I actually started Morris with 'The University Morris Men in London', a student side in London University who practised at Imperial College on Saturday mornings between 1962 and 1964, started by Hugh Rippon and a Hammersmith man named Roger Dellor. I then danced (and learned to play) with Hammersmith Morris Men from 1964 to about 1970 - the John Kirkpatrick/Hugh Rippon years of Hammersmith.
Hammersmith Morris Men celebrated their 50th anniversary last year (2009) and ran an amazing weekend in London on July 10th -12th to which they invited all the ex-Hammersmith dancers that they could find, with their partners, and also a few of the old Hammersmith Folk Dance Club people. The 'Smiffs', as they now call themselves, used Latimer School in King Street as a base, and ran tours on Saturday around Hammersmith and Putney and on Sunday in Richmond. We had a wonderful time and met up again with lots of people from forty years ago and more some of whom we hadn't seen since.
I am a member of no less than three Morris sides - in descending order of date of joining and of level of my involvement -
The unofficial web page is here.
They are easily recognised in Black top hats and breeches, and a blue tabard bearing on the front three black pears (cries of "Oh! What a lovely pear") and a tree and river badge of Worcester on the back.
There is a web page for them, wherein you may even find a reference to yours truly.
Last updated 14th March 2012