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50 Years of Island Morris Dancing

Monday, 21 June 2021 13:14

The Men of Wight Morris are celebrating their 50th anniversary and over 3,000 performances.

The group's first performance in public was on Thursday 15th April 1971, in Ryde Town Hall for the WRVS Derby & Joan Club.

The earliest mention of Morris Dancing on the Island is from the time of Queen Elizabeth I, specifically in 1567, when the Morris Dancers were part of the Mayday celebrations in Newport. The Morris dances performed today come from a much later period, from the records of Victorian collectors published in the early 1900s.

The Island's Morris revival started around 1968 when The English Dance and Song Society Peter Dashwood taught some Morris dances at the country dance sessions at The Sloop Inn, Wootton. Members of The Sloop Folk Song Club and Circle Wight country dance group then made attempts at learning the traditional dances.

Finally, in September of 1970, The Men of Wight team (the Morris term is a 'side') was formed at a meeting in the back room of the Eagle Tavern in Ryde. That team was male only but as the years went on, the group welcomed female members.

Over the ensuing 50 years, The Men of Wight became an integral part of the Island scene.

"In that time we have achieved some amazing things," said Men of Wight Musician Mike Butler. "We set a high altitude record for Morris dancing, organised and ran five major meetings for the national organisation The Morris Ring.

"We also worked on TV programmes with Keith Chegwin, Michael Palin and Warwick Davis, performed at the inauguration of Lord Louis Mountbatten, attended many UK Morris meetings and performed at the opening of the Island Games at Carisbrooke Castle. We also have (up to now) maintained the custom of greeting the dawn on Mayday every year by dancing at the Longstones at Mottistone."

Men of Wight welcomes new members every year. Contact bagman@menofwight.org.uk.

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