More often than not, May Day falls on a weekday.  We normally dance on Chanctonbury Ring in the early morning, and after a traditional breakfast, head off to our ‘day jobs’.  But because May Day 2010 is a Saturday (as it was in 1954) there’s a ‘grand plan’ to recreate part of that May Day tour 56 years ago.

The Shepherd and Dog

There has been an ale-house called the Shepherd and Dog, located at The Street, Fulking for at least 200 years, possibly much longer.  In May 1954, it was owned by Watney's, but before that by Brighton's famous Tamplin's Brewery.

The 1954 Tour

The Chanctonbury Ring May Day tour of 1954 was quite an event.  Not only was there a Times photographer at Fulking, but there were also BBC television cameras.  A film of Chanctonbury Ring Morris Men dancing was shown on BBC’s ‘Newsreel’ on 3rd May 1954 - in black and white of course.

As it was a Saturday, some members of the Shoreham Folk Dance Club thought it would be a good idea to celebrate it in traditional English style. It started with dancing at 6.30, followed by a traditional breakfast of boiled eggs, bread and hot tea.  Two Morris dance tours then took place.

A Mid Sussex tour, consisting of Chanctonbury Ring and Bromley based Ravensbourne Morris Men, toured Fulking, Henfield, Wineham, Sayers Common, Cuckfield, Lindfield and Ditchling.

A West Sussex tour, involving the University Morris Men in London and the Martlet Sword and Morris Men from Chichester, went to Steyning, Storrington, Pulborough, Billingshurst, Petworth and Arundel. 

All teams then met back at Shoreham for a Grand Barn Dance with 'caller' Paul Plumb, and music provided by the Shoreham Band.

So why the media interest?

Sean Goddard, our in-house historian, has tried to ascertain how the photograph, taken in the small village of Fulking, Sussex, on a Saturday lunchtime in May came to be published in the national Times newspaper.
And why was a BBC film unit there too?

'There was much coverage of the tours in the local press' says Sean. 'There are newspaper reports and photographs of the early morning celebrations.  The answer could lie with Paul Plumb, who used to present programmes on the wireless during the 1950s and 60s.  It might have been through his contacts at the BBC that the film unit was arranged'.

'It might also have been Paul who contacted the Times, or it could have been Chanctonbury Ring’s bagman (secretary) at that time, Ian Scott-Walker, who was a very efficient and organised bagman.  Whoever it was that persuaded both the Times and the BBC to attend, it was an extraordinary achievement!'

We have made contact with a number of media organisations in the hope that we can add this element of authenticity to May Day 2010!