History

Thaxted Morris Men

Thaxted Morris Men hold several unique positions in Morris history. They are the oldest revival Morris side in the country their formation in 1911 encompassing characteristics of the very beginnings of the first Morris revival. These include the Christian Social ideals and church reforms of Conrad Noel who became vicar of Thaxted in 1910 and the work of the social reformer Mary Neal. Her Esperance Club from 1905 provided through her girls the vehicle for championing, demonstrating and teaching the Morris dances and folksongs being collected by Cecil Sharp in his quest to return to the people the folk dances and songs of the people.

It was Blanche Payling who was sent to Thaxted to help Conrad Noel’s wife Miriam teach the dances. By the launch in the summer of 1911 there were some 55 dancers, young women and men, girls and boys, the core of which were from the main employer in the town, George Lee’s sweet factory.

Predominantly female this Thaxted Morris Troupe gradually became an all male affair by the 1920s reflecting the gender composition of the early revival sides seen with Sharp then formed by girls’ schools such as at Taunton, Somerset, physical training colleges such as that founded by Rhoda Anstey at Erdington and the Bournville works team, both near Birmingham where Mary Neal was born and lived prior to her social work in Soho and Marylebone from 1888. The Headington dances had been taught to the Esperance girls by William Kimber. His services as a teacher continued through and beyond the 1934 formation of the Morris Ring at Thaxted into the 1950s.

The long continuity of Thaxted’s dances in the hands of just a very few teachers and leaders of the side has meant that Thaxted performs in a distinctive style evolved from early versions of the dances. This is particularly noticeable in the haunting Thaxted version of the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance based on the Wheelwright Robinson tune performed as the climax to the Saturday evening displays at the annual Thaxted Ring Meeting and the Patronal Festival a few weeks later.

Thaxted’s annual Morris gatherings predate the Morris Ring and stem from 1927 following the invitation of Conrad Noel who encouraged dancing on a Sunday, provided the men attended church, while dancing on Bank holidays stem from 1926. On the 2 June 1934 the constitution meeting of the Morris Ring was held in Thaxted and Thaxted’s Alec Hunter became the first Squire of the Morris Ring. In recent years two other Thaxted men have held this top office in the organisation representing men’s Morris clubs in this country and abroad.

Thaxted with its large annual Morris weekend and its strong connection with Thaxted church is regarded as the spiritual home of the Morris. Thaxted vicar, father Jack Putterill, son in law to Conrad Noel, was a Squire of Thaxted Morris Men and an offertory dance is always performed in Thaxted church on the Morris Ring Sunday, a ritual now performed at Ring Meetings across the country and abroad. At the 2009 Thaxted Ring Meeting over 400 dancers took part to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Morris Ring in Thaxted accompanied with a grand feast in the church. Our centenary celebration in 2011 proves to be a similar important milestone in our history.

Paul Reece