Morecambeology - Strictly Morecambe with Peter Wade

Some of the town’s ballroom dancers found their way to bigger things such as Blackpool’s Annual Old Time Ball and Carnival held in Blackpool’s Empress Ballroom (itself designed in 1896 by William Mangnall and John Littlewood, architects of Morecambe’s 1897 Winter Gardens theatre).

Between 1956 and 1975, Morecambe dancers leading various waltzes, tangos, saunters and

sways included Mr Stephenson and party, Mr Forrester and party, Mr and Mrs T Sharples

and Mr and Mrs H Simpson. In 1972 Mr Stephenson led the intriguingly titled Morecambrian Waltz.The Stephensons also competed in the British Professional Old Time Dancing Championship and trained the Morecambe teams in the British Old Time Formation Dancing Competition.Mr and Mrs Aldren and Mr White and Mrs Foulds competed in the British Amateur Old Time Dancing Championship while Keith Schofield and Joan Teague flew the Morecambe flag in the Blackpool Festival Juvenile Two-Dance Competition with their Veleta and Boston Two-Step. Other Morecambe couples competing in the British Amateur Old Time Dancing Championship included Mr and Mrs Hughes and Mr and Mrs Clark.