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St Albans Morris Men |
| With the increasing availability of digital cameras and scanners, 2001 has offered us many monitor-friendly images as a record of our exploits! Here is a selection taken across the year. Click on any picture for a larger version. |
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In front of St Albans Town Hall.
We did have an audience - including The Mayor of St Albans. Honest!
It's just that they were off-camera for this particular shot. Photo: Bob Combes |
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Dancing in Christopher Place, St Albans, in company with
Whitethorn Morris and Whitchurch Morris Men.
Photo: John Price |
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After dancing for the residents at
Verulam House Nursing & Residential Home,
we enjoyed the late afternoon
sunshine in their lovely garden. Whitethorn team photo. The twin boys, Robert and Edmund, are the offspring of Marion Moorcroft (front centre) and Nigel Moorcroft (SAMM). Photo: John Price |
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Pipe and tabor players always look so serious, don't they! Here are the combined pipes and drums of St Albans and Whitchurch. A merry sound! Musicians are (l to r) Malcolm Seymour (WMM), David McKeggie (WMM), John Seaborn (SAMM) , Nigel Moorcroft (SAMM), Graham Lyndon-Jones (SAMM) and Mike Chandler (WMM & SAMM). Photo: John Price |
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A typical Monday evening dance-out at The Hollybush, Church End, Redbourn.
Heaven's above! John Price is actually dancing. Must be the one he knows. Photo: Bob Combes |
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Later that evening, by the light of the silv'ry moon, we danced at
The White Horse, Hatching Green.
Photo: Bob Combes |
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Robin Hood & Little John, Rabley Heath.
Another favourite pub with excellent beer and a morris-friendly audience.
Photo: Bob Combes |
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A sunny Saturday was spent in Bronte country. Here, Benfieldside Morris Men dance outside The Fleece, Haworth. Photo: John Price |
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Still in Haworth, but now outside the Tourist Information Centre. Jockey Morris Men dance Adderbury. Photo: John Price |
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Unperturbed by the cobblestones, SAMM dance a spirited "Brimfield".
Photo: Bob Combes |
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John Seaborn dances a one-man jig (Nutting Girl, Fieldtown?),
with style and elegance, to the music of
Graham Lyndon-Jones. Bagman, John Beecham, appears to be making notes - or
perhaps marking him out of ten???.
Photo: Bob Combes |
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We always get a good welcome at The Lytton Arms, and have had some lovely
audiences there over the years. On this particular occasion, a couple of
families (rear right in the photo) were enthusiastic enough to follow us there
from the previous stand at The Fox, Woolmer Green. How wonderful when the
children in their party entertained us at the end of the evening - and how
sad that we don't have a photograph of that!
Photo: Bob Combes |
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Another of our favourite regular pubs which we try to visit every year -
though this will have to end if the dancing area shrinks any further!
No doubt we would go back in other clothes, though, to enjoy their great beer and tasty food. Photo: Bob Combes |
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Just a short visit by this wonderful friendly bunch from West Virginia, USA,
but we did our best to give them a varied schedule of entertainment - starting
with a welcome barbecue.
Photos: John Price |
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On Saturday, Bob Combes ran a NW Workshop, where Shepherdstown swapped dances
with members of Cottonmill Clog Morris and Whitethorn. Meanwhile, Christine
Bennett took the younger members of the party sightseeing in London.
Photos: John Price & Christine Bennett |
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On a short evening tour, Shepherdstown NW and Hicks with Sticks managed to
dance under the cedar tree beside St Albans Abbey before the rain set in!
Photos: Bob Combes & John Price |
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In September, our Monday evening dancing is usually in the dark -
so we choose the pubs partly for their lighting! "Froth 'n'
Elbow" sounds like a modern brewery chain, but is actually derived from two
characters in Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure". Nice idea! Nice welcoming
pub, too, with an enthusiastic audience who enjoyed our dancing and the informal
music inside afterwards, as a precursor to the Dunstable Folk Festival.
Photo: Bob Combes |
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Another enjoyable appearance at The Lytton Arms. Here, Edward Bennett - our
youngest dancer - shows off the skills he honed during the USA tour.
Photo: Christine Bennett |
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In 2001, we all sadly lost Tony Barratt - a former member of SAMM and a
long-time friend and audience member. A marvellous celebration of his life was
held for those who knew and loved him, with music, dancing and comedic
contributions from as many as could be fitted into a Sunday evening!
A fitting tribute to a fine man with so many talents.
Photo: John Price |
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The final event - well, the last before the seasonal Christmas
activities, at least - was as a cabaret at a dinner of The British Association
of Removers at The Waterend Barn, St Albans. This proved to be an enjoyable and
highly successful event for us
as well as them! Here, some of their members, as well as guests from other European removal associations, are seen performing a rapidly learned "Bromsberrow Heath Stick Dance". Like all their work, I'm sure, it was executed with enthusiasm and without damage or injury!! Photo: Graham Lyndon-Jones |