MORRIS DANCERS will forge a remarkable link this weekend between Saddleworth and its namesake – 10,000 miles away in Australia.
The Adelaide Morris Men will dance at the legendary Saddleworth Rushcart Festival and are bringing a VIP letter of greeting from the Mayor of Saddleworth South Australia.
And Bill Singleton, one of the Adelaide side, performed at the Saddleworth Rushcart in the mid 70s with the Adlington and Gorton sides.
He said: “Our Adelaide side started around 40 years ago and we still have some of the earliest dancers with us.
“We toured the UK a couple of years ago where we became members of the English Morris Ring and hosted a Ring Meeting in Adelaide with visiting English sides.
“I used to work on the railway and designed the track layout in Rochdale and gauged the Oldham rail tunnels ready for the electrification that never happened.
‘We have a couple of our number on their first ever visit to England. But we are all looking forward to a chat over a beer.”
Ed Worrall, the newly-elected squire of Saddleworth Morris Men, said: “We danced with the Adelaide side a few years ago and they got in touch about Rushcart this year.
“They’re over for about two weeks, dancing with various Morris teams, but they timed their trip to make sure they could appear at our Rushcart Festival.
“Their reputation is quite big in the Morris world, and the local link to Saddleworth in Australia makes it even more of a reason. We think they’ll be blown away!”
Meantime, the Saddleworth team treasurer, Mark Atherton, is limbering up for his journey as ‘jockey’ on top of the giant Rushcart.
He said: “I can hardly believe it’s my turn to have the privilege of being this year’s jockey and riding it around the Saddleworth villages.
“It takes a huge amount of effort and money to organise the event,” he continued.
“Last year cost more than £3,600 so please give generously so we can give some money to charity and stage the event again next year.”
Find out more about the Saddleworth Morris Men by emailing saddleworthmorris@gmail.com or visit their new website.
Saddleworth Rushcart Festival schedule
Saturday 22 August
From 9:30am, Uppermill Square; unveiling of the banner, team photograph and introducing the ‘Cart to the public, before Saddleworth Morris Men perform the Rushcart Dance.
10:15am, dep Uppermill Square to arr Greenfield (opposite King Bill IV) 10:45am; High Street > Chapel Lane > Chew Valley Road.
11:30am, dep Greenfield to arr Uppermill Square 12 noon; Chew Valley Road > Wellington Road > Queensway > Carr Lane > High Street.
1:30pm, dep Uppermill Square to arr Gartside St. Delph 2:15pm; High Street > Dobcross New Road > Delph New Road > The Sound > Millgate.
3:45pm, dep Delph to arr Dobcross Square 4:15pm; Millgate > The Sound > Huddersfield Road > Gatehead Road > Platt Lane.
5:15pm, dep Dobcross Square to arr Navigation Inn 5:30pm; Sugar Lane > Wool Road.
6:00pm, dep Navigation Inn to finish Uppermill Square.
Sunday 23 August
10:00am, dep Uppermill Square to arr St. Chad’s Church, Uppermill 11:00.
11:00am, service in the church.
12 noon, dancing outside Church Inn and Cross Keys Inn.
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