OBJ Morris - 2003 Scrapbook

Wassailing at the Jolly Farmer, Hurst
12th January 2003

This page contains the earliest known videos of OBJ dancing.

We celebrated our fifth annual wassail at the Jolly Farmer, Hurst. Both the waether and the company were excellent. We were joined by Phoenix Morris, Yateley Morris and Shinfield Shambles together with various members of other morris teams and singers from Bracknell, Maidenhead and further afield.

This years Wassail was appropriately held on January 12th - which would have been New Years Day had Pope Gregory XIII not decreed in 1582 that we all wind our clocks forward 11 days! It took until 1752 to change the calendar in Great Britain.

The Wassail "ceremony" was presided over by the King and Queen of the Bean; Martin (from Wicked Brood) and Sue (from Phoenix Morris). Members of HuMP and OBJ delivered a Mummers Play - in somewhat pantomime form - which was enjoyed by everyone.

OBJ Comprised: Anne, Bob, Carey, Colin, Chris, DaveK, Diane, Doug, IanF, IanO, Jenny, Jill, Linda, MikeG, MikeS, Nikki, Pam, Ruth, Tony and Vera.

lick the pictures to enlarge them

12 January 2003
OBJ's Wassail at The Jolly Farmer, Hurst - Part 1

Dances: Worcestershire Monkey and Alvechurch Smithy, plus dances by Shinfield Shambles, Yateley and Phoenix Morris

OBJ Dancers: Tony, DaveK, Colin, MikeG, Jill, Chris, Jenny, Linda, Ruth, Diane, Nikki

Musicians: Doug, Pam, Ann, Ian, IanF, Vera, MikeS

12 January 2003
OBJ's Wassail at The Jolly Farmer, Hurst - Part 2

The Wassail Ceremony

Presided over by King Martin (of Wicket Brood) and Queen Sue (of Phoenix Morris)

12 January 2003
OBJ's Wassail at The Jolly Farmer, Hurst - Part 3

The Mummers Play

Performed by Hurst Morris People, with help from Carey and Jerry from OBJ

12 January 2003
OBJ's Wassail at The Jolly Farmer, Hurst - Part 4

Dances: Maid of the Mill (by Yateley Morris) and White Ladies Aston (by OBJ)

OBJ Dancers: Tony, DaveK, Colin, Jill, Chris, Jenny, Ruth, Nikki

Musicians: Doug, Pam, Ann, Ian, IanF, Vera, MikeS

We started with a bit of dancing

This is OBJ dancing The Worcestershire Monkey

Colin, DaveK, Nikki, Jenny, Tony, Chris and Ruth are dancing, while Carey, Jerry and Vera are visible in the background.

Shinfield Shambles, assisted by Jenny in OBJ kit

OBJ dancing The Alvechurch Smithy - a new dance for this season

From L:R: Jenny, Jill, MikeG, Tony, Colin (hidden), DaveK, Linda and Chris

Yateley Morris assisted by Phoenix

Pam prepared an excellent Wassail Cake, and the piece containing the bean was used to select our King and Queen of the Bean.

King Martin and Queen Sue join the singing.

The principal vocalists were Sylvia (in jumper), Barbara (in blue) and Jan (in red), joined by the whole assembled company.

Having buried the "wren" and planted the toast in the tree, Queen Sue annoints the tree with beer.

Shinfield Shambles' ladies joining the singing in the winter sunshine.

During the Mummers Play St George (Mary) is attended by Doctor Quack (Jerry).

Jerry hammed up the role so much that poor Mary was just about frozen to the ground by the time she was eventually "healed".

The pub session went on for the rest of the afternoon.

Guy proved an admirable host. The music was helped along by some very capable singing from Jan and Barbara and Monty and friends from Yateley Morris

After the Wassail we retired to our next door neighbours for a birthday tea.

We're grooming Kirsty (the birthday girl) and Laura, but may have to wait a while.