Every Morris side needs a ‘stick master’ and AVMM has the best! David Snell writes:

Like a scene taken from Thomas Hardy’s ‘The Woodlanders’,  on a breezy, bright mid-June evening, two AVMM men and a visiting New Zealander met with David Best of Barford St John in the bucolic  setting of the meadows by the Barford bridge, where David very kindly offered us a pick of the best growth from the stocks of his pollarded willows. It was surprisingly tricky to find a straight length of 39 inches with just the right diameter, but after having demolished half of David’s row of willows, we came away with over a score of beauties.

The sticks will be stripped using a draw knife once owned by another Adderbury man, the late Arthur Spencer of The Parish; by next Spring they will be seasoned and will clash for the first time at the Day of Dance, when the cycle of the year turns again. Heartfelt thanks to David Best for providing us with a new stock!

Squire John Ekers writes:

On a warm evening in June all three Adderbury Morris sides decided to get together and celebrate our different traditions outside local pubs for no particular reason other than our shared love of dance and camaraderie. Adderbury Village turned up in good numbers and kicked off proceedings in front of a discerning crowd at The Bell. Sharp & Blunt and Adderbury Morris began their evening later at The Red Lion and then joined us outside The Coach and Horses by the village green, before all three sides returned to The Bell to dance until dusk. AVMM were pleased to have the opportunity to showcase many of the dances they plan to perform on their forthcoming summer tour of the Somme battlefields in July.

AVMM also attempted to extend their unofficial world record attempt for the most dancers to perform Brighton Camp (24 dancers supported by 5 musicians). We danced for well over two hours maintaining a high standard throughout and although our oldest dancer on the night was ten times as old as our youngest, all the side performed with the same youthful vigour!

Bagman Donald McCombie writes:

An afternoon dancing for the senior citizens at Chacombe Park Nursing home was the latest AVMM performance. With the advancing age profile of most Morris sides we are particularly respectful of this group of Chacombe residents. However with Theo present we were able to show some real youthful dancing. It is purely coincidentally that he was then made the target for a firing squad of wet sponges ! No it was not the climax to shooting, this time,  just one of the fetes sideshows. To the delight of every one he survived for the next dance.

It was a pleasure to be part of the fete and perform our dances for the large audience of residents and  spectators who particularly applauded our eight dancers, two musicians  and one horse version of Brighton Camp. I would write more, however ‘I must return to the girl I left behind me.’ ……….in Brighton.

Squire John plus Dorset Dave had the pleasure of welcoming the East Suffolk Morris Men (ESMM)  from Ipswich to Adderbury. This was the first stop on the second full day of their 60th anniversary celebratory tour. ESMM tour organiser Mike Palmer informed us that instead of their normal spring trip to the continent they are touring the Cotswold area to dance the numerous local traditions.

Landlord Tony opened The Coach & Horses early to provide Wadworths refreshments, enabling them to kick off their morning performance with Black Joke and Lads a Bunchum, both done with an 8 man set.

They were then keen to involve Dave and John in the dancing, so our two AVMM stalwarts joined Beaux of London City and Princess Royal. Much swapping of Morris tales then took place over a few beers before ESMM reboarded their minibuses. Their plan was to move on to Ilmington, Moreton in Marsh, Longborough and Oddington before returning to base in Hook Norton, followed by more dance spots on Sunday.

John was particularly delighted to meet ESMM member Mike Garland who was 1988 Squire of the Morris Ring. Dave comments that ESMM are a friendly bunch of lads and it is to be hoped that we can get together with them again, either in Oxfordshire or Suffolk.