Adderbury Morris... the Latvian Job
May 2001
Back to the Latvia Page
Believe this at your peril... still it's interesting to wonder what the rest of the team would have come up with......
Nigel Bennett is a drummer... what more is there to say? Well, he dances around a bit with other teams including the rapper and likes to dress up in women's clothes... he will answer to the name of Betty but is otherwise completely normal.
Mike Cherry has been dancing with Adderbury for four years. he enjoys history, traditions and drinking but not necessarily in that order. he is also a member of the Civil War Re-enactment Society, 'The Sealed Knot' the recent purchase of a violin has turned him into a budding fiddle virtuoso.
Jon Eastmond joined Adderbury Morris Men at the start of the first season in 1975 and has been dancing on and off since then. he moved away from Oxfordshire in 1989, but always returns for the annual dance around the village in April. In addition to dancing, Jon plays the guitar, bass and melodeon. He helped the revival of Bucknell Morris (another traditional village a few miles away) and was their musician for some years. He is a founder member (along with Ianis and other members of Adderbury) of the
Hookey Ceilidh Band.
David Gunby has been dancing with Adderbury for eleven years, having learned the dances at the feet of the master (Tim Radford) while dancing with Long Itchington Morris. He had already been dancing with Long Itchington for three years before this life changing experience. David has also briefly been a member of two other morris teams (truly a tart) performing the molly dances of Leicestershire along with other Cotswold morris dances. He can also play the melodeon and, needless to say, made
those baldricks himself.
Ian Harris has been a member of Adderbury Morris for 25 years, he also dances with Sunrising Morris and was squire of Kirtlington Morris. Ian has sung and played drums in a series of bands for 30 years and is currently with the barn dance band "Lazarus".
Tim Laughton, the present squire or leader of the team is a 26 year old 6 foot 8 inch, 12 stone, all round Olympic standard sportsman. Apart from his vivid imagination Tim is also known for his coolness under pressure and unflappability in a crisis ("Well he'll certainly get a chance to put that to the test in Latvia" Ed.). he is also renowned for his stylish swagger in the walk round at the start of every dance.
Phil Le Mare, the fool admits to no musical talents, as will be heard whist singing "Shepherds Hey" and little dancing talent, that's why he was made the fool. However, his dress sense is excellent. A member of the Morris for 25 years, Phil has been a fool for nearly as long. He is keen to make the acquaintance of anyone in Latvia with a pig's bladder!
David Moore's role in the morris is as a musician playing the pipe & tabor which is the original 'one-man-band' being a drum played with one hand whilst a the melody is played on a 3 hole whistle with the other. Other instruments played include Flute, Recorder and Medieval Bagpipes. David plays for a traditional English country dance band and a folk group playing traditional and contemporary folk music in addition to playing for the Morris. Interests other than music are windsurfing and motorcycling (not at the same time) and travel (hence the journey to Latvia with the Morris).
Steve Priest, the foreman is responsible for teaching the dances and bringing the team up to their current pitch of perfection. He has danced with the team for 15 years as well as appearing with Long Itchington Morris. He has also produced a son....
Edward Priest, at 13, is the youngest member of the squad going to latvia. As well as a dancer he is also a keen Rugby player.
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Colin Street's many talents include cleaving opponents in half with a broad sword and shooting a longbow. He is also a master of the more gentle art of printing and custodian of the team's sticks. As well as performing with Adderbury he is also a member of Mr. Leslie's Banbury Rapper, a dance team which uses swords for less warlike purposes.
Stephen Wass, musician and joint bag (secretary) of the team has been with Adderbury for a quarter of a century and has only recently been seduced away to dance with someone else, another victim of Banbury Rapper. When not collecting jokes about his melodeon he plays for the Old Mettle Dance Band. Other interests include Archaeology and Architecture and anyone called Archy. he is the nearest thing the team has to an historian and maintains the web pages.
Verna Wass had been hanging around in the company of this motley crew for longer than she cares to admit, and is the only (genuine) female member of the Latvia squad. Originally a step dancer and founder member of Kamikazee clogs, and the Albionettes she is now squire of Bloxham ( womens) Morris. When she got fed up with holding coats she decided to go on the fiddle.