Ian's first experience of folk dancing was as part of a country dance group in the village of Grove which included primary school children and adults who danced to fund raise for the rebuilding of the village church.
Ian's first involvement with the Morris was in 1958 when, aged 11, he started at Icknield School where he joined the morris and folk dance club run by Mary Shunn alongside Tony and Bryan Wickham who had also been part of the Grove group. They danced Morris, Rapper sword and Flamborough sword and Ian was in all 3 teams.
He was a founder member of the Icknield Way Morris Men when the side blossomed from the school side. The group purchased a dormobile which was kept on the farm run by the father of another member of the team, Jim Lyne and Ian assisted in its makeover when it was painted in the colours of the team with the Wyvern emblem and the team's name on the sides. It was used to transport the side to ceildhis and on dance tours.
He regularly joined in the May morning celebrations in Oxford and danced as part of the side which attended the 100th Meeting of the Morris Ring and in the side when it was accepted into the Morris Ring.
He was Squire from 1966 to 1972 and also held the post of Forman for a while.
More recently he joined the side's 40th celebration which is when this picture was taken.
Ian can be reached by email at [email protected]