SEVENTY FIVE YEARS 1934 - 2009 SEVENTY FIVE YEARS 1934 - 2009 SEVENTY FIVE YEARS

The Morris Ring founded in 1934, is an association of over two hundred morris dance sides. Our mission is to encourage the performance of morris dancing, to maintain its traditions and to preserve its history. Each year we organise several Ring Meetings for our members. See the 2008 meetings programme here.
<–Traditional Bampton Morris Dancers
2003, Whit Monday

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Morris Ring News


It is with very great sadness that we report the death of another Bampton morris man, Sonny Townsend of The Traditional Bampton Morris Dancers.
Sonny Townsend's funeral details:
Monday 5th January at 12.30pm in Bampton Parish Church.
The family are happy for kit to be worn by Morris men if they wish to do so. Son was the Clown for the Traditional Bampton Morris Dancers, and they will be in their whites.

Thomas Albert (Sonny) Townsend 1914 - 2008, R.I.P.
Son Townsend was the last link to the old Bampton Morris and his death marks the end of an era.
Although all his life he was known as Son, Sonner or Sonny he was born Thomas Albert Townsend on 24th May 1914, his father Albert kept the Elephant and Castle in Bampton which was the HQ for the Bampton Morris. He first danced at Whitsun in 1925 aged 11, on the 'instruction' of his grandfather Thomas Porlock, one of three brothers who danced in the last half of the 19th Century. Many of the old team were related to each other and Thomas Porlock was married to Elizabeth, sister of Harry Radband, one time team Squire, and she was also aunt to William 'Jinky' Wells.
His 'Bampton' dancing was from the old team days of the Tanners before the team split up in the late 1920's. He was fascinating to talk to about those days. After the Second World War the two teams came together for a short period, but then in the 1950's Sonny helped Arnold Woodley rebuild the old traditional team and he was the Clown for Arnold's team for many years. He remained close friends with him until Arnold's death. He kept up his dancing until well into his eighties.
Arnold Woodley and Sonny Townsend
Arnold Woodley and Sonny Townsend
Photo and notes by Barry Care, M.B.E.

The latest Morris Ring Bagman's Newsletter, No 59, December 2008 is in the post, can be seen on our Morris Ring Google Group, and is now here on our web site.

Out tribute to Francis Shergold, R.I.P. is here

MORRIS SHOP updated, new CDs here

2009 MORRIS MEETINGS HERE
Charlie's Newsletter October 2008 now available HERE

Yet More Morris News!

Monday 5th Jan 2009: After today's Telegraph article on our demise! And the Scotsman! Good job Charle! It was on Radio 5 Live around 1pm today, maybe on Listen Again too?. The Guardian's view of the story is somewhat more oblique! "Is the Morris Ring scaremongering or could this part of our national heritage disappear in a generation?"

BBC photo, linked from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/7805305.stm

A Happy New Year to everyone and especially to Norris Winstone of Kemp's Men who becomes an MBE!

Some more Morris Cousins - near Segovia this time, see Grupo de Danzas San Pedro de Gaíllos. They have contacted us, more later!

Beastly Cousins! "Bestiari Festiv Europeu (1870-1970)" by Ramon Saumell is still available online.

Return of the Slideshow! Thanks to Jason Standing of Westminster MM foir the pictures; you can see a magnificent set of these via Mervyn Colton's site. About the slideshow.

Some older news items have been moved, see here

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