The previously undisclosed history of The John Pell Morris Men now being written by their erstwhile musician Nick Martin 1. Origins
It all started sometime in the mid-80s with a group of local dads being encouraged to put a side together for the local summer school fete that was planned to take place in May. The prime instigator was John Mays, a supply teacher at Kingston Grammar School and a gifted musician playing the mandolin. I was persuaded to join him with my piano accordion, and we two were the main musicians. We were helped in our efforts by Nigel Marshall who was the head master of St Mary’s School, Long Ditton, and who played the violin very well. Nigel taught us Morris tunes for a simple assortment of stick and hanky dances. A team was assembled for this one-off occasion of some ten local dads to be instructed by one of our number, Mark Rye, who came from a west-country family steeped in morris-dancing. Mark luckily had access to the regalia - the tunics in a sort of harlequin format! I seem to remember they resembled the strip of Barcelona F.C!2. The Dancers The dancers were led by Mark Rye who instructed the team with the basic movements to enable the team to perform a respectable dance! In the team, were the following 11 gentlemen:
There may have been others from time to time and wives were encouraged to attend from a distance. 3. What we did In the end, we performed at local events, summer fetes etc, over a period of five years or so, before disbanding, as the children grew up, and went off to different schools. Some of us are still living in the area-Chris Kirk is living in Brittany, John Mays immigrated to Australia with his family and he is still teaching and doing gigs out there! We raised funds, as the hat always went round, mostly for our own internal pleasure! It was great fun while it lasted, and we were given firm support by our wives, who were often involved doing the teas etc! We always regarded ourselves as the alternative to proper morris-dancing, but we would practice before an event - occasionally Nigel Stannard would default as he was under instructions from his wife, to stay in that particular evening, to do the ironing! We rarely came across other more established sides, tended to avoid them if possible! I well remember one occasion at a Sunday afternoon church fete in Teddington where I think the Thames Valley side were also on the bill. They politely asked who we were-we told them and they said they had never heard of us!! Surprise surprise!! Our dances were vigorous but limited - ‘Oh Dear Mother’ comes to mind and we always signed off our performances with a version of ‘Bonny Green Garters’. Our first dance would usually be Young Collins, which usually finished with a few blooded wrists I seem to recall which was very convenient for the first hanky dance! It is fun to recall that a side which was formed for one school fete but carried on for another five years or so! Nick Martin |
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