Ruby anniversary tour for morris men

Saddleworth Morris Men at the start of their 40th anniversary tour. Picture: ANTHONY MILLER

SADDLEWORTH Morris Men kicked off their 40th year with their traditional Easter performances.

People braved the cold weather to watch the dancers as they toured the villages.

Saddleworth Morris Men were re-formed by Peter Ashworth four decades ago. Struggling to find anyone who could remember a complete traditional dance, he wrote new ones, based partly on the movements of mill wheels, shuttles and other machinery.

Each of the six Saddleworth villages has its own dance and the morris men also perform a processional dance when travelling from place to place.

The Stang Dance is performed once a year at the rushcart festival in August, an ancient tradition which involves the dancers pulling a cart filled with rushes.

The morris men held their first performance on April 1, 1974.

“Squire” Richard Hankinson said: “A lot of morris sides up and down the country are struggling.

“We have got younger members and we are not purely a morris side — the rushcart carries us.

“We go to other events, but it’s not competitive. This year we are performing at Warwick Folk Festival, the Bromyard Folk Festival and the May festival in Moulton, plus other events such as the maypole in Middleton.”