Highside Longsword Logbook 1996
FORTY FOURTH PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 14th January 1996
PERFORMERS :-
Musician - Ray Waite
Captain - David Neild
1 Ted Dodsworth
2 Roy Waite
3 Keith Worden, Robert Thew
4 Geoff Hyde
5 Jim Coulson
6 Paul Freeman
For the first time at a plough blessing we didn't need a practice in the pub car park. The service was good with the vicar of Masham, Brian Able giving a sermon which included confessing that he knew nothing about ploughs. There were some pews missing from the front of the church so we had more room to dance. Talking to the congregation after the service, one man thought that Geoff was the driver of the knacker wagon for the Hunt! Mrs Pawson from Galphay was interested in us and we have sent her some photographs.
We went to the Queen's Head for a drink afterwards with a session, then back to Ray's house to eat. While we were there Ruth spied a Claris Cliffe vase on the floor which Bet said she had bought for half a crown. Dave insisted on looking at it and dropped it. Fortunately it didn't break.
The Reverend Able persuaded us to dance at the plough blessing at Masham in the evening. Keith couldn't make it so we persuaded Rob to come to take his place. After a quick practice in the Market Square we danced on a stage in front of the altar as part of the service. In fact, in place of the sermon, the vicar still couldn't think of anything to do with ploughs. He treated us all to a drink in the King's Head afterwards where we tried to start a session but the locals decided the juke box was better.
FORTY FIFTH PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 26th September 1996
PERFORMERS :-
Musician - Ray Waite
Captain - David Neild
1 Ted
Dodsworth
2 Roy Waite
3 Robert Thew, Keith Worden
4 Geoff Hyde
5 Jim Coulson
6 Paul Freeman
Another Sheep Fair at Masham. We meet at the Crown at Grewelthorpe as usual and practice in the car park to a not very appreciative audience. Then on to Masham, we parked up by Ray's garage and walk to the Market Square. After the sheep judging we danced near the entrance to the Church to a large crowd. It then starts to rain so we head for the Black Sheep Brewery Visitor's Centre. Paul Theakston is only too happy for us to dance. We also got a free drink, so we danced again. By 4 o'clock it is starting to fair up so we head back the Market Square and dance in front of the Town Hall. Sue Cunliffe-Lister pays us our fee of £15 then Dave Neild has the insensitivity to try and collect from her, he still managed to collect £22.76.
It was a good days dancing for a rainy day with all seven of us out at the same time!
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FORTY SIXTH PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 26th December 1996
PERFORMERS :-
Musician - Ray Waite
Captain - David Neild
1 Ted
Dodsworth
2 Roy Waite
3 Robert Thew
4 Geoff Hyde
5 Jim Coulson
6 Paul Freeman
Boxing Day comes round again. We meet to dance at the Grantley Arms at 1.00pm on a bitterly cold day. Quite a crowd, but mostly of people we know, including Jeff and Liz Lawson from Carlisle Sword, Morris and Clog. We needed to practice the lock at the back of the pub for Rob's benefit. We were closely watched by Norman Bush from Summerbridge. Ray was told to move his car from next door's entrance which nearly ended in a fight! The dance was OK. We went on to Kirkby Malzeard, and after a quick drink in The Queen's Head (who's lease is for sale) we danced by the Buttercross. The practice nurse from Geoff's doctor's practice lives in the old Police house and provided us with hot punch and mince pies. Delicious.
At this point Rob had to pick up his family from the Pilgrimage from Ripon Cathedral to Fountain's Abbey, so we wandered up the village and waited for him at the top triangle. When we eventually danced we managed to collect £11.82. As we passed back down the village the Landlady from the Henry Jenkins invited us in to dance and gave us a drink on the house. There was an Irish visitor in the pub and he insisted on singing (badly) after we had finished dancing. This managed to empty the pub quite quickly. A few of us returned back to our house to eat and drink.