Help us find a new venue or Leyland Morris Dancers face an uncertain future after 136 years

Leyland Morris Dancers, who can trace their history back 136 years, need to find a new hall as their home of neatly four decades - the Guide Hut at the bottom end of Fox Lane- is due to be demolished next month.

Currently there are 20 members, men and women, dancers and musicians - and they practice most weeks throughout the year.

A spokesman said: “Relocating at very short notice is not the easiest of tasks and they would appreciate any useful help or suggestions in finding a new home. The space required is a little less than a badminton court.”

Adding: “For 136 years – on and off – the proud tradition of morris dancing has been a part of Leyland’s history. In an age when so many traditions are languishing it is most important that we do our very best to keep this part of our local heritage alive.

History of Leyland Morris Dancers

The Leyland Morris Dancers were an integral part of the Leyland May Festival, almost from its beginnings in the late 19th century. As a result of their success a number of other teams grew up in the neighbourhood.

Members of the team always considered themselvessomething of an elite as their outfits were personally provided for them by the Festival’s patron John Stanning, owner of the local bleaching and dyeing works and the biggest employer in the town at the time. From top to toe – shoes included – they were kitted out. Each man only had to supply his own stockings, and - as this was in the days before white nylon football stockings – this meant ladies’ white lisle stockings or laying-out stockings came from the local undertaker.

Prospective members often had to wait several years to join the ranks. But the demise of the May Festival in 1936 saw the end of the team. However, immediately after the Second World War a team of young men and women was turned out by the youth club at St James’ Church. Times were very different: theirs had to be a make-do-and-mend kit, and redundant black-out curtaining came in use for the girls’ skirts.

Their appearance, and success, led to a short revival of the men’s team, but both teams had folded by 1957.

The next revival began in 1965 and came from the local Folk Dance Club. This led on to the re-establishment of the men’s team which, over the years, has seen notable successes: not only locally but dancing in the Isle of Man, Scotland, Wales, the Loire Valley of France and at a number of this country’s ‘prestige’ folk festivals.

These days most of their appearances are at local events and their ‘folk show’ has also proved to be very popular in primary schools, at local day centres and with a variety of clubs and societies.

If anyone can help with a venue, call Len on 07871 915148.