Summary: Vol. 30 Issue 4

Published: November 2023

Table of contents

• SDU Longsword Tournament 2023
• SDU AGM?
• Spen Valley Longsword September 1974– July 2023
• Midwinter Dancing
• Editorial
• Reminisces of a Plough Stot

Editorial

The SDU Longsword Competition was wonderful, it was well run, by Handsworth, and the dancing was terrific; what more is to be said, well read the article and find out.

In Rattle Up My Boys, Series 18 Issue 1 (You can find back issues on the Morris Federation Website) Ivor Allsop wrote about his meeting with Tom Woodward and his account of Sleights Sword Dancers Go Walkabout. Ivor had published another article about his meeting with Tom Woodward in 1977 in English Dance &Song and I’m pleased to be reprinting that to add a bit more to the general knowledge of life as a Plough Stot in the mid nineteenth century.

As always there is a list of who is dancing when and where over the Midwinter period. One side who are missing are Spen Valley, their decision not to continue dancing is very sad. The only upside is the excellent account of the Spen Valley from the start by Paddy Langdon.

I normally try and include photos of what teams have been up to; between the photos from the competition and the Spen Valley obituary there hasn’t been room. Flamborough, however did send in a few photos so they are tucked in here.