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Morris Dancers

I know quite an insular mob as most of the older ones were the ones who started it and yes they are still going, meet at the Highcroft Social Club now, I was made quite welcome though, but changed jobs and shifts didn't fit, I think its www.greenmanmorris.org.uk
 
I also enjoyed the stick dancing, small as well as the staffs, the sword was also very good took loads of practice and co-ordination
 
Here are two more old pictures of morris dancing and related subjects. They are taken from a very interesting dissertation "On the Ancient English Morris Dance", contained in Francis Douce's Illustrations of Shakespeare (London: Thomas Tegg, 1839).
 
Pedrocut the first two photos of the Morris Men you posted were taken in Colmore Row, and the third was crossing over to St.Phillips Churchyard from the "back of Rackhams".
 
Thanks everyone for your comments on the photos of the Morris Dancers. It is great encouragement, as I have a box full of slides, to post anything that may be of interest.

All the best Peter
 
Thanks to you, Peter, for starting a thread on such a fascinating topic.

I couldn't resist some further historical delving.

The English expressions "Moryssh daunsers" and "morysk Daunce" are attested from 1448 or 1449. On the Continent, we can go back a little further. The first two pictures below are from a 1443 Utrecht manuscript "History Bible": marginal illustrations of "men with bells on their legs", almost certainly Morris Men. Sorry they're so blurry: I enlarged them so we can see the bells.

James Strutt's Sports and Pastimes of the People of England (London: Thomas Tegg, 1845) takes us back even further. His book yields the third picture below (from a 1344 English manuscript) of a "Fools Dance". Strange musical instruments! Strutt maintains that while the word "Morris" does indeed come from "Moorish", the Morris Dance itself evolved from the Fools Dance.
 
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Another early illustration of Morris Men (with Morris Woman and Hobby Horse): "The Thames at Richmond, with the Old Royal Palace" (unknown artist, Flemish school, circa 1620, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge).
 
I have replaced the four pictures that were missing from the start of the Thread. Repeated as thumbnails here...sun08c1000.jpg back04lb1000c.jpg back03c1000.jpg back01c1000.jpg
 
Great set of photos Pedro. Can we name the places ? My guesses are:

1. Outside St Phillip's
2. Temple Row West
3 and 4. Colmore Row

Viv.
 
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