Metropolitan Mayday Morris Madness

[AnnieAnne]

http://f9g.yahoofs.com/groups/g_7500831/8154/__sr_/9152.jpg?grwUTMGBf3tvfust

If you're in North London on May 1st, look out for a bunch of women dressed like this, carrying a huge lump of greenery and silverware down Upper St., in Islington and stopping at several pubs to drink lots of beer morris dance :happydanc . We start at the Highbury end about noon and work slowly down to the Angel at about 7pm-ish. If you're in the area, come and say hello :D

[Tigerdaddy]

Used to work just off Upper Street, if I was still there I'd be in the pub with or without you. :D
Have a good piss up dance.....:happydanc

[MrAHC]

Women Morris dancing? Thought it was a men only thing? I think they burn women Morris dancers at the stake round here........

[AnnieAnne]

Women Morris dancing? Thought it was a men only thing? Yeah, it's funny how many people beleive that and it's total bollocks! Here's a photo of some women morris dancing in about 1900, for example. http://www.newesp.org.uk/old_new_esp.jpg

A morris dancer called William Kemp danced from London to Norwich in 1600 - in order to raise some money - and published a book about it, called "The Nine Daies Wonder" (even though it took him much longer to do). He mentions a young woman morris dancing in it, and from the way it's written you can tell it was not an unusual thing at the time.