1971
Dolphin admitted as members of the Morris Ring

NTMC was four years old in January 1971 with Dolphin Morris Men close behind at three. Newsletter number 59 dated 29th January 1971 informs the readers that: ‘In four years we have produced our own (highly competent) Morris side…’ and later in the issue we see the famous 1970 Dolphin Morris diary for sale at 1/- and only a week later than advertised.

1971 was also the year that The Dolphin public house was pulled down to make way for a new public house of the same name. 

The Nottingham Evening Post carried a picture halfway through the demolition process. The Shipstone’s sign can still be seen and the archway to the left of the building is still sporting the ‘Dolphin Motors’ to show it as the entrance to the one time car sales business. The ‘Dolphin’ pub sign has already gone and by this time was in the possession of the Dolphin men.

And here we see a photograph of the sign as it is today.

The pub sign measures over eleven feet long by almost two feet deep and over three inches thick. It is solidly built and extremely heavy. It bears the name ‘DOLPHIN’ and also has the makers name ‘Woodward Leylac’ and the date ‘Oct 65’ painted on it.

There are various rumours attached to the recovery of the pub sign all involving late night operations under the cover of darkness with acts of ‘daring do’ and then a dash through the city to conceal the stolen item. One involves Dave Hughes (an Owd Oss Mummer) taking it on his motor bike and sidecar after forcing it from the wall with jemmies. The truth is far more mundane: Dave Hughes worked for the social Security Office which had a branch around the corner from the pub. Dave was aware of the major refurbishment taking place and simply went and asked if he could have the sign. Dave had a van and he took the sign round to the Old Schoolhouse.

Dave worked the door at the NTMC and was closely associated with all the Folk Club activities and members and did learn a few dances but never actually danced the Morris preferring to be an ‘Owd Oss’.

Bob Hine remembers the Dolphin sign propped up on a mantelpiece in the schoolroom where the Morris side practiced. The sign remains in the possession of the Dolphin team.

On Saturday 30th January 1971 Dolphin attended the Foresters Morris feast at Daybrook House. Ted Hutchby took a leaf from Cecil Sharp’s book and travelled to the feast by bicycle. John Whitelaw arrived last. Roy Dyson’s write-up, for this event, records that Dolphin had at least one man in every dance and that Ted got his fingers belted in the very first.  Roy later records that: ‘…dances and beer flowed pleasantly by, as did Ian Stewart, suffering from a John Baxter Swaggering Boney – only along the floor!! 

Towards the end of the evening it was decided that Bobbing Around would be danced again. Dolphin had an unwritten policy that they would not repeat a dance and so they danced Flowers of Edinburgh simultaneously. The evening finished at 2.30am. Roy produced a damage list and shows that: two large Foresters logs were damaged by John Baxter; two short sticks met their ends, one by Ted, the other by John Baxter; one long stick was damaged but is not attributed…

The following day, 31st January 1971, Dolphin danced at the Nottingham College of Education Folk Club at a ‘song and dance’ do for students.  The initial enthusiasm of the students waned, by 11pm only a handful remained. Very few students joined in the singing, Ted received an ankle injury, Lawrence spent the night ‘more intent on the Italian job’, and the fee for the night was only paid promptly by ‘adroitly’ capturing an official. [The Italian Job was of course a film of that name that came out in 1969, but this probably refers to a student of that nationality]

Thursday 18th February 1971 and the NTMC provided a Morris team to sing, Morris dance and call ceilidh dances for the Wellingborough Grammar School.   On the way an incident with a petrol pump attendant necessitated: ‘The exchange of a number of antipleasantries’ in order that they get petrol.   Then; a visit to a splendid pub on the way to the booking, difficulty finding the correct entrance gate and little time to get ready to go on - did not make for the event of the year.   During the half time break, Dolphin again made the customary pub dash, and were persuaded on the promise of free beer to do a dance spot - and again, started late.   Finally at the end of the booking a visit to the ‘Old Grammarians Association’ to spend the ‘impromptu’ dance spot collection, on more…beer.

Saturday 6th March 1971 and Leicester arranged their annual Morris Feast at The Highfield Hotel, Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The invitation letter contains an apology for having to charge 7/6d as the Leicester bag is rather low on funds. A note on the reverse of the letter suggests that eleven Dolphin’s booked in – that’s a total cost of £4. 2s. 6d. It is hoped that it was a good do for that price!

7th March 1971 and Dolphin are accepted to membership of The Morris Ring.

The NTMC was as excited as anyone that their Morris Men had gained ring membership in only three years. The newsletter dated 26th February 1971 headlines with, ‘Dolphin Men get in the Ring’. There followed an explanation of what Ring membership means and what happens when a team is admitted at a Ring meeting. It ends with forward notice that The Dolphin Morris Men will be filling the guest spot in their own club sometime in March.

On 28th March 1971 Ian Stewart was guest at the Druids’ folk Club in Derby. The NTMC newsletter records that ‘It was almost an NTMC night.  The ‘Owd ‘Oss Mummers performed, and John Whitelaw danced the Morris jig, ‘Old Mother Oxford’.

Dolphin was invited to attend the Manchester Ring Meeting in 1971 and it was there that they would receive the ‘staff of   membership. Ten men from Dolphin attended and paid £5. 5s per man and this included, what Roy Dyson described in his letter of thanks as, ‘luxurious accommodation’. The meeting was a vast affair. Fifteen tour buses lined up on the Saturday morning to take the men to their allotted dance spots.   The procession of men ‘Winstering’ to the great show in St. Peters Square was so long that the men in the middle could not see to the front or the back. Police on horses led the procession four abreast. Dolphin danced ‘Rigs O’ Marlow’ in the show. Almost four hundred men sat down to the feast in the University refectory. Collections made during the tours amounted to over £750.   It was a magnificent occasion for Dolphin to receive their staff.

Colin Shaw received the staff on behalf of Dolphin and sang Hal-an-Tow accompanied by Ian Stewart on the accordion, Bob Hine recalls, ‘This was the Dolphin anthem at the time, sung frequently in the backroom of the station’. Other songs included ‘Jones’s Ale’ and ‘Good ale thou art my darling’.

On Sunday morning the great procession once more made its way to the cathedral for a service given by Reverend Kenneth Loveless.

The NTMC newsletter of 23rd April 1971 again made mention of Dolphin’s Ring membership.  The article adds, ‘The weekend was not without incident. During a dance from Bampton, Dolphin was attacked by skinheads. This was dealt with in the traditional manner:  John Baxter smashed his fist into one of the skinhead’s eyes without as much as missing a step or spoiling the flow of his handkerchiefs’.

 In 2005 John’s legendary exploit was recalled in a verse of a song [To the tune My Old Man’s a Dustman] and written by Andy Padmore:

‘Some skinheads came up to us, one was big and fat, he thought it would be quite a jape, to pinch a Morris hat, he didn't know John Baxter, and his violent tendency, he caught John's elbow fair and square and a night in casualty...’

John Baxter (JB)

A more contemporary song written in 1972 by Wocko records the incident like this:

‘When out at Manchester, a young skinhead jester,

decided to pester and join in the side,

The Squire John Baxter, that excellent crackster,

Gave him what he asked for, a bleeding black eye,

With Morris men cheering, the skinheads stopped jeering,

And stopped interfering, no never no more,

For what’s in the offing, is doffing and quaffing,

When Nottingham Dolphin men go out on tour’.

Tune: Constant Billy

The paper tablecloth at the Feast had the printed logo of the Ring Meeting emblazoned upon it.   John Whitelaw took it upon himself to tear a souvenir piece of the covering and it is now part of the sides archive.

Colin Shaw recalls (in 2004), ‘It is very gratifying that Dolphin continues 36 years on. When we were admitted to the Ring in ’71 they were concerned that it would all die a horrible death within a couple of years’.

The same newsletter of 23rd April 1971 also carried an article which read,

15th-16th May 1971 was the Dudley folk-meet and Dolphin was on the bill. Unfortunately no one had officially asked Dolphin if they would, or could, attend. A letter dated 5th May from Roy Dyson to the organisers left them in no doubt what he was thinking. ‘I feel I must take the initiative and ask what the H**L is happening!!!’

Roy itemised eight points that needed urgent answers before he would even consider sending the men along.  A four page apology and explanation complete with answers to the eight points came by return of post.  It was all a misunderstanding of what others were doing or had done apparently.

With all details sorted out satisfactorily Dolphin sent along nine men and according to the NTMC newsletter  of 21st May 1971, ‘Great fun was had by all…’ and ‘Dolphin were likely to be going back next year’.

Things didn’t start well. Roy’s van blew a gasket the night before they were due to leave. Colin Shaw had to hitch to Dudley, in pouring rain, to explain the delay. Roy in the meantime was under the van, in pouring rain, effecting emergency repairs. Dolphin did arrive in the afternoon and their dancing was ‘much admired’.  The weekend was a ‘boozing, and do-it-yourself sing-around’ affair, with two ceilidh’s: One organized, the other, ‘informal’.

29th May was the first ‘annual tour and feast’ day organised by Dolphin. The tour took in Beeston, Long Eaton and Sawley.  A small cat was thrown among the pigeons when the caterers decided with only a few hours to spare that they were not in fact going to cater.  Undaunted the Dolphin men rolled up their sleeves and allowed three of their wives to step into the breach at ‘no minutes notice’.

Thanks go to Celia Dyson, Kath Shaw and Sue Grimes for a feast that was ‘much enjoyed by all’.

On the Sunday, the Dolphin Men were invited to ‘skittle for a pig’ at The Station Inn in Kegworth.  This was the after practice drinking spot at that time. Despite ‘great efforts’ nobody won the pig. Taking home dirty kit and a hang-over was one thing, but a pig…

The 38th Thaxted Ring Meeting was held 4th-6th June 1971.   It is the first mention of new money in the Dolphin archive. On the Saturday, a break down of costs shows: Breakfast 37.5p [7/6d]; Lunch 30p [6/-]; Tea 15p [3/-]; Feast 75p [15/-].   How times change!

The procession enters the centre of Thaxted from the church end of the town.

 Massed dancing in the town centre.
John Whitelaw and Roger Grimes can be seen first and fourth from right.

Dolphin were strong in numbers at this time and in NTMC newsletter number 83 dated Friday 18th June 1971 there is a piece headed:

‘AND TALKING ABOUT THE DOLPHIN MEN’

‘Yesterday evening the Dolphin men achieved yet another first – they turned out two full sides of dancers on the evening tour. Very few Morris sides in the country can reckon ever to do this – let alone produce the high standard of dancing which kept audiences fascinated all through the evening, and the singing which deafened the patrons of the Plough, Wysall after the dancing had finished…’

	It is fortunate that a camera was available to capture the moment.   The tour included: The Red Lion, Costock Rancliffe Arms, Bunny The Plough, Wysall
	Present on this tour were:   Roy Dyson; Laurence Platt; John Whitelaw; Wocko, Ian Stewart; Colin Shaw; John Baxter, Bob Hine, Dai Lees, Mick Couldry, Vic Akinin, plus others?

Shortly after this, momentous Dolphin occasion, NTMC newsletter number 84 dated 25th June 1971 announces that Colin Shaw is now a ‘resident’ with his own place on the windowsill at The Newshouse.

Saturday 26th June 1971; and Dolphin have a day of dancing in and around Sutton Bonington and perform at a fete at Normanton-on-Soar in the afternoon. Later the same day they performed at an NTMC Midsummer ceilidh.  NTMC newsletter number 84 dated 25th June 1971 informed would-be ceilidh goers that there would be a skittling contest the prize being a pig (small) if Dave can find one. In the event an L.P. by Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger went home with the winner!

Thursday 1st July 1971; and the annual Newark Tradesman’s Association market was on but with an Oriental flavour to support the ‘MIKADO’ being performed in the Newark Castle grounds. So who better to ask than Dolphin to perform? Roy wrote accepting the booking and all he asked was that the Police turn a blind eye to the collecting ‘as before’.

2nd July 1971; and Dolphin are at their third Ring Meeting of the year, this one hosted by Cambridge Morris Men. Accommodation was at Trinity College with no bedding needing to be taken by the men. Saturday tours were by own cars with ‘petrol money at standard rate’. It is interesting to note that fools could order, ‘bladders of old fashioned size’, and that a number of fully inflated bladders would be available ‘for emergencies!’

Nine Dolphins went along to Cambridge: Colin Shaw, Roy Dyson, Ian Stewart, Bob Hine, Laurence Platt, Terry Paling, John Baxter, John Whitelaw and Lloyd Watkins’

Roy Dyson supplied answers to a short questionnaire. The answers, but not the questions, remain in carbon copy in the archive: ’52.80’  ‘3’  ‘7pm-12.30pm’  ‘yes’  ‘no’  ‘no’  ‘no’ and ’17 yr old virgins to tuck them up in bed as well’…

Colin Shaw recalls that Wocko: ‘did appear in unusual fools garb at the Cambridge Ring Meeting of 1971’ and goes on, ‘He wore striped blazer and boater (green & blue striped if I remember correctly) carried a natty cane (with which he did unspeakable things) and verbally abused everyone in a "Lord Charles" (you remember that ventriloquist's dummy?) voice. He then continued with this garb and performance for a number of local tours’.

Terry Paling referred to Wocko’s fools kit as, ‘his Ivy League kit’.

John Whitelaw recalls, ‘At the end of the feast we were told that Morris Men must sit at the side of the church. An anonymous questioner asked why Morris Men must sit at the side of the church. On Sunday, Rev Ken gave an address on the theme “why must the Morris Men sit at the side of the church?’

10th-25th July was the annual Nottingham Festival fortnight, starting with a carnival procession on 10th where NTMC had a float, number 27 in section 4. Dolphin Morris Men and ‘Owd ‘Oss Mummers were there to ‘help it go with a swing’.

The 1971 Festival programme cover with logo:

The Festival placed Dolphin and Foresters Morris Men along side the Bacup Coco-nut Dancers, the Green Men from Birmingham and Handsworth Longsword from Sheffield.

(Left) Wocko in ‘Queens Delight.   (Right) Wocko and John Baxter sidestepping.   Both photographs appeared in the Festival magazine ‘Platform’.

NTMC newsletter number 88 dated 23rd July 1971 records that the ‘Owd ‘Oss Mummers were arrested by Police while in the middle of a performance in front of the Council house and all went to the Guildhall for an explanation and an apology! [Several Dolphin men were also members of Owd Oss]

Peter Millington who has the scrapbooks of the Owd Oss Mummers has provided the following extract which gives an explanation: 

“JULY 19th MONDAY [1971]

This evening turned out to be more than we expected. We did a tour of four pubs, the News House, the Salutation (up stairs), the Mint and the Strathdon.

After the success in the Square on Wednesday the 14th we thought we would go back. So we walked through the town in our costumes as we always do. When we arrived at the Council House we stood in the same place as on Wednesday. We started singing the song to the play and then the people started coming round.

On Wednesday there were about four or five police men in the crowd watching us and they were enjoying themselves. This evening it was different there was one a sergeant in the crowd and by the look on his face he did not. So Roger went over to see him, the police sergeant told him to tell us to stop at once. So I went over to him and showed him our Festival Free Traders badge. After showing him that he was still not happy. At this time the play was still going on. Then a Black Maria pulled up with flashing lights, so then we had to stop, so Mick said STOP the play. Well, at this we thought we would go to the Guildhall to find out who was in the right. They had no idea why we had been stopped and we still to this day do not know why we were stopped. (See N.T.M.C news sheet)”

Peter goes on to say, ‘I wasn’t in the Mummers at this time, having gone away to college, but when I rejoined them after I graduated, I remember being told this story on several occasions. Only I’m sure they said that they had to pile into the aforementioned Black Maria. It doesn’t say who wrote the above report, but I suspect it may have been Dave Hughes.’

Mick Couldry recalls, ‘I well remember this occasion. As Dame, I had no great desire to spend the night in chokey wearing a pink frock, two balloons with thru'penny bits in the ends, Mum’s old flannel drawers and pit boots! It might just have given the wrong impression. We were soon let loose to terrorise the streets again – it might have had something to do with us being in the right! Also, a good friend of mine, who was trying to help, and got bundled in the van with us, happened to be a special force political protection officer!!’

Also on Friday 27th August 1971 Colin Shaw said goodbye to NTMC with the solo jig, ‘Princess Royal’, before leaving for a new job in Manchester. Dolphin would need to find a new Squire. Colin joined the Manchester Morris Men swapping his Cotswold Morris skills for clog dancing.

A Bromyard Folk Festival information sheet shows that eight Dolphins were booked in and danced with tour five at the festival during the weekend of September 17th – 19th 1971.

Massed dances would be from: Winster Processional, Jockie to the Fair (Brackley), Balance the Straw (Fieldtown), Black Joke (Adderbury), William & Nancy (Bledington), Highland Mary (Bampton) Willow Tree (Bucknell), Lads a Bunchum (Adderbury), Bonny Green (Bampton). Dolphin was allocated a walking tour of Worcester.

'John Sweeney' by Mick Scott

Thursday 23rd September 1971 saw the practice season beginning and the first practice for a new recruit to Dolphin, John Sweeney.  A letter of introduction from Roy Dyson informed John, ‘Would you collect at the Lions in slab Square for 7pm and then transporting can be arranged to Kingston on Soar’.   John recalls, ‘I joined in September 1971 - at the AGM - my first night and no dancing - and no-one would tell me what a baldrick was!

At the annual general meeting of the side John Baxter officially took over from Colin Shaw as Squire and Ian Stewart became foreman. The agenda points out that all nominations for officers must be, ‘duly seconded and approval given at the appropriate time by raising of right arm or a firm decisive “aye”.

Roy Dyson’s bagman’s report shows that Dolphin had a total of £76.95p at it disposal. Income from subscriptions amounted to £22.90 (and half pence)!

Colin sent a Squires report in the form of a letter to be read out. He pointed out the high point of the year was gaining membership of the Morris Ring but warned that there are good and bad ring sides and that he hoped Dolphin, ‘attempt to attain and maintain a very high standard of dancing’

Colin believed that Dolphin had danced out too much over the summer and things had become stale because of that. He also pointed out Dolphin’s poor record of advertising their dance outs, took much of the blame on himself and hoped that this situation could improve with, ‘It is no good getting a full side out if no there’s no one to dance for’.

Colin was disappointed that he would not be there to play a part in the continuing development but hoped to get across occasionally. He was looking forward to a joint Derbyshire tour in the summer of 1972. He sent his best wishes to the officers and side in general.

Colin recalls in a letter dated 8th August 2004, while reflecting on his time as a Dolphin Morris Man: ‘The three and a half years from 1968 were a fantastic time for us. We were all broke but out for a good time, whilst always being desperate to maintain the tradition as authentically as we could. Roy Dyson’s SWB Series 1 Landrover regularly carried the whole side, usually with the odd leg hanging over the tailgate. We were a very close side, despite the occasional huge row…and gave each other total support and loyalty and not only in the Morris context’.

Dai Lees and Chris Nixon joined the side late in 1971. Dai recalls, ‘Chris Nixon joined at a similar time to me and once smashed my finger open during – I think – Constant Billy, Adderbury. Big stick, anyway, and blood everywhere. It’s butts-tips, butts-tips, butts-tips, TIPS, Chris’.

Chris Nixon in reply says, ‘Tell young Dai it was Lads a Bunchum – an ill starred dance’.

NTMC newsletter number 97 dated 24th September 1971 announces the new Squire of Dolphin Morris Men as, John Baxter, ‘He’ll certainly need all the good wishes he can get if he’s to deal with that drunken lot!’ On the same night the new plastic membership card was issued with life membership costing 35p!

Andy Padmore recalls, 'I must have been at the NTMC that night and became life member number 8. I did actually attend a Dolphin practice at Kingston in about 1970 but didn’t do any dancing as the men were practicing for a weekend booking. I got an apology from one of them but for some reason didn’t go back until over thirty years later. In the meantime I did join Carlton Morris Men (and other sides) and tried various dance styles but always preferred Cotswold’.

Dai Lees recalls, ‘Ian Ambrose joined when I was a gnarled veteran of two or three months. I remember him with great affection too, as a sort of Arlo Guthrie look-alike getting a bollocking from John Baxter because his ribbons were mauve rather than red’.

Tuesday 19th October 1971, and Dolphin entertained the Mansfield Ladies circle at Abbey Gates village Hall, Ravenshead. Two twenty minute spots, including some ‘Old England’ songs, were provided. Roy Dyson pointed out in his letter, ‘The record player will not be needed since we provide our own music’.

A handwritten list in the archive suggests that the dances performed were: Trunkles, Rose Tree, Rigs of Marlow, Queen’s Delight, Bobbing Joe, Shepherds Hey, Willow Tree and Bonny Green Garters. No record of songs sung remains.

Saturday 30th October 1971 saw the return of Colin and Cathy Shaw to perform at the NTMC Grand Halloween ceilidh.

NTMC newsletter number 110 dated 31st December 1971 says, ‘Our Christmas ceilidh last week [Saturday 18th December] went with all the swing we’ve come to take for granted from NTMC ceilidhs’.

The fancy dress competition at the ceilidh saw ‘Sue Grimes dressed as a tree, and Jenks [who always sat doing his crossword on club nights] impersonating himself at the age of three months.’

The same newsletter points out that ‘The mysterious character in the kilt, with what looked like part of a dead cow slung round his shoulders, was none other than Tommy Cooper, drummer of the Wooleybacks band and a long-time NTMC member’  [Probably the same ‘Tom Cooper’ that was present at the drawing up of the original constitution?]

The newsletter goes on to say, ‘Those who saw Bob Hine carried out of the ceilidh with blood streaming copiously from a head wound after the Morris Dance spot will be glad to know that it was only a small hole in his head, which a couple of stitches put right in a flash’. Bob recalls, ‘At the General Hospital a young nurse took me to a cubicle and asked me to drop my trousers. I couldn’t believe my luck – then got a sharp anti-tetanus jab in the backside’.

Information to hand suggests that new members for 1971 included, Lloyd Winston Watkins (‘Wocko’, ‘Eauqueau’), John Sweeney, Dai Lees and Chris Nixon.