Moreton Bay Morris

Moreton Bay Morris was a group of Morris Dancers formed circa 1978 and lasting in various guises until circa 2003. Their first footup was Australia Day, 1980.
Originally a team of mixed dancers (both men and women in the same set) increased numbers saw the adoption of two separate teams; a Mens Cotswald Side and a Women's North West Side. Both teams practiced on the same night in separate halls or rooms at the same venue but always performed footups (performances) together. In the twilight years Moreton Bay Morris became a mixed side dancing Border Dances
The organised positions in the group comprised a Squire (elected from either the Mens or Ladies teams), Foreman (one each from the separate sides), Bagman (the bookings officer and finances holder) and the Scribe (Archives keeper) Andrew Ivamy. Moreton Bay Morris also had a Fool chosen from amongst the mens team and danced as either a Bettie or Tommy of their own choosing.
At various times especially for the Medievil Fayre Moreton Bay Morris would also dance the May Pole.
Team Colours
Red, Gold and Green
Men's Colours
The men's team has always worn a white shirt and white trousers. Originally, the men wore rosettes in the team colours with a gold sash awarded when a man became a full member of the side. At the time of Expo 88, the men changed their kit to a more functional (and more traditional) baldrick in the team colours.
For both kits, the men wore bell pads below the knee with the team colours adorning and white handkerchiefs were looped around the bell pad straps when not being used for dance.
On the Men's straw hats the men wore a garland with long ribbons to signify their 'availability' which was cut off (shortened considerably) if they married.
Men's Cotswal Kit can be seen at right in this video
Women's Colours
The Women's kit went through many changes - Originally, the women wore a white slipon blouse and a blue skirt with floral patterns. When new members joined the women's' team, additional fabric could not be sourced and so the skirt was changed to a cream colour again with a floral pattern.
The a woman became a full member of the team when they could both dance and call a dance. They received a gold colour sash which was narrower than the male version.
At the time of Expo '88 the Ladies changed their kit to a more traditional red dress with a white blouse. The Ladies found this to be unflattering and changed to a more simple red dress with a white blouse underneath. Second Red Version
The women wore a garland with long ribbons to signify their 'availability' which was cut off (shortened considerably) if they married.
Border Colours
Due to dwindling numbers the two teams merged into one Border side. A tatter shirt was worn over a white shirt or t-shirt with white trousers. A simple top hat was worn with the teams red, gold and green ribbons again either short or long depending on their marital status.
A simple bell strap was worn below the knee, one each red on the right leg and yellow on the left leg.
Notable Performances
The Annual Warana street parade & festival (pre Expo '88)
The annual Spring Hill Fair
At the opening of the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in front of HRH Prince Philip & HRH Prince Edward.
World Expo 88. At the opening of World Expo 88 in front of HRH Queen Elizabeth II Prime Minister Bob Hawke etc. Weekly performances at the Lincoln Pavilion (temporary home of the Magna Carta), the British, Australian and Queensland Pavilions as well as roaming street entertainers.
1992 - the 10th anniversary reunion of the 1982 Commonwealth Games
Every May Day (May the first each year) Morris dancers from South East Queensland gather at the lookout kiosk on Mt Coot-tha to dance the sun up carrying on the traditions originating in English Morris dancing of warding off evil spirits and hoping for a bountiful crop. After dancing for two or so hours, the Morris Dancers venture to the J. C. Slaughter Falls for a bar-b-que breakfast. The location was originally chosen by Moreton Bay Morris and has been adopted by other teams such as Ladies Pleasure, Rapscallion, Logan Morris, the Sunshine Coasts Wild Mountain Morris and Toowomba's Belswagger Morris.
Traditions observed
Despite dancing a number of traditions over the years, Moreton Bay Morris has a number of Party Favourites from a range of traditions including Ring 'o Bells, Vandals of Hammerwich, The Upton Stick Dance, Queens Delight and Jocky to the Fair.
Formation of new sides
Members of Moreton Bay Morris came from other sides including Canberra Morris Men and Bonney Green Garters both Canberra sides dancing Cotswold dances with Bonney Green Garters being an all Female side.
After joining Moreton Bay Morris some of the former BGG women formed Ladie's Pleasure while Rapscallion was formed as a companion mens side comprising (usually) the partners of the Ladies Pleasure women. both Ladies Pleasure and Rapscallion enjoyed many successful years performing in their own right.
On the Sunshine Coast, former members of Moreton Bay Morris formed Wild Mountain Morris predominately an all female side dancing North West dances.
For approx 9 months circa 1992 an informal group calling itself Antipodian Morris met mainly for social interaction and dance step practice.
In Toowoomba, former members of Morton Bay Morris formed Belswagger Morris which copied Moreton Bay Morris' template of a Mens Cotsold and a Women's North West sides.
A breakaway side formed in the last year of Ladies Pleasure's life called Logan Morris wearing a near identical kit and as with Ladies Pleasure (and Bonney Green Garters' before it) dances the Cotswold tradition.
Some four years after Bellswagger Morris folded a second group formed calling itself Bellswagger Morris. This group dances what the dance Authority Chris Greenhill referred to as Stomp Morris due to their curious habit of stomping their feet rather than with a spring in their step. They dance predominantly Border Morris and Moreton Bay Morris' party favourites.
Other information
Moreton Bay Morris and the Queensland Folk Federation banded together to hold a Medievil Fayre some years ago. From this original Fayr held in the grounds of St Francis’ on Milton Road Milton a number of recreational groups formed over subsequent year eventually taking over the running of the Medievil Faye as well as staging their own.
External links referring to Moreton Bay Morris
http://www.capers.co.uk/donkey/Lines/will_the_real_phil_wilson.html Noted Dancer Phil Wilson who at one time was the chief executive at the English Folk Dance & Song Society (Cecil Sharp House)
http://www.smallpondserver5.com.au/~brisbane/folkies/1980s/pages/JulieDendle-MoretonBayMorris.htm Photograph of one of the Female Dancers wearing the second version of the Red Dress.
http://www.mainlymorrisdancing.org.uk/OZ.html Video of a visiting team dancing at the 30th Anniversary Ale - both Mens Cotswald Kits can be seen at right of image.
http://www.moretonbayfig.org/about-the-figs Similarly named Moreton Bay Fig Morris referencing their Australian namesake.
http://web.lemoyne.edu/~millermj/border/ Dance Notes making mention of Moreton Bay Morris' adoption of some of the dances. into their report
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTNQqVYoYyQ - Moreton Bay Morris perform a Three Man Broom Dance, Malany Folk Festival 1989.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZFLVv1GPvY Moreton Bay Morris Little Ladies Dance the North West Morris Tradition (1990)
http://wn.com/Hilary_Squires Moreton Bay Morris tradition was for the outgoing and incoming Squires to dance a double jig at the Ale. In 1988, Hilary Marsden became MBM's first female squire causing both parties having to adapt NW & Cotswold into the same routine
http://warrenfahey.com/morris/morris-2.html List of Morris Sides in Australia Circa 2005
http://www.britishfolk.org/calendar.html Mentions Moreton Bay Morris' 25th Anniversary Ale
http://www.morris.org.au/mr/mrhistory.htm A short lived offshoot referencing their origins in Moreton Bay Morris
http://www.brisbane.folkhistory.org/feature_story.htm Recollections of the formation of Moreton Bay Morris.
Members Mentioning Moreton Bay Morris
http://users.tpg.com.au/folkrag/profiles/caroline.htm
http://users.tpg.com.au/folkrag/profiles/Gerry_Amos.html
http://users.tpg.com.au/folkrag/profiles/hilary.htm
http://users.tpg.com.au/folkrag/profiles/ian.htm
http://users.tpg.com.au/folkrag/profiles/joycesim.htm
http://users.tpg.com.au/folkrag/profiles/june.htm
http://users.tpg.com.au/folkrag/profiles/Samantha_Page.html
http://users.tpg.com.au/folkrag/reviews.htm - June Nichols Tribute Concert - Woodford Festival 2006

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