| In the early days most performances
were at Inter Varsity Folk Festival events and the occasional fete. In
1952 the club's annual Whitsun Yorkshire Dales Tour was held for the first
time, the men moving from show to show on bicycles. In spite of what some
of the older men would have us believe, this only happened once, and cars
and coaches were more usual. The club became a member of the Morris Ring
in 1956. Also in the early 50's some Leeds men branched off to form White
Rose Morris Men, based around Huddersfield. The two sides often shared
practices when numbers were short.
During the late 60's and early 70's the side was very short of members, and no Leeds practices were held for several years. Numbers improved through the 80's and since then the side has had enough members to dance out regularly through the summer, though old age is now taking its toll and numbers are falling again. Throughout this time the side has always managed to organise the Dales Tour, which has in fact taken place every year without a break from 1952 until the present, a reduced version being held in 2001 due to foot and mouth disease. The Monday tour always begins at 10.00 am in Kettlewell, and the first dance is always The Rose. This dance is performed in remembrance of our founding members, many of whom have sadly passed on. |
Norman, who has attended all but one of the 54 Dales Tours, playing concertina in 1998. |
