The rise and fall of Chichester Folk Dance Club: a history
As a founder member and first leader of the Chichester Folk Dance Group of the English
Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS), I was disappointed to read of its demise. However, times have changed dramatically and it comes as no surprise to me.
When it was formed in 1957, everything was in its favour. Square dancing in England had mushroomed, following the then Princess Elizabeth dancing in Canada in 1951. Both Chichester High School and the Lancastrian Secondary School had separate schools for boys and girls and ‘ne’er the twain shall meet’. The formation of a club in the Assembly Rooms open to all over the age of 14 was an instant success. Young people could meet in a safe environment and interact with each other and mingle with likeminded adults. The situation was vastly helped by the availability of bus services leaving from the cathedral after 10pm to outlying villages. We even advertised on the buses.
The club was launched following a meeting with Ted Amos and Pat Longhurst from the WSCC County Youth Dept. The treasurer was Margaret Dodd (Maggie Tevendale),
the secretary was my mother Doris Le Conte and the other leaders were Brian Sopp and Les Stewart. At around this time, schoolmaster Pat Mitchell from the Lancastrian Boys’ School was inspired to run after-school folk dance classes with pupils from the
Girls’ School. These classes, too, were well attended – being an opportunity for boys and girls to mix – and he trained them to a high standard, whilst retaining their vibrant enthusiasm.
Indeed, their dancing and personality was so high that a school team was invited to perform in the Royal Albert Hall, receiving perhaps the best ovation of the evening. These youngsters had another step to climb when they migrated to the Chichester Folk Dance Group, increasing its membership further. Pat Mitchell also encouraged the boys to learn Morris dancing and, when old enough, a number of them joined Chichester’s Martlet Morris
Men (formed in 1953). Even after all these years, several, including Bernard Booker, Geoff Collett, Peter Davey,
John Greenfield and Gerry Tilling - are still Martlets and often referred to as ‘Pat’s Boys’. Jimmy Gaffney – formerly a Lancastrian - is the foreman, or teacher.
The Chichester Folk Dance Group (often referred to as ‘Chi Club’) danced to an extremely high standard and was invited to a number of festivals, principally in France, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Holland. Whilst the music for normal evenings was by gramophone records and primitive amplification, performances were to live music, generally led by Chichester’s librarian, Mike Howley.
Indeed, my early amplification was so poor that a visiting Chichester Observer reporter watching a dance called Morpeth Rant said: “The dancing was lovely – one with the strange name of Morbid Rat”.
We were held in high esteem by the City Council and every mayor gave support. The founder of the Chichester Festival Theatre, former mayor and Councillor Evershed-martin, was a great supporter and invited a contingent from the club to be in performance costume in the reception line-up at the laying of the theatre foundation stone by Princess Alexandra.