The Morris Federation

In the last month the Morris Federation Blog has had one genuine registration and eight spam registrations.

The spam registrations (14 so far altogether) seem to be all generated by the same person or robot and although I have blocked his/her/its IP addresses new ones keep appearing.

I have therefore been forced to put registration under moderation for the time being, i.e. I will have to approve each one.

I apologise for any consequent delay or inconvenience.

The Morris Federation Blog has added a feature to link new posts to the Morris Federation Facebook page.
This should happen automatically for all new posts to the blog.
If anyone wants this feature removed for all their blog posts, this can be done by the blog admin on a user-by-user basis.
It can also be disabled by the user on a post-by-post basis.
The blog gives users a more permanent and feature-rich environment, whereas the Facebook page gives a wider audience and ease of use for readers.
Hopefully this addition will allow us to combine the best of both.

Just launched – the first new version of Sidefinder since 1998.
Compatible with some mobiles (tested on a Nokia 5800 and an iPhone 3gs).

finder.morrisfed.org.uk

Occasionally as website editor I get a request to broadcast a message to the membership asking for new recruits for one of our member sides. Sometimes they ask just for musicians, sometimes dancers, sometimes both. I’m never sure what to do about these.
I put myself in the position of a potential recipient of one of these messages and try to think how it would look to me as the bagman/squire/foreman of a side which may itself be struggling to get enough people to practices. Would it look as if it were saying:
“Hey, on your other spare week-night, why not expand your experience with a different style of dance?”
Or maybe:
“Hey, why not tell your team that if they don’t like it there they can jump ship and dance with someone else instead?”
Or perhaps:
“If you know of anyone who is about to move to another part of the country hundreds of miles away, specifically my area, and they have not already done the research and found themselves another side to dance with, please let them know we are here waiting for them.”
After wondering for a while if there is a positive way of interpreting these messages, I often just ignore them.
Not this time. This time I am asking you what you think. Please comment.

The following message was sent to our president.
I’m posting it here for comment.

—– Original Message —–
From: Milla Hills
To: Trefor Owen
Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2009 11:40 AM
Subject: Planet Rock Morris event

Dear Trefor

Have you at the Federation heard about the fascination with morris dancing on Rick Wakeman’s Saturday morning programme on Planet Rock (digital radio station)

He is trying to organise a gathering of morris dancers in the Planet Rock car park (London) one weekday in late August or early September.

This all began a few weeks ago when Rick took the mickey out of the idea of having morris dancers at the London Olympics, and said “If I see morris dancers outside a country pub, I drive straight past”
I couldn’t let that go so I emailed him with my views, he read out my email, and then many more people emailed and suddenly he realised just how many morrising people there are. It’s now a regular subject of discussion and jokes on the show.

Please can you circulate this to Federation members, and ask them to contact Rick Wakeman if they might be able to send a side to the Planet Rock Car Park Morris Festival

Thanks

Milla Hills
Sompting Village Morris

The following has been received by the website editor.
Click on the photos for full size (2048 x 1536) image.

If anyone is interested in these, or can suggest any means of turning them into cash for a good cause, please comment here.

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These are two melodeons (I think they are melodeons though the friend who took the photos has called them by the wrong name) in a slightly battered state but which still make a tuneful noise though I can’t play the instrument.
 
This is all the information I’ve been able to find.  I can’t identify key but I hope that those in the know can identify it from the attached photos.
We know little about these instruments other than they belonged to an uncle of a friend who died.   How old they are is not known.  The Hospice for which I work was given these instruments in order that they could be sold to raise funds.
Anne Blackburn

ANTORIA Reg N° 119490   10 buttons + dampers   GRAND ORGAN  Made in Germany SPECIAL REEDS HAND FILED   3 turned wooden pegs   2 buttons + dampers at the handle side.
HOHNER  Steel reeds on individual plates.  Made in Germany.   Hand band mounted on box with 1 damper one side and 2 the other.   10 buttons and 2 turned wooden pegs.

This competition is organised in memory of John Gasson, who was tragically killed on his way to Sidmouth Festival in 1987. John was himself a fine jig dancer. Whether dancing or playing, his personal standards were high, and raising the general standard of display dancing was something very dear to him. Hopefully this competition may in some way help further that aim. This competition is sponsored by Pete Collinson, Ian Campbell, Trefor and Rhian Owen, Janet Dowling, Chris and Tracey Rose.

The rules of the competition and an application form can be downloaded here. (.doc format)

Any queries should be directed to:
Tracey Rose, Oastview, 64 London Road, Faversham,
Kent. Telephone 01795 530335. Email: (click here)

The Morris Federation now has a blog.

How this feature is to be used depends on you. If meaningful discussion happens here may it live long and prosper^(TM).

If it becomes a collecting ground for garbage, access will be made more restrictive.

So if you want to see this blog become something useful and/or entertaining, please contribute.

Maybe you would like to write about what you did on May 1st, or about some aspect of morris dancing that gets you excited.

Anyone can register, just by clicking “Register” on the left toolbar, and then submit a posting by clicking “Create a post”. Start a new category if you wish with the “Add a category” link.

Anyone can comment – you don’t even need to register to do this but I’d rather you did. That way if I do have to restrict access existing valid contributors will still be recognised.

If you have items to sell or are looking for something, please create a post in the “For Sale” or “Wanted” category, but please note that advertisements and statements so posted are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and The Morris Federation does not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or reliability of such advertisements. The Morris Federation has no liability whatsoever for any third party claims arising in connection with such advertisements or any products or services mentioned therein.

Share and enjoy!^(TM)

Apologies to the authors of Star Trek and the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for the out-of-context quotes.