OBJ Border Morris - 2003 Wassail

We celebrated our fifth annual wassail at the Jolly Farmer, Hurst. Both the waether and the company were excellent. We were joined by Phoenix Morris, Yateley Morris and Shinfield Shambles together with various members of other morris teams and singers from Bracknell, Maidenhead and further afield.

This years Wassail was appropriately held on January 12th - which would have been New Years Day had Pope Gregory XIII not decreed in 1582 that we all wind our clocks forward 11 days! It took until 1752 to change the calendar in Great Britain.

The Wassail "ceremony" was presided over by the King and Queen of the Bean; Martin (from Wicked Brood) and Sue (from Phoenix Morris). Members of HuMP and OBJ delivered a Mummers Play - in somewhat pantomime form - which was enjoyed by everyone.

OBJ members in attendance were Anne, Bob, Carey, Colin, Chris, Dave K, Diane, Doug, Ian F, Ian O, Jenny, Jill, Linda, Mike G, Mike S, Nikki, Pam, Ruth, Tony and Vera.

	We started with a bit of dancing This is OBJ dancing The Worcester Monkey Colin, Dave K, Nikki, Jenny, Tony, Chris and Ruth are dancing, while Carey, Jerry and Vera are visible in the background.
Shinfield Shambles, assisted by Jenny in OBJ kit
	OBJ dancing The Alvechurch Smithy - a new dance for this season From L:R: Jenny, Jill, Mike G, Tony, Colin (hidden), Dave K, Linda and Chris
Yateley Morris assisted by Phoenix
	Pam prepared an excellent Wassail Cake, and the piece containing the bean was used to select our King and Queen of the Bean. King Martin and Queen Sue join the singing. The principal vocalists were Sylvia (in jumper), Barbara (in blue) and Jan (in red), joined by the whole assembled company.
Having buried the "wren" and planted the toast in the tree, Queen Sue annoints the tree with beer.
	Shinfield Shambles' ladies joining the singing in the winter sunshine.
During the Mummers Play St George (Mary) is attended by Doctor Quack (Jerry). Jerry hammed up the role so much that poor Mary was just about frozen to the ground by the time she was eventually "healed".
	The pub session went on for the rest of the afternoon. Guy proved an admirable host. Themusic was helped along by some very capable singing from Jan and Barbara and Monty and friends from Yateley Morris
After the Wassail we retired to our next door neighbours for a birthday tea. We're grooming Kirsty (the birthday girl) and Laura, but may have to wait a while.