Highside Longsword Logbook 2017
HUNDRED and NINETEENTH PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 8th January 2017
PERFORMERS :-
Musician - Ray Waite
Captain - Peter Meese
1 Ted Dodsworth
2 Roy Waite
3 Keith Worden
4 Rob Thew
5 Jim Coulson
6 Iain Thew
The 70th anniversary of the Kirkby Malzeard Plough Blessing Service and our 30th anniversary appearance. We met as usual just after 10 for a quick practice of the lock, all went well.
While we were waiting at the back of the church for the service to start we noticed that we were advertised as dancing after the service instead of during it. Had to negotiate with the vicar (Caroline Falkingham), church warden (Chris Broadley?) and organiser (Margaret Atkinson) to get us moved back into the service. They were convinced that we always danced at the end, in reality that only happened the first time.
The dance took place after the collection and before the Blessing. It went very well, Ray lost a couple of notes but not sure anyone but us would notice!
Afterwards we 'beheaded' Bishop Nicholas of Leeds. We had lots of compliments. One man told us of a book called Villages that had a picture of the team from the 20's and another said he had a film of the same.
We then went to the Water Rat in Ripon for annual meal. We had a small music session afterwards.
HUNDRED and TWENTIETH PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 15th January 2017
PERFORMERS :-
Musician - Ray Waite
Captain - Peter Meese
1 Ted Dodsworth
2 Roy Waite
3 Keith Worden
4 Rob Thew
5 Iain Thew
6
Ripon Cathedral Plough Blessing – we arrived at 2.30 for a little practice as Peter was having to dance in number 6 and Iain was moved to 5. In the end we only needed to practice the lock as we had decided to leave out the Double Sword Down.
We were asked to go out side the Cathedral for a photo before hand, there seemed to be dozens of flashing cameras and we appeared in the following day's Yorkshire Post. Here we 'beheaded' Bishop James.
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There was catering in the body of the Cathedral and we danced between them and the seating, behind the altar. It was good to see old boy Geoff Hyde in the quite large audience.
The dance went well, there was a slight misunderstanding between double under and double over!
HUNDRED and TWENTYFIRST PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 15th January 2017
PERFORMERS :-
Musician - Ray Waite
Captain - Peter Meese
1 Ted Dodsworth
2 Roy Waite
3 Keith Worden
4 Rob Thew
5 Iain Thew
6
St Mary's Church, Masham's Plough Blessing – having danced earlier in the day at Ripon we were quietly confident of tonight's performance. The service was as normal with great hymns. We danced well, again leaving out the Double Sword Down. We were asked to 'behead' one of the choir girls, which went down well.
Afterwards, we had mulled wine and three kinds of sausages! Then on to the White Bear for a couple of pints.
HUNDRED and TWENTY SECOND PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 26th December 2017
PERFORMERS :-
Musician – Ted Dodsworth
Captain - Peter Meese
1 Jim Coulson
2 Roy Waite
3 Colin Fine
4 Rob Thew
5 Iain Thew
6
We met at Colin's house next door to the Queen's Head for a run through. We had a practice earlier in the month at the St. Wilfrid's Community Centre in Ripon. After a quick run through we went to the pub for a drink prior to dancing by the cross. The weather was dry and mild, best we've had for a Boxing Day. Quite a crowd gathered. I had to play as Ray's daughter had just given birth and was unavailable. Peter sang and danced in number 6. We had decided to leave out the Double Sword Down. The tarmac surface near the cross was very crumbly and slightly hazardous but the dancers coped well. We beheaded the new landlady, Sue, then went back into the pub to be treated to a drink from the landlord.
Then down to the Ringbeck triangle to dance again. A small crowd did eventually assemble and were very appreciative. A man with a Star Wars Christmas jumper on was beheaded. I chose him because the character on his jumper looked like he was waving a longsword rather than a light sabre.
Then on to the Green, neither Celia or Danita were in so we danced to one man and a boy on a bike. The short version with fewer Single Unders. I was later given some grief by Joan Clark for not knocking on her door!
Then on to the Crown at Grewelthorpe. The landlady had prepared the pub for us, clearing quite a large space to dance in. The pub was packed, partly with my family! A great reception for the dance. We beheaded Mary's Mum. Then had a very nice session during which Colin sang a song that he wrote.