in - 32 up has been known
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BLUE-EYED STRANGER
A great local favourite on Wakes day in Winster. Our dances were collected by Cecil Sharp when he visited the village in 1908
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WINSTER REEL
Like the four other dances noted by Sharp this dance is exclusive to Winster
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PROCESSIONAL
We dance in to this tune. Our full team comprises 16 dancers but all the dances can be performed with 8 or 12 people
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Remembering: Pat Malham
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Winster Morris is very sorry to hear of the death of Pat Malham who passed away peacefully on Friday 7th August. He had spent his last few days with his wife Margaret at her care home. He died while he was waiting for his first session of dialysis at the Northern General Hospital.
Pat taught modern languages at Ecclesfield Grammar School, but he was known to us in Winster as someone who was a real enthusiast for Morris and other rural traditions. His concertina playing was always welcome with Winster musicians and his quiet and warm friendship to all the dancers. He danced with Handsworth Sword Dancers before coming to Winster. He was a quiet, calm, generous and very friendly man who was a great asset to so many groups and good causes that he was involved in. He loved folk festivals and Winster dancers remember happy hours with him at Whitby during festival time. Pat was fascinated by tram systems and spent a happy day travelling the length of the Bad Durkheim-Mannheim-Heidelberg-Weinheim tram (with his host who worked for the tram company) during a visit to our twin village of Ungstein in the Pfaltz of Germany. Frank Mason remembers spending time with Pat travelling the tram route too. He came with us to Lithuania in the 1990s where, in Kaunas he inspired great friendship with his hosts. He was also on our long trip to Roumania. Latterly, his duty of care to his wife Margaret meant that he could not join us to dance so often. But he was a lovely man and we shall all miss him greatly at Winster Morris.. |
Remembering: Brian Skyrme
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Brian had a bumpy start in life because his father was a prisoner of war for five years. But his childhood was happy. He worked in local government in various London boroughs before moving to Derbyshire as Deputy County Personnel Officer.
Brian loved rugby and was always wearing his 'Old Walcountians' scarf. He loved friends, DIY and camping holidays and, later in life, singing. In Winster Brian loved dancing with the Morris and entertaining with the Guisers. His Wakes Week performances of 'Harold with his hand up his hawk on his horse' are legendary. So was his 'Grand Erection' party held to celebrate the construction of his garden shed. He was a joker, a mischief maker and could tell a good tale. He led groups on cross-country skiing trips in Norway and, later in life, he discovered golf and joined a mixed ability choir. Jean and Brian had many years of life together and instilled kindness, caring, fun and an adventurous spirit into their children. Brian supported the Greenaway Workshop in Darley Dale which supports people with long term health conditions. He was an important member of Winster Morris for many years. He was always ready to dance provided we could manage 'a full eight' - he wouldn't dance in a 'six' on principle. He was witty and great fun with a wonderfully mournful joie de vivre. He will be much missed. |
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CONTACT US
If you would like to dance with us - get in touch with: RICHARD POWLEY Call: 01629 636994 Email: richard.powley@makepaper.net |
