More catching up on past activity.

After the frenetic excitement of May Morning, it was back to normal on Thursday 7th May. The pollsters may have got the result of the day’s General Election wrong, but in the sunny early evening we were still blissfully ignorant.

The General Elliot re-opened recently after quite a few years closed. I’m glad to see it open and trading again.

Balance the Straw at the General Elliot, South Hinksey

We got plenty of takers for Shepherd’s Hey, and even had a few brave novices have a crack at Bonny Green. Certainly the first time in my memory we’ve had French people trying out Morris with us.

It was a near perfect evening, only spoiled from our point of view when the pub asked the music to stop at 10 for delicate ears upstairs. Pity – we were just getting into our stride, and were also about to seriously consider it as a post-practice venue.

Well, I suppose the May weather had to revert to normal at some point.

Thursday 14th May (Ascension Day), and we’re at The Cock Inn, Coombe, with Wychways. So Cotswold (us) and Border (them) for the price of one.

Unfortunately, as you can see, the weather was not kind. It didn’t actually rain, but it was damp and not very warm.

Stand by! Constant Billy kicks off in adverse conditions.

Still, we danced until 9 and them fitted snugly into the pub by the wood stove for a music session until closing time.

After a massively fun May Morning, we’ve even popped up in some of the media.

First up was the Daily Mail website. You’ll have to scroll down a long way, but you’ll find this:

The Mail bought that picture off Getty Images. Getty have some others of the morning, including a fine portrait of John our Foreman.

Even the Twitterati took notice. This next one was even retweeted by Val McDermid, the crime writer.

https://twitter.com/19Averil/status/594037235047112704

OK, so it’s not exactly The Times, but we’ve made a front page. The Buckinghamshire Advertiser wrote up the recent All Saints Beer Festival and there are pictures to go with it. You can read their coverage and see the photos on their website. The story and pictures took up the top half of page 4 in the print edition. And featured on the front page!

Well, Pete and Mick manage an inset photo.

There was a larger writeup with some different pictures in the local parish magazine too.

Beer festival coverage with Havoc pics.

One of the people we met on our trip to Gerrards Cross was Douglas Gray. Douglas is a photographer, and is currently working on a photographic book entitled “Other People’s Trades”. He’s chosen two pictures from that day that he’d like to include in the book.

I think they’re both rather good. I’ve scaled them down slightly for the website, but I have the full versions if anyone wants them. Click on the small pictures below for my intermediate larger version.

Pete, Barbara and Mick play. Dancers out of shot!

A study of Mick and his fiddle.

Tuesday September 2nd, and a last evening dance out for the season at The Swan, Faringdon, as guests of Eynsham Morris, along with Oxford Border Morris Armaleggan.

Eynsham Morris at The Swan, Faringdon.

As you can see, the evenings are starting to draw in, my phone camera isn’t good in low light, and I didn’t remember to ask other Havocs to take pictures.

Armaleggan musicians at Eynsham.

A jolly evening nevertheless, with much singing during the session in the pub afterwards. Armaleggan know some, umm, unusual songs.

There were just enough Havocs floating around Towersey Folk Festival on Saturday August 23rd to make up a scratch side for a few dances outside the Three Horseshoes in response to an invitation from Owlswick Morris. Owswick and Havoc are both have their origins in Towersey Morris.

We did three dances, notably chiefly for Jim going horribly the wrong way when pressed into doing Sidesteps. Luckily further sides arrived and we retired thankfully.

It was all hands to the pump, and we didn’t get any pictures. So here instead is one of the other sides present, the recently formed Makeney Morris from around Belper, Derbyshire. They were rather good, especially considering most of them have been dancing for under a year.

Makeney Morris from Belper, Derbyshire, at the Three Horseshoes during Towersey Festival.

And did you catch Nigel and Oliver on BBC Radio Oxford from the Festival on the morning of Sunday 24th?