There had been Morris dancers in the Lake District Branch of the E.F.D.S. for many years, but it was not until 1934 that they formally constituted themselves into a Club. The following May the Club became associated in the Ring. With William Palmer as Squire and Leonard Hotson as Bagman the Club flourished for several years in spite of the considerable distances over mountain roads that had to be covered whenever the Club met. Regular practices were held, usually at Grasmere or Ambleside, and shows were given at summer festivals and winter parties; the Club also took part in the E.F.D.S. Festival at Liverpool in December 1936. The Lakeland Morris Men were hosts to the Morris Ring at a very successful gathering held at Grasmere in September 1936. (W.H.Palmer)
Letchworth was probably one of the very first places in which any Morris of the revival period was
danced, and on May-day 1908 a Morris jig was performed by Alfred Dickins. By 1909 the Morris was
being taught to schoolboys, and an outdoor show was given by them on May-day 1909. For several
years interest in the Morris continued, and a few dances were always performed in the May-day
festival held yearly in the centre of the town.
About 1920, Alec Hunter and his wife infused new life into Letchworth dancing. Alec danced with the
Cambridge Men from time to time, and in Letchworth he trained one of the best Morris sides of the
revival; their performance of Brackley 'Shooting' will be remembered by all who ever saw it.
The side met weekly for practice, and for six or seven years took part in all important folk-dance
gatherings and gave many shows in its own neighbourhood; The Letchworth Men were always in close
touch with Thaxted and Cambridge, and in 1927 these three Clubs joined together in the first of the
Morris week-ends held at Thaxted, thus laying the foundation on which the Ring was later to be built.
For some years previously, since 1921, the Letchworth men had camped at Thaxted over Whitsun and
danced in the streets with the Thaxted men.
Although a period of lesser activity followed, dancing was never given up, and a side could usually
be got together for some special occasion: in 1932 a short tour was undertaken on the Herts and Essex
borders. In 1938 and 1939 activity again increased, with frequent meetings and dancing in the streets.
Since the war, street dancing has been revived to some extent, together with dancers from other Clubs.
Letchworth was one of the Founder Clubs of the Ring in 1934, and members have attended every Ring
meeting except that at Grasmere.(W.H.Palmer)
There are two eras in the history of the Club. (1) From the 1920's to 1936 it had a distinguished membership, several members being regularly included in the Society's Headquarters team. This was both an honour and a disadvantage, since the double call upon the men's time was one of the factors leading to the Club's dissolution in 1936. (2) In 1936 a new start was made by a few survivors of the old Club. From 1936 to 1939 few public performances could be given, as insufficient men were regularly available, and after the war similar difficulties were encountered. In spite of distance, however (one member travels thirty miles and back to attend practices), the great loyalty of the men, the return of two old members and the accession of a new one, have enabled the Club to renew its vigour, and the Club appeared in December 1948 at the London Festival of the Society. Both Bagmen of the Ring have been members of London Pride at the time of their election. (F.J.Tabor)