See list of Honorary Life Members and Friends of the Morris Federation.
Beth Neill, past Secretary of the Morris Federation (1993 – 1999) – Honorary Life Member (2023)
Nomination by Sally Wearing at our AGM in 2023:
I am pleased to nominate Beth Neill as an Honorary Member of MF, for her time as MF’s Secretary but primarily for her excellent work in producing Morris Matters for over thirty years.
Beth was elected as The Morris Federation’s Secretary in 1993. She held the post for six years until she decided to stand down in 1999. I was President when she was elected and found her to be organised and efficient; exactly the right kind of person for the role. Secretaries are often underrated as their work can be seen as ‘just’ admin, but no organisation can succeed without an effective one. Beth was just that, providing excellent support.
But her six years as the Secretary seems brief compared to her sterling work as the Editor of Morris Matters. This was started by Windsor Morris in early 1978 as a forum for the Women’s Morris Federation. From the beginning, it was intended to stimulate debate about morris-related concerns that were wider than those simply about so-called women’s morris. It soon became independent of WMF, increasing both its circulation and influence. It thrived in the early 1980s, but, unfortunately, Jenny Joyce and Alan Whear who did most of the work in publishing it, faced increasing calls on their time. The number of issues of MM dwindled, until the last one was published in 1988.
Many of us mourned its passing! But a conversation in the Radway Inn in Sidmouth at the 1990 festival inspired Beth, Windsor Morris’s Secretary at the time, to take up the mantle and start again. As a long-term member of Windsor, she had been involved in the earlier issues. She restarted with Volume 10 and has published it successfully twice a year ever since.
Beth created and maintained a well-respected forum for the dissemination and discussion of all things morris-related. She continues to find interesting articles, reviews, photos and other material. The latest issue, Volume 42 no.2, includes morris references in 19th century newspapers, how Hartley Morris Men ended up being featured on a deck of tarot cards, memories of an American morris dancer, and the history of the May Day Festival in Holmes Chapel before World War I. Plus reviews of books and events, including Mike Heaney’s brilliant book on the Ancient English Morris Dance and the recent folk costume exhibition at Compton Verney. Something for everyone!
I propose that MF recognises Beth’s work by making her an Honorary Life Member. She has indeed made a unique contribution to morris dancing, as well as her hard work as an Officer for MF. And I hope this encourages more people to subscribe to Morris Matters.
Beth received her certificate and badge at a Windsor Morris practice on 25th February 2024.
Photo L-R: Jerry West (Notation Officer), Pauline Woods-Wilson (President), Beth Neill, Sally Wearing (H&S Advisor)
Michael receives his certificate and badge at the JMO 20th birthday day of dance in London, October 2023.
Morris Matters magazine
Find out more about how to subscribe to Beth’s Morris Matters magazine, and browse the archive.
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