the lammas tour - city of auckland morris dancers...

Issue No. 164 3rd Quarter

The Lammas Tour

2013N

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CONTENTSThe Nelson Tour ...............................................3

NorWest Arch News ..........................................4

CAMD News ........................................................4

Bedlam & White Rose ......................................5

Greetings from Nelson Morris ..................... 6

A Note from Wendy. ........................................8.HOTS News ....................................................... 9

Elder Stubbs Allotment Donation ................9

Lammas Tour ..................................................10

Helen & Richard’s Housewarming ..............27

N.Z.Morris Sphere no 1642

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Issue 164 Third Quarter 2013

The New Zealand Morris Sphere

Well folks, here is the third edition for theyear.Here you see where I had a most unexpectedmeeting on the Lammas Tour. Allen Vickerscame to Palmerston North, from England ona teacher exchange in 1987. He became amember of Rosewood and taught us severalnew dances. He had no idea there was a NZtour of England, and was just passing by andcame to see what was going on. So, out ofthe blue a most amazing meeting!

The cover shows (mostly)Auckland dancing at theWoodstock Mock MayorCelebrations

Well, I seem to have survived theLammas Tour, and a long flight home. After experiencing a heat wave inEngland it all seems rather cold herenow. It has taken my brain a longtime to recover so I hope you willforgive the lack of polish in thisedition. I tried to cover up by addinglots of volume. So it is a really bigissue. Hopefully it will give someidea of what happened on the tour.

N.Z.Morris Sphereno 164 3

Tour Update, 7 – 12 January 2014

Cost $350 per person. Under 25s half price.

Website at http://www.nelsonmorris.org.nz/

We have received a good number of registrations and they are still trickling in so we areconfident of a great turnout. We will also be joined by overseas dancers: 8 from Australia,10 from UK and 3 +? from California, hopefully we may end up with a few more. Detailsof tour dances etc will be sent out at the end of September. If you haven’t yet registeredthere’s still time but accommodation will soon run out on campus so hurry we want tosee all of NZ morris there for fun and dance !!

Contact: Pete:Looking forward to seeing you in Nelson next January!

The Nelson Tour


NorWest Arch NewsNorWest Arch spent a Friday evening in June dancing at theWaipara Springs Vineyard. And they got a meal for their efforts.

CAMD News

As we have not submitted any news to Sphere this year this is just tolet you know that we are still in existence.Since the Rotorua Tour we have had several well-paying dance-outs(well-paying due mainly to Hamish's negotiating?/extortion? skills) whichhave swelled the funds nicely.

We had our AGM in June and now have a new Squire -- Steve Dancer-- (ex-Squire, Hamish, is reluctantly taking a break from Morris tohopefully cure a back problem in time for the Nelson Tour) and a newScribe -- Christine Major -- taking the place of Trish Price who hasscribed for the past 12 years! , and a new Foreperson -- Erin Bannister.

Currently we are just managing to keep going in spite of a great shortageof bodies due to 9 members away on the Lamas Tour. But things willsoon be back to normal as they are starting to return as I write.

Ken Lee, Bagman.


The British High Commission invited the White Rose Ladies andthe Bedlam Gentlemen to perform at their Queen's birthday functionheld at the National Library on June 13th. Behind the invitationwas Pip Norton, employee of the High Commission and one timeNorth West and Border dancer who, hopefully, will be White Rose'slatest recruit. Pip was splendidly attired in her Border kit.

Bedlam and White Rose

The Ladies andGentlemen combinedas "Vergin' on theRidiculous" BorderMorris and dancedoutside the Library toentertain the rich andfamous as theyarrived. It being dark,Andy copped a stickon the nose whichrequired first aidtreatment. (Thankfullyno photo) Inside theLibrary Vergin' openedthe proceedings byperformed FannyFrail, Poppleton andWoodhouse Bog forthe invited audience,who were suitablyenthusiastic orbemused. Also a firstwas our guestmusician JeanneMarie from Vermont.

Ian Appleton


GREETINGS FROM NELSON MORRIS!

Our weekly practice sessions have recommenced through the winter months. We successfully continued during June and July, when our Squire and teacher,Steve, and Jan went back to the UK visiting friends and family and, of course,morris dancing! This gave some of us the opportunity to call the dances andkeep things going in their absence. We learnt a lot from this experience – youdon’t know the dance until you can call it! Getting the lines straight was alsoa challenge. It was good to welcome them back to the fold - some of us turnedup at Nelson Airport dressed in Border kit (minus the black faces) and formedan archway of sticks when they entered the terminal – caused quite a stir!

We recently organised a workshop to promote both Cotswold and Border. Fivenew people turned up to have a go and several of them showed interest injoining us at practices. We had good publicity in the local paper which helped.(See photo) Another lady also joined us last Thursday having read the newspaperarticle.

News from Steve & Jan’s UK Trip

We had an amazing six weeks spending most of the time in East Anglia butalso enjoyed a wonderful trip up to Scotland via Derbyshire, the Lake District,returning through Northumbria and Yorkshire. There were so many highlights– the history and heritage of Edinburgh and Stirling Castles, walking along partof Hadrian’s Wall in Northumbria, the charm and beauty of Whitby, steam trainsat Goathland (Aidensfield) and the morris dancing!

Steve danced lots with his previous sides: Coton, Devil’s Dyke and Cambridgeand I joined in with Bury Fair (who I danced with in Suffolk) and Littleport Riot. We saw other sides dance - Green Dragon, Ooze Washes (Molly), Little Egypt,Hageneth, and Westrefelda. We joined in with Powder Kegs, a very friendlyborder side in Derbyshire.

But best of all, we took part in the Summer Equinox Straw Man Festival. Fourmorris sides came together in a little backwater of a village in the heart ofSuffolk with a great pub offering wonderful real ales. We danced with BuryFair, Westrefelda, Little Egypt and Green Dragon. At the end of the eveningas the light was fading, the straw man, accompanied by two virgins, wasaccompanied to the place for burning. He was a very impressive life sizeimage. It was an amazing sight as the flames curled around him with the sunwas setting low in the sky. We felt very privileged to be involved in such agathering.

It was great to be welcomed back to Nelson Airport by mad morris dancers!


Excerpt fromThe Spiritual Quixote

orThe Summer’s Ramble of Mr. Geoffry Wildgoose

A Comic Romance

Author: Richard Graves (1715 - 1804)Text based on the first edition of 1773. Edited by Clarence Tracey,

published by Oxford University Press, 1967.

BOOK XII CHAPTER XWhile they were talking to my Landlord, the church-bells struck up,

and rang with great chearfulness: upon which, as the canonical hour was justexpired, Dr. Greville supposed, ‘they had had a wedding.’—‘No,’ says myLandlord: ‘but we are going to have a funeral; and the bells ring upon thatoccasion.’

‘How so?’ says Dr. Greville.—‘Why, have not you heard of old Mr.Shatterbrain’s whimsical will? He was born in this town, and kept a tavernin London: and got ten-thousand pounds in the lottery; and has left it all tohis Nephew, who was a tradesman in this town. But I will fetch you thenews-paper, and you may see all about it.’ He then brought the GloucesterJournal to Dr. Greville, in which was this clause from Mr. Shatterbrain’swill:

‘Provided also, That my said Nephew, on the day of my funeral, dodistribute six pounds, six shillings, to six young women tolerably skilled indancing; who, being dressed in white callico, with black ribbands, shall joinwith six young men, to be procured by the Undertaker (or the Undertakerhimself to make one, if agreeable); who, being dressed in mourning cloaks,with black crape hat-bands, shall, in a grave and solemn manner, dance, toa good tabor and pipe, the ancient dance called “The Black Joke,” in thechurch-yard (if approved of by the Minister); if not, as near to the place ofmy burial as conveniently may be; the church-bells ringing from twelveo’clock at noon to six o’clock in the evening.

‘Provided also, That my said Nephew do cause to be inscribed on mytomb, the following moral distich;

Since dust we are all, let us moisten our clay;Let us drink, let us dance, and dust it away’.

A Note fromWendy


HOTS were excitedly anticipating the Winter Solstice celebration inWainuiomata. Costumes were ready for the Winter Knights Ball, Jenny& Ann were looking forward to some last-minute dancing practice beforethe Lammas Tour and the cake was made to celebrate Gordon's coming-of-age! When the storm hit and the camp venue became inaccessibleand without power, HOTS decided to celebrate at home instead. We hada WOW of a time! (see photo)

Hots News

The weather caused havoc againlast month when the RoyalCelebration Fete at KeirungaGardens was forced indoors dueto rain. We shared a very smallspace with Splat the Rat, the FunPhoto Booth, the Snail Race,Poppies Books and Ye Olde SweetShoppe and people shoulder toshoulder but managed to clear aspace big enough to do Jenny Lindfor three and a couple of otherdances. We had our photo takenwith her Royal Highness QueenElizabeth just as she was leavingbut the light was reflecting off hershiny complexion so thephotographer was despatchedback to the Fun Photo Booth andwe are, sadly, without a record ofthis happy encounter!

ELDER STUBBS ALLOTMENT DONATION

During the Lammas Tour visit to the 'Restore' rehabilitation centre at ElderStubbs Allotment, some of you expressed an interest in making a donationto the facility. From the surplus funds at the end of the Tour we were ableto donate £150 - I took the money to Jan after the Tour had finished. Sheinvited Kitty and I to join the group for lunch. What a privilege it felt to sitand eat with them, their own grown, harvested and prepared vegetables.The vegetable crumble with roast root vegies easily matched some of thepub lunches ordered during the week. There was a lot of interest in ourdancing and New Zealand, and Jan was thrilled with our donation, knowingstraight away what it would go towards: a new pasteuriser to replace theirburnt-out one. Thank you everyone.

Jeneane Hobby


The Lammas Tour

Saturday 27 July - arrive at Youlbury Activity Centre 2pm and settle in.Above are the four vans that carried us around for the week. Until thekeys of one of them was accidentally locked in the boot. It took the hirecompany three days to get a replacement. So then we were down to three.

6 pm travel to Bucknell Village Hall for Saturday Night On and dancingwith invited friends and sides. Early evening meal provided.

N.Z.Morris Sphere11no 164

Sunday 28 July Approx 12 noon travel to The Plough at Wolvercote(Wolvercote Green) and move around to Port Meadow and Binsey laterin the afternoon. And who should we meet up with but Celia Briar,playing on her harp.


Monday 29 July - 9.30 am: Depart for Blenheim Palace. Dance spotsscheduled for 11.30 and 2.30 in the Great Court.

We spent the day beingimpressed with the amazingbuildings and real CapabilityBrown gardens.


7.30 pm: Gather at The Greyhound in Besselsleigh notvery far from Youlbury. Good dining pub with a largegarden.

Mr Hemmings at the Greyhound

CAMD at theGreyhound


Tuesday 30 July - 10amtravel to Headington.Visit William Kimber'sgrave in the churchyardof the Holy TrinityChurch. His headstone,with its sculptedconcertina and bellpads,is only a caper of twofrom C.S. Lewis' restoredgrave stone.

At the Chequers Garden


Move on to Elder StubbsAllotment on RymersLane, a prize-winningcommunity garden inCowley. The gardenscontain a woodlot,orchard and artinstallations. 3.00 pmdancing for Restore, thecharitable mental healthorganisation, which runsthe gardens.

8.00 pm - visit Ducklington Morris on practice night inthe Ducklington Village Hall.


Our day trip to Kenilworth Castle was full of the romance one would expectof the place having read Sir Walter Scott’s novel Kenilworth; the sky was darkand brooding but when the sun broke through its brilliance provided a fittingbackdrop to the impressive castle ruins. (See the group photo and dancingphoto taken in front of John of Gaunt’s Great Hall built during the late 14thcentury).

Wednesday 31July - 9.30 amset out forKenilworthCastle

The stables


The day started with an enthusiastic hour of dance in the tea rooms –formerly the stables. The building itself is magnificent; it is light and airywith its high beamed roof open to the rafters and flagstone floor and lendsitself utterly to morris dancing! We then spent a couple of hours wandering around the site and absorbingits fascinating history. The recently renovated Elizabethan gardens provedpopular as did the keep and kitchens. There was much discussion aboutand fascination for the time when Elizabeth I visited the castle in 1575. After lunch we again met up in the tea rooms for more dancing and thistime managed to dance outside on the grassy courtyard in front of the GreatHall. We were watched by a small but highly appreciative audience whoparticularly enjoyed the lone minstrel playing his recorder from one of theopenings of the first floor of the keep. (This was Keith Riach BTW!!!) All too soon the time came for us to depart and once again the 4 black vanshit the road. It was agreed by all that the trip had been a success andimportantly for Richard and me, we managed to take our usual photographof ourselves in our “special spot” at the castle but this time in morris kit!!


7.30 pm - join Oxford City Morris Men at The WhiteHorse in Broad St for a summer dance-out in the city(Oxford).

Thursday 1 August - 9.30 am leave for Bampton. Dancefrom 10.30 am in the garden at The Morris Clown.


1.30 pm dance outsideThe Bear Hotel inWantage overlookingthe market Square, andoverlooked by KingAlfred's statuesquegaze.

Keith Chandler, the authorof 'Ribbons, Bells andSqueaking Fiddles,' wasthere too and even playedfor some of our dances.

The side at Wantage wasIcknield Way Morris Men.The dragon on their backs iscalled a Wessex Wyvern.


3.00 pm approx, visit The Uffington White Horse andnearby Neolithic features including the long barrow knownas Wayland's Smithy.8.00 pm - Dance-out with Cry Havoc and guests, OldSpeckled Hen, at the Prince of Wales in Shippon.

Cry Havoc

Old Speckled Hen


Friday 2 August - A tiki tour around Morris villagesWe visited Eynsham, Stanton Harcourt, Appleton,Leafield(Fieldtown), and Bledington.


And Kitty didher jig


Saturday 3 August - Daytime, 10.30 am onwards,dance in Oxford City

Dance in theforecourt ofOxford CastleUnlocked


4.00 pm - Eynshsam Morris invited us to jointhem at the Woodstock Mock Mayorcelebrations.


6.00 pm - Lammas Ale begins with the Feast at the Wootton Community Hall

Then its on to the AleThis is Cry Havocsinging.


The dancing continued into the evening.And next morning it was all over.


Helen and Richard’s House Warming

Kiwi morris meet Flagcrackers of Craven atHelen and Richard’s house warming party

Kiwi morris showing Flagcrackers of Cravenhow to dance Black Joke at Helen andRichard’s house warming party

Obviously a greattime was had by allat thehousewarming

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Bedlam dancing atBlenheim Palace

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