Danum and Cheswold Morris

Danum wearing the old High Melton Morris kit

Glynn Field (LHS) virtually leaves the ground!

Cheswold: Back row: Norman Cook, Glynn Field, Paul Slater, Stuart Swann, Pete & Joan Clifford
Front row: Mike ?, Colin Barratt, Jeff Prior

Border - probably Much Wenlock

Reminiscences

Paul Davenport writes:-

I originally learned my Morris from Green Ginger of Hull in which I was a founder member. We started with Longsword (Goathland), then Frank Bull (ex-Foresters) taught us Cotswold.

The Green Oak concept was something that hatched in our digs when at college (High Melton). Dik Penycate and I were in the same accommodation and had various schemes on the go at all times, some pretty dangerous as I remember. The concept of a Morris team that would wow the Morris Ring was one such. The costume you wear is part of that scheming, it was carefully colour coordinated for some pretty obscure reasons that might bore or even embarrass this far down the line. We developed the concept and began practising in the gallery at a place, now demolished, called 'Jaffa Gallery' run by a weird Jewish couple in Waterdale. Later we recruited several others and started practices at the 'Yorkist' (now Thomas Cook Travel Agents on St Sepulchre Gate) by this time it was around 1971. We were really fed up with the High Melton Morris men which was a college side and lacked real ambition beyond free beer. The name 'Green Oak' was born on a weekend camping trip at Goathland when I was sitting carving a piece of wood infected by a green fungus and Dik remarked that I should get off my arse and come and cut some sticks instead of carving a little green oak Morris man. My wife remarked that it was a good name for the team, so 'Green Oak' it was - yeah, it's true you're named after a fungal infection.

The Yorkist rehearsals were short lived and we needed a place to practice. Liz and I had been involved in a French exchange in Easter 1973, fortunately one of the parents involved was a member of the Reform Club in Bentley so we got a free practice space complete with a bar and snooker room! It was there we met Eric, a fifteen year old butcher's apprentice. We dragooned him into the team and it was he who gave his name to the beast which you now possess. The dragon replaces a more abortive dragon made of egg cartons and the like. Your Eric was born on May 1st 1975 just before I went to DRI to greet my new son Gavin born on the same day.

The initial sorties by the team also included country dancing displays in which the wives took part in order to bolster our meagre repertoire. One of those early dancers can still be seen on BBC TV each night advertising the BBC web services. Others included myself, Dik Penycate, Mick Morley, his mate Colin, I think his name was, Colin Bloor, Rick Aldridge and George Mabon. We weren't very good but we were ambitious.

We used to take meticulous care over the floor patterns of figures because of their significance. It all sounds a bit naff now but believe me the overall effect of the side was pretty amazing. Ivor Allsop remarked when he was Squire of the Ring that, 'on a good day you'll not see better'. The Ring initially refused our application. We worked so hard to ensure that they begged us to join we never applied a second time. I received the staff at Manchester RM in 1977 (I think that was the year.)

The first set of kit too weeks to assemble just the right fabrics and colours. They should be, russet, citrine, olive and black, the latter being hats and boots. These are the colours ascribed to the earth sphere, Malkuth in the Qabalah. Certain of us were well into the Age of Aquarius back then. Take a look at your Ring staff a little more carefully too, it's one ended and seems to have an acorn on the end, there again it is pretty phallic too. You're the proud owner of one of the earliest Morris sides to be constructed on occult lines. Compare with current day 'Wolfshead and Vixen' and you might see some similarities.

Cheswold was made up from ex-High Melton and other people I'd pissed off. I was a fairly dogmatic and inflexible prick in those days (I hope I've mellowed since - some people might tell you I haven't changed. However, I now teach an all female sword team and encourage mixed Morris and my specialist subject is lost Morris traditions - boy, are there some weird things out there, and no one dancing them!) Cheswold actually had a similar ethos to Green Oak in the early days, I think they wanted to outdo us, we simply raised our game, having been the only side in town we did take them seriously though perhaps they thought not at the time. I don't remember Danum Morris, my fading memory seems to recall it might have been a working title for one or the other side but I'm not sure.

Paul Slater writes:-

Green Oak was the team I learnt to dance with. The squire was Paul Davenport and the bagman was Dick Pennycate.

Paul was a student at High Melton Teacher Training College and I think had left before I joined the college in 1972. While he was there he formed (with others) High Melton Morris. I gather this dissolved when many of the team dissipated at the end of their studies, but did get back together occasionally for a dance. Indeed I danced with them (in their red, blue, and white) for the Queen's Jubilee for a one off (no Paul though):

I don't think High Melton existed in the strict sense of the word. It was at least dormant. I taught at Don Valley High School when I left High Melton in 1975 and I was dancing for Green Oak. I met Darryl (Benny) Ball at Don Valley, who used to dance with Davenport and others for High Melton. I understood they had a big falling out and split up. In 1977, Benny had called some ex-High Melton friends from around the country, lured them back to Doncaster and with me to fill the side we did one practice and then a dance out on Jubilee day. As far as I know, that was the only time they got back together. No one from Green Oak who was an ex-High Melton Dancer joined them that day, and I can only imagine Green Oak weren't dancing otherwise I'd have been with them. One of those who joined us at the 'reunion' dance was a tall thin chap called Rob. If you can contact Benny, he'll know a lot more about the early days.

Paul then started Green Oak and I found it through the folk club route. We practised at Bentley Reform Club every Wednesday night. Lots of dance outs, trip to Thaxted and eventually Ring membership. Paul & I were always friends and we used to go Rock Climbing together in Derbyshire on a Sunday quite regularly. I used to visit Paul & Liz at Rossington.

The ones who got me started with Green Oak were Mick Morley and Phil Dodds who were a year above me at High Melton. Phil left at some point but Mick carried on. I think he sometimes turned up at Cheswold to dance as well as we stayed friends.

Other memories of dancers

Colin (had an old green van and several of us had lifts home in it after practice on Wednesdays at Bentley)

A young lad, Eric

Paul Davenport, Squire & musician

Dick Pennycate, Bagman and Paul's right hand (also High Melton and obviously stayed with Paul after the split). Dick would go and dance solo on Mayday dawn in the middle of woods somewhere

Mick Morley - heard from him a little while back

Phil Dodds

Stuart Swan - many of us always used to get a Chinese after practice (at Co-op Taps) and go back to Stuart's

Rob Gair. Rob did a travelling newsagent/confectionary business at High Melton - his Dad's shop being at Barnburgh. Rob got a house at Royal Avenue, Doncaster next door to Dick & Val Pennycate. I rented a room off Rob when I left College.

The women would sometimes join the practice and we'd do a bit of country dance. We had a go at Rapper and Longsword but I don't think we ever danced it out. We did do Mummer though more than once. We actually made a mess of the sprung wooden dance floor at Bentley Reform Club with the sticks but they didn't seem to mind that there were great dents appearing in it. Practice always ended with a sing often with Stuart leading the trad and Dick leading the rugby versions. Particular favourites were ‘Pleasant and Delightful’ with sound effects, ‘Lighthouse in Mobile’, ‘Dido, Bendigo etc’, ‘Fathom the Bowl’, ‘Black Velvet Band (Rugby version)’, and ‘Martin Said To His Man’.

Some of the dancers were not that keen on Green Oak's strict format, nor Paul's authoritarian style and became irregular or left. Some of us talked it over and it was decided that there was room for another Morris Side. We formed Cheswold in 1977. They wanted to dance but not with Green Oak. I was not that tied to Green Oak so I agreed to join them. I was to be first squire and we practised in the Corporation Brewery Taps. Names I remember were Colin & Barbara (?), Glynn, Jeff Prior, Geoff Wright, Pete & Joan (?), Stuart Swan and Norman Cook. We had a chap join us who was very good at Border and taught us some dances such as Ring of Bells and Brimfield Stick Dance, which made us distinctive from Green Oak. Paul at the time was reviving Kirtlington and they had gone very trad. - Cheswold were somewhat lighter.

We enjoyed some success and danced out with Green Oak on more than one occasion. I remember visiting them in Tickhill at their practice. Cheswold chose Sam Smith's colours - Black, White and Old Gold. I left Cheswold in 1979 to move down south with my job and I visited a few times to guest dance with them. I think Stuart took over as squire.

As I remember, Danum Morris was an interim name for the merry band of disaffected Green Oakers who wanted to dance but not with Paul & Dick. It quickly became Cheswold. Certainly Danum was one of the contenders for the name of the new side. I remember talking to PD about the new side and 'getting his blessing'. He didn't have a problem with it and we danced out together with the two sides very early on in Frenchgate. I remember waiting for the pub to open (White Swan? High bar - probably gone now) There was history between the individuals and politics of course but some of us just danced and encouraged others to.

Geoff Wright and I were at school together (Danum Grammar). I caught up with him years later when he was playing the accordian. He came to Green Oak but didn't get on with Davenport. He played quite often for Cheswold though. Known as Angus (Angus Prune from "I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again") I discovered him on the Session web site and had a reminisce quite recently. We both have barn dance bands now.

Addendum December 2004:-

Green Oak were a very traditional side and that influenced me and those I taught. I hope Cheswold carried some of that precision and meaning in their dance. Certainly I was (mostly) signed up to the Green Oak doctrine, especially the part about the meaning of the dance and the ritual magic.

Paul can rest assured that he never pissed me off.

Norman Cook writes:-

How did it start for me?

I had the good fortune to marry Joan back in 1975 and our first home was in Alder Grove, Balby. Two sounds of the home bring back memories. The first would have to be the clatter of clogged feet, down the cellar steps, up the cellar steps then, 30 seconds later, repeat. Why would this be? Remember the 1970's and the wearing of Dr. Scholl's footwear? Hence the clogging but up and down the cellar - Stuart Swan and Sylvia had the fridge in the cellar and this was the ritual when making a cup of tea. The second sound? The constant twittering of Stuart as he practiced his tunes. Probably the most remarkable whistler I have ever heard, trilling away like a demented canary! Roger Whittaker eat your heart out!

There am I living next to Stuart and avoiding, for the next year, invites to folk clubs etc but eventually he wore me down and off we went one Sunday evening to the Corporation Taps where he introduced me to the gentle art of Morris Dancing and, being me, I avoided even joining in the practice whilst thoroughly enjoying the Sam Smiths ale. I never was easy to get into a set even when a qualified dancer! Which is why I took up the music.

Weeks passed and I had a tragic accident when I fell off of my (stationary) motorcycle and broke my arm - at last a valid reason not to dance due to heavy handkerchiefs etc. So I languished as a spectator for a further 6 weeks but this was not to be my lot! Crisis - we have a dance out and not enough dancers (1977 - no change there then). Solution teach Norm to dance. It's not until Saturday anyway.

My tutor was to be Glynn Field, later to become the fat bloke with a drum with Horwich Prize Medal, last seen by me staggering around Whitby Folk Festival - we had just arrived and did not know where the action was but went out in search of music and rounded a corner to see a solitary, beclogged Morris man, carrying what turned out to be a stainless steel bucket full of beer, having found glasses too small to drink from (quite a legend Glynn)--

Back to the plot (and my back yard - for it is here I learnt for the first time that hey wasn't just someone shouting) recovering from the broken arm and using a light stick, two day's intensive training between the pair of us and off I went to High Melton to dance for the first time in set and the first time in public - for a meeting of the Blind and Partially Sighted Association (lucky there then).

Picture it now - 20 visually challenged persons, a dozen guide dogs and a Morris side, the music struck up - Joan and Pete Clifford on Concertinas - the first figure starts with the nervous dogs cringing from the jangling bells, the first chorus of clashing sticks (getting the mood of it yet?) 10 dogs, rabid with fear, strike up a threatening bellow of rage with foaming jaws, straining to eat Morris, void their bowels and extract revenge. The other two? One deaf and one daft I suppose. Barbara (Barratt) took all the dogs for walkies and on we went. After the dance, lashings of hot tea and a room full of people who wanted to feel your bells.

My baptism of fire, thanks to the few I can remember the names of, but you who know me now will recall that I can barely remember to buy a round these days. I still have pictures of the gig which I might seek out - if only I could get this damned scanner to work: Stuart Swann, Geoff Prior, Colin Barratt, Glynn Field, Paul (?)

Incidentally, I may have been instrumental in the Cheswold identity as I had a mate who lived in Cheswold Road which had just been demolished in the ethnic cleansing of Doncaster's more interesting housing stock.  I believe the side had no name but were playing with 'Danum Morris' as an identity, but I may have convinced them that there were too many Danums around.

My career with Cheswold was about 3 years at which point I moved to Scotland to be deprived of the dance for 4 years and on my return found Cheswold to be in it's final throes, so joined Green Oak in time for Dancing England and the East Yorkshire Vessel Cuppers (perhaps a subject for another occasion).

Next week, Morris as a martial art (attending a Green Oak practice as a Cheswold man).

Chris Ingram (then Jackson) writes:-

Most of the stuff Paul says is correct - yes, he did start the team, but originally as High Melton. And yes, we did dance out!

It came under the auspices of the Traditional Dance and Drama society when he was at the height of his 'traditional' period (which included esoteric exercises) and danced Cotswold, longsword, rapper and then the infamous longsword with the square lock using wooden swords which he had found in one of his collecting sessions.

Those of us poor females who were around at that time were allowed to dance at practice if they were a man short but woe betide us if we should dare to whisper a word of being allowed to dance out! I must admit that I really enjoyed the weekend I went with the team to keep Liz company at Thaxted Ring Meeting, brilliant dancing by the team - and although I didn't know for many years my first meeting with Greg from Strawhead who was then clogging extremely well.

It was around this time I got the title 'Morris Nanny' since as secretary of the TDDS I ended up sorting bookings (often when one of them came and said "I met ****** in the pub last night and he wants us to go to-----", arranging transport, ironing kit - and providing spare handkerchiefs and safety pins.

Most of the team, including Paul, were the year above me at High Melton (and the first year of drama at the place) and obviously the question arose what would happen to the then current team after they left. Dik was in my year. It was decided that most of them wouldn't want to remain as a college team and a split occurred leaving some at High Melton which carried on for a while and the rest of us following Paul to become what is now Green Oak.

When we moved there was even a country dance team which ran along side the morris to keep us females happy.

Glad to see the team still going strong. I really ought to see if I can find some early photos.