ATMD Diary of 2019
Tuesday 1st January 2019: danced at the Punch Bowl and Broad Face to a good crowd. Music in the Broad Face afterwards.
Thursday 21st March: The Mayors Challenge at the Brewery Tap, where we retained the trophy by beating the Town Council 21-14 in the usual tournament of pub games and a quiz.
29th-31st March: visit to St Niklaas, Belgium as guest of the Boerke Naas folk group for their Half Lent celebrations, along with Jockey Morris. On Saturday there was dancing at a care home, then in the town park and a small square by the parish church. Dancing on Sunday was a couple of churches, the local Culture Centre and a final session at the Boerke Naas club. The evening entertainment included impromptu performances of the Mummers’ Play and the Broom Dance.
Tuesday 23rd April: St George’s Day tour: 7.30 Broad Face, 8.00 Kings Head & Bell, 8.45 Punch Bowl, followed by music in the back room of the Punch Bowl. We had a welcome visit by Ian and Nadine White who were in the area for a music workshop.
Sunday 5th May: danced at Abingdon Air & Country Show, three performances around the show area.
Friday 10th May: the Mayor of Ock Street and the Fool visited Trinity Learning (a small charity helping Abingdon schoolchildren with special educational needs). What had been planned as a 15 minute talk about Abingdon morris dancing turned into an enjoyable 1 hour session.
Sunday 12th May: danced at a surprise beer festival at the Abbey buildings, with a warm up at the Kings Head & Bell beforehand.
Monday 13th May: danced at the Guildhall before the Town Meeting to inaugurate the new (town) mayor of Abingdon.
Monday 20th May: Danced along with Masons Apron, Oxford and the Vale Islanders at Victoria Arms, Old Marston. A pleasant evening.
Monday 27th May: Harwell Feast procession and three dancing spots.
Sunday 9th June: Fleur de Lys, East Hagbourne. Danced between acts by Merry Hell, Iota and Fairport Convention. Our reward was 20 entrance tickets. A very enjoyable afternoon and evening, especially for those on the cider….
Saturday 15th June: Mayor’s Day. Guest team Mason’s Apron left after a short shower of rain before the election, which had the closest result ever: Harry Knight 90 votes, Roger Cox 89 votes.
Saturday 22nd June: danced at West Hendred’s 8th not just a Beer Festival. There was plenty of beer – we were the ‘not just’ part.
Saturday 13th July: danced at Westminster Abbey Choir School Summer Fete and also outside Westminster Abbey itself. A very enjoyable day, with plenty of grinning for photos with tourists.
Saturday 20th July: danced at the Golden Wedding party of Tony & Lesley Legge at St Ethelwold’s House. Tony was our bagman from 2009 to 2012 and has also held many other positions with the side, including Fool and Assistant Hornbearer.
Saturday 17th August: danced at the summer fete of Bridge House Care Home.
Sunday 1st September: Wallingford Bunkfest: 1130-1200 at the Boathouse with Clerical Error; 1230-1300 on the Kinecroft Dance Stage with Cornucopia; 1330-1400 on the Market Place with Armaleggan; 1500-1530 at the Dolphin with Dawnswyr Blaenafon. A great day out as usual.
Saturday 14th September: danced in Oxford for the Oxford Preservation Trust Open Doors Day, in support of their town crier for the day, Tony Legge. Danced at four spots in the centre and finished up at the Blenheim.
Saturday 21st September: danced at Abingdon Heritage Day and joined in the parade to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the homecoming parade in 1919.
Sunday 22nd September: danced at the Coleshill Estate (near Faringdon) for the open day to commemorate the World War II British Resistance (the Auxiliers), which was based there.
Tuesday 5th November: danced outside the Guildhall for the ceremony where three ladies, including Lesley Legge, wife of ex-bagman Tony, were made Freewomen of the Town of Abingdon. We danced alternately with Mr Hemmings Morris Dancers, the first time ever this has been done.
Saturday 30th November: Abingdon Christmas Extravaganza. Danced on Market Place at 11.15 to a large crowd, then on to the parade at 12, dancing in Bath Street at 12.30 and 3.30. Music and drinks in the Punch Bowl between dances and some of us managed to stay to see the lights switched on and fireworks at 6.
Friday 6th December: danced at the Beer Festival at the Abbey Buildings, and warmed ourselves with some tunes in the undercroft afterwards.
Tuesday 17th December: Mummers Out of Town Tour – 7.30 Wheatsheaf (Drayton), 8.00 Plum Pudding (Milton), 8.30 Cherry Tree (Steventon), 9.15 North Star (Steventon), 10.00 Red Lion (Drayton), finishing with some tunes in the Wheatsheaf.
Thursday 19th December: Mummers Town Tour – 7.30 Punch Bowl, 7.50 Broad Face, 8.20 Kings Head & Bell, 8.45 Old Anchor, 9.15 Tipsy Mercer, 9.45 Conservative Club, 10.15 Brewery Tap.
The Mummers collected a total of £607.35 for BeFreeYC (local young carers charity). This included a collection made at Cropredy for an unofficial mummers performance for bemused Fairporters.