Appendix 3 More biographical details of the local Ock Street men of the 1930s
Following James Hemmings death in early 1935, the Abingdon morris made a revival under the initial leadership of his sons Tom, George and Jim, who remembered the old dances, together with other regulars at the Happy Dick pub.
Tom Hemmings
Dancer in 1910 and quite possibly earlier. He is in some of the 1929 photos of James Hemmings being made Mayor in the back yard of the Cross Keys. He was one of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing. He was Lead Dancer 1937-39, during the war and 1949, and was Mayor of Ock Street 1950-1960.
Tom Hemmings was born on 6th May 1887 in Ock St, the son of James and Caroline. He lived with his parents in Ock Street (1891 census), Edward Street (1901 census) and Ock Street (1911 census). In 1901 he was a tailor’s cutter and in 1911 an upholsterer (he was apprenticed at Coxeters). In 1913 he married Florence Minnie Wake and they first lived at 17 Marcham Road. During the First World War he first joined the 7th Essex Regiment in 1915, then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and then the RAF (August 1917 to February 1919). After the war he worked at Milton Royal Ordnance Depot and later ran his own upholstery business from his home at 144 Ock Street. Like others in the 1930s team, he was a pigeon fancier and Saturday was pigeon flying day, so sometimes he would not dance on a Saturday unless someone else clocked his pigeons in and out. He made the bell pads for the 30s team. He died in Abingdon on 14th December 1960, aged 73. In 1961 the Morris Ring sent his widow 5 guineas in his honour.
Tom and his wife had 4 children: Kathleen (1914-?), Phyllis (1917-2005), Walter (1921-2011) and Deena (1925-2001). Phyllis married William A Clark in 1935 and their son Brian Clark (1935-2020) danced with Abingdon 1952-68 and later was President of Mr Hemmings Morris Dancers. His brother Eric Clark (b 1948) took up morris dancing with Mr Hemmings after it was founded. Deena married Joseph Jackson in 1945 and their son Stuart Jackson (b 1947) was a boy dancer with Abingdon 1956-60, later a founder member of Mr Hemmings in 1979 but left to re-join ATMD a few years later, was Mayor of Ock Street 1996-2006 and became President of ATMD in 2022. His father Joe was a Vice President during the 1990s and early 2000s.
Jim Hemmings
An elder brother of Tom, Jim was one of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing, though he did not dance. He is in some of the 1929 photos of James Hemmings being made Mayor in the back yard of the Cross Keys. He appeared some times in the Mayor’s regalia up to 1949 and was the team’s treasurer in the 1930s. He was often the hornbearer in the 1940s and up to 1954.
James Hemmings birth was registered in Abingdon in 1879. He lived with his parents James and Caroline in Ock Street (1881 and 1891 censuses), in Edward Street (1901 census) and Ock Street (1911 census). In 1901 aged 22 he was a bicycle enameller and in 1911 aged 32 he was a cycle repairer. He ran a bicycle shop with his brother Harold at 123 Ock St (the former home of his father James). He sang old music hall songs, but could not remember any more morris tunes than Harry Thomas played. In the 1930s the Horns were kept in his shop. He died 3rd February 1961 and is buried in Abingdon Old Cemetery.
George Hemmings
The eldest brother of Tom, George Hemmings appears in 1930s photos as a non-dancer but was one of those along with his brothers Tom and Jim who remembered the old dances and helped to get the 1930s team going. He was landlord of the Happy Dick and arranged practices in the yard, where he would demonstrate dances using tea towels instead of handkerchiefs.
George Henry Hemmings was born on 30th July 1877 in Abingdon, the first child of James and Caroline. He lived with his parents in Ock Street (1881 and 1891 censuses) and Edward Street (1901 census). In the 1901 and 1911 censuses his occupation was bricklayer. In 1907 he married Frances Fanny Wiggins (1876-1928) and at the outbreak of the war they lived at 146 Ock Street. He served in the Royal Engineers June 1916 to February 1919. He was landlord of the Happy Dick between at least 1924-40 (according to entries in Kellys Directory). He died 27th January 1941 aged 63.
Ray Hemmings
Son of George, Ray Hemmings was one of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing. He was a dancer 1937-39, during the war, and 1949-1960, and elected Mayor of Ock Street in 1961 and 1962. He became ill in 1963 and had to give up the morris.
Raymond George Hemmings was born in Ock Street on 27th December 1907. In 1931 he married Myra A Cooper, who apparently was not that keen on the morris. He took over from his father as landlord of the Happy Dick in 1941, but it closed as a pub in 1950. He carried on living there for a while, then for a time lived at 144 Ock Street and later 92 Caldecott Road. He was the father of John, Maurice and Cecil who all appeared as boy ‘mascots’ with the team. He died on 2nd May 1975 at Marcham Road Hospital, and was cremated on 6th May 1975 at Oxford Crematorium.
John Hemmings
The eldest son of Ray, John Hemmings was born in 1933. He was boy mascot in 1937 and during the war, and he was hornbearer on Mayors Day in 1950, 51, 53, and 54. He founded JR Hemmings motor body repair shop.
Henry Hemmings
A son of the original old Thomas Hemmings, Henry Hemmings was a step dancer rather than a morris dancer as a young man, but he was one of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing. He took part in the 1930s practices and was Mayor of Ock Street 1937-39 and during the second world war.
Henry Hemmings birth was registered in Abingdon in 1857. In the 1861 and 1871 censuses he is living with his parents Thomas and Louisa in Ock Street. He married Jane Stimpson in 1877 and they had many children – all of those that are traceable were sons. In the 1881 and 1891 censuses he and his wife and family were living in Spring Road and in 1901 at 17 Cemetery Road. Jane died in 1906. Henry later lived at 172 Ock St and in 1938 moved to 14 Long Alley Almshouses. In the 1881 census his occupation was parchment maker and in the 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses, fellmongers labourer. He later became a coalman. Henry Hemmings was active to the end – he died aged 89 in 1945 from pneumonia two weeks after a fall at his allotment at what is now Gainsborough Green. His funeral at Abingdon Cemetery was on 31st October 1945. The morris dancers carried his coffin from the gates to the church.
Harry Thomas
The musician in the 1930s team (and during the second world war), Harry Thomas played a single row melodeon. He also appears in the 1929 photos at the Cross Keys posing as a fiddler. He was one of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing. According to Slim Mooring he only knew 6 morris tunes, so those were all the 1930s team did. He knew lots of other tunes and played them in the Happy Dick, often for accompanying singing. It was said he could play any tune if you sang or hummed it to him.
Harry G Thomas was born in Abingdon in the 4th quarter of 1884. In the 1891 Census he was living at home in Cemetery Road aged 6, and in 1901 he was a baker living at home in Cemetery Road aged 16. By the 1911 census he had married and was a bricklayer living in Sutton Wick aged 26. Later on he lived in Mayotts Road (off Ock Street) and was a carpenter. He died on 17th December 1947 aged 63 and is buried in Spring Gardens Cemetery.
Percy Hemmings
One of the many sons of Henry Hemmings, Percy Hemmings was a dancer in the 1930s team and was secretary (bagman) until 1949. He apparently left the team in 1949 after some disagreement about team funds. He was one of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing. In the 1930s he would often dance a solo ‘Squire’s Dance’ over the Mayor’s Sword before the dancing proper started (in photos it looks a bit like the present Broom Dance). According to Slim Mooring he organised everything in the 1930s, getting kit made etc, and he even got special Union Jack handkerchiefs for the 1937 Coronation. During the war when the team danced for the war effort, his dog would have a collecting box round its neck.
Percival Hemmings was born in 1893 in Abingdon and in the 1911 census he is living at home aged 18, occupation golf links labourer. In 1917 his address was 172 Ock Street and he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps from September 1917, in France. In the 1930s he lived at 4 Legges Cottages (next door to the Happy Dick) and for a time was a coalman. In 1931 he is listed as being the landlord of Mr Warricks Arms. He married Ada Wiblin, sister of Ethel who married his brother Charles. In 1949 he was living at 45 John Morris Road, and after the war he opened a bookmaker’s shop “Chandler and Hemmings” which went bankrupt.
He died 30th January 1972 and is buried in Spring Road Cemetery.
Charles Hemmings
Another of the many sons of Henry Hemmings and brother of Percy, Charles Hemmings danced in the 1930s team but left in 1942, apparently after pressure from his wife. He was one of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing. He was father of Ewart (b 1930) who later became Town Mayor and who was President of ATMD until his death in 2021.
Charles Hemmings was born in Abingdon 30th April 1898. In 1916 his address was 172 Ock Street and he served in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry from October 1916 in France and Egypt. He married Ethel Wiblin, sister of Ada who married his brother Percy. He lived at 1a Mayotts Road in the 30s (owned by Christs Hospital) which had originally been part of a warehouse, at the top of the road, next to the school. He worked at the Royal Ordnance Depot at Milton. In 1939 he moved to South Abingdon and in 1949 he was living in Caldecott Gardens. He died in 1974.
Charlie Brett
Charlie Brett was a dancer in the 1930s team and then danced in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. He was often the lead dancer in the 1950s and early 60s. He was Mayor of Ock Street from 1964 until his death in December 1979. He was one of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing, but according to Slim Mooring would only go out with the 1930s team if there was beer available.
Charles Edward Brett was born 29th November 1900 in 14 West St Helens Street where he lived as a child. He was too young to serve in World War 1 but his older brothers Frank H and William Brett did. He later lived in Ock St then at 94 Saxton Rd. He was a postman, and apparently the team had to make up his lost wages if he had to dance on a Saturday. He married his wife Dorothy in 1924 and they had six children. He died on 19th December 1979 aged 79, and his funeral was on 24th December 1979 at St Michaels Church where the morris men carried his coffin. He is buried in Abingdon Cemetery.
Frederick ‘Darby’ Wiblin
One of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing, Darby Wiblin was a dancer in 1937 and probably 1938, but had left by 1939, apparently after some argument.
Frederick William James Wiblin was born 17th May 1904. In 1936 he married Hilda Hemmings, sister of Tom. Darby and Hilda Wiblin lived at 123 Ock Street with Jim & Harold Hemmings, and later moved to Caldecott Gardens. Darby was originally a bricklayer. and later worked at Esso Research (Milton) as a gardener. He died on 25th November 1968 and is buried in Spring Gardens Cemetery.
Harold Matthews
One of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing, Harold Matthews was a dancer in 1937 and probably 1938.
Harold Edward Matthews was born in 1884 in Sutton Wick. In 1901 he was living with his mother Mary in St Johns Terrace, and was a wholesale clothiers assistant. In 1911 he was living with his brother in law and his sister Kate (who was 11 years older) in Camberwell and was a machinery porter. In 1917 his address was 72 Spring Road, Abingdon and he served in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps in Italy and France from 1917 to 1919, being wounded in action. In 1924 he is recorded as being the licencee of the Cross Keys. In 1930 he was living at Court 20, Ock St and in 1938 at 8 Saxton Rd. He died in 1964, and is buried in Spring Gardens Cemetery.
John ‘Slim’ Mooring
One of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing, Slim Mooring was at some of the original practices 1935 at the Happy Dick and was the youngest of the 1930s dancers. He was a dancer 1937-38 and took over as Fool in 1939. After war service 1940-48, he was Fool 1951 to 1959, though he sometimes appeared as a dancer in the early 50s. He finished around 1960 after he cutting his leg badly at work (storeman at the MG factory). He was interviewed in 1985 by Jonathan Leach and Keith Chandler, which provided useful information about the team in the 1930s and 1950s. He said that the Fool had to be the best dancer who could substitute for anyone in the set if they got out of breath or injured. He borrowed his fool’s smock from Abingdon Drama Club via a Miss Brewer who was in the MG personnel department and ‘forgot’ to give it back.
In the caption to the 1937 Mayor’s Day photo Francis Fryer calls him Jim Mooring, a young bricklayer, although he is referred to as John by Fryer in other letters, by Percy Hemmings and later by Jack Hyde. A search of Abingdon birth records finds no John Mooring of the right age and it is most likely that he was actually the Arthur James Mooring who was born 17th July 1911 in Abingdon, whose mother’s maiden name was Wiblin, who in 1948 married Ellen Williamson in Abingdon, and who died 7th May 1983 and was buried in Spring Gardens Cemetery. What we do know from his interview is that he was the nephew of Johnny Grimsdale and also of Fred Stimpson. In 1985 he was living at 182 Saxton Road.
Jim ‘Ducky’ Allen
One of the original 12 who in 1935 after the Silver Jubilee parade decided to revive Abingdon morris dancing, Ducky Allen was the fool 1937-38 but had left the team by 1939, probably because the morris clashed with pigeon racing. He had a Fool’s smock like a long white coat which fell to pieces after he left.
He is probably the James Allen whose birth in Abingdon was registered in the first quarter of 1906 and who in 1911 was living with his parents William and Fanny and 4 older siblings in Ock Street. He lived 2 doors away from the Happy Dick in the 1930s, but later moved to the London area. In Abingdon he worked as a labourer and at the market.
Johnny Grimsdale
Johnny Grimsdale was a dancer 1937-39, during the war and 1949-59, then the Hornbearer 1960-79. He last carried the Horns on Easter Monday 1979 at Cogges Manor Farm. He stood for Mayor of Ock Street several times between 1955 and 1978. He was one of the three ‘old boys’ from Abingdon in the 1960s and 1970s, along with Charlie Brett and Jack Hyde. These three were often invited to other sides’ Ales and Johnny’s party piece was to sing Buttercup Joe. A dance called Buttercup Joe was created in the late 1970s by Les Argyle and others, but was not practised properly until 2001. It is now regularly danced in Johnny Grimsdale’s honour.
John Henry Grimsdale was born 16th February 1896 in Abingdon. In the 1901 census he is aged 5 and living with his widowed mother Ellen and 4 sisters in West St Helens Street. In the 1911 census he is aged 15 living with his mother and siblings and is a bobbin winder in a carpet factory. In 1915 his address was 44 Ock Street and he served as a bombardier in the 13th Royal Field Artillery from February 1915 to May 1919 in Mesopotamia. In 1924 he married Alice Mooring (known as Polly) in Abingdon. In the 1930s he lived in Legges Cottages next door to the Happy Dick, which he could get to over a wall from where he lived. He drove a lorry for the Hygenic Laundry, and was also a local football referee and the secretary of Abingdon Horticultural Society. He died 7th May 1979 at Marcham Rd Hospital, and his funeral was at Oxford Crematorium, attended by the morris team and the Horns.
William ‘Nobby’ Clark
William Clark carried the Horns in 1938, and possibly at other times in the late 1930s. He was the father of Brian Clark who was an Abingdon dancer 1952-68 and later was a founder of Mr Hemmings morris dancers. William was born in 1905 in South Shields and moved to Abingdon with the RAF. In 1935 he married Phyllis M Hemmings (daughter of Tom), in Abingdon. After World War 2 he was a civil servant. He died in 1964.
Ernie Constance
A dancer 1938-39 and 1953-55, Hornbearer 1955-57. He also appears in the 1929 photos of James Hemmings being made Mayor in the back yard of the Cross Keys. Ernest W H Constance was born in Abingdon in 1904. In the 1930s he lived in Ock Street, opposite the Happy Dick, and later moved to Saxton Road. He served in the forces in World War 2 and was a Japanese prisoner of war. He was a painter and decorator. He died 12th February 1958 aged 54, and is buried in Spring Gardens Cemetery.
Jack Hyde
Jack Hyde had lived in Ock Street since about 1904, knew the old Hemmings brothers James, William, George and Henry, and he had seen the old morris dancers at that time. But it was not until 1939 that he joined the morris team, acting as Hornbearer on the last tour of 1939, then was a dancer during the war and 1949-59, and after that a dancer or sometimes fool during the 1960s. He was bagman 1949-71. If there was no other musician he would step in and play the mouth organ.
Jack appears in the 1929 photos of James Hemmings being made Mayor in the back yard of the Cross Keys. In August 1939 he had been visiting his mother in Ock Street and was on his way to a cricket match in Oxford but met the morris dancers coming out of the Cock and Tree about to go on a tour, and he was persuaded to go with them (there are pictures of him wearing a suit and holding the horns). When the second war started three of the team went into the services and when they danced in the town (on a stage) he was drafted in to make up numbers, even though he had never danced before (and didn’t know the dances).
John Hyde was born in the 4th quarter of 1893 in Drayton. His father was a blacksmith who died after being kicked by a horse when Jack was very young. In 1901 he was living in Steventon Road, Drayton with his widowed mother Ellen Hyde and 3 siblings Annie, Harry and Evelyn. The family moved to Ock Street around 1904, and in 1911 Jack was a farm labourer living in Ock Street with his mother who had remarried (to a man named Woodley). Before the first world war he worked on farms in among other places Shippon and Radley, and at one time he was a ploughboy (he was hired at the Fair, a practice that stopped after World War 1). In 1915 his address was 4, Court 18 Ock Street, and he served in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in France from April 1915 to April 1919. In 1923 he married Nellie Maud Brett, sister of Charlie, in Abingdon. He worked at Pavlova leather works as a finisher for 18 years, and later worked at Milton Depot, then became a postman with a round in North Abingdon, and after that worked at a petrol station and as a gardener. He later lived at 5 Geoffrey Barbour Road. Jack died on 21st June 1978, and the morris men bore his coffin at his funeral at Oxford Crematorium on 26th June 1978.
References
Material for these biographical notes mostly comes from:
- Searches of the database of familysearch.org
- Material in ATMD scrapbooks and archives.
- Material kindly supplied by Jonathan Leach, especially transcripts of interviews with Slim Mooring (1985), Jack Hyde (ca 1974), Ewart Hemmings (2000).
- Abingdon World War 1 Roll of Honour https://www.roll-of honour.com/Databases/Abingdon/index.html
- Oral information from, among others, Stuart Jackson and the late Ewart Hemmings