Sunday 9^th November 2025, Wingfield Barns, Wingfield, Suffolk

Left photo – Dom Smith on the stepping board, Lindsay Want playing melodeon

Right photo – the DVD cover for Neil Lanham’s film – Kenny Hambling arriving from Hoxne

About 70 people came along for this varied and informal afternoon of participation and entertainment. Wingfield Barns last hosted an EATMT event in 2024 with “More than Melodeons” and we were very pleased to be offered this attractive rural venue free of charge on this occasion.

Neil Lanham’s film “The Last of Old England”, although filmed as recently as 2013 really does seem to tell a tale of times past. Sadly, several of the local characters featured, regulars at Worlingworth Swan Sunday afternoon get togethers, have since gone too, including Percy West, James Abbott, Dusty Smith, Billy Heffer and Kenny Hambling, all of whom had regularly attended EATMT’s Stepdance Days when held at this very pub.

It was nevertheless great to have Doreen West O’Connor, Dom Smith and Robert Hunt, all featured in the film, join us at Wingfield.

15 to 20 participants came “on board” for Ethan Beal’s step dancing instructional session, some with experience and others completely new to it. There was then good opportunity for everyone to “have a step” in an informal session in the foyer, and also to have a go with jig dolls. Thanks are due to Ethan; to Andrew Collins and Chris Holderness for leading the local traditional tunes in the foyer, to Lindsay Want for leading the music for stepping in the instructional session, and to Kate Batchelor for bringing along some jig dolls and chatting with anyone interested in making or buying one, and for demonstrating how they’re made and used. Special mention for Debbie Sanger who travelled up from her home in Devon specially for the day. Debbie is a keen step dancer and is on the management team at the annual Dartmoor Folk Festival which is very well worth visiting, and where you could expect to see the particular Dartmoor style of step dancing.

Special Guest Terry Summers had travelled up from his home in Hertfordshire to tell us by way of an illustrated talk about his colourful and multi-faceted life in folk music and dance, plus his model making and his love of mechanical dolls. He brought along some of his collection including “John Willy” and “Happy Fanny” and also the two Mr. Jollyboy jig dolls he has owned for many years. Belying his modest delivery, it soon becomes clear that Terry was an excellent dancer, a hobby he enjoyed for several decades, having been instrumental in setting up folk dance groups in Sussex and London, and taking part in display teams at numerous EFDSS events. He is also an accomplished musician and played for many years in dance bands. One of his slides showed his band The Ranchers, who were contemporaries of The Yetties and The Spinners, in a procession at the Sidmouth Folk Festival back in the 1970s. At 91 he has more or less retired. It was an honour for EATMT to have Terry as guest for what was to be his final public presentation. Many thanks are due to Terry and to Terry’s son Jeremy who helped with the technical set up.  

Photo – Terry Summers with dolls, books and items from his collection

For anyone interested in jig dolls and their history “The Brightest of Entertainers” written by Katie Howson and Pat Pickles is available direct from EATMT, £10.00 plus postage and packing. It was great to have other jig doll makers along to the event including Julian Rowe and Peter Cousins.

Unpainted new jig dolls are also available to purchase from EATMT. For anyone interested in having a new and “ready to dance” jig doll to their own design these can be ordered and purchased from Kate Batchelor. www.kate-batchelor.co.uk

 

Doreen West O’Connor and Ethan Beal

Erica and her friend, and Judy, behind the very popular café bar

Kate Batchelor, Artist and Jig Doll maker

Lindsay Want, EATMT’s jig dolls, and Julian Rowe, jig doll maker and enthusiast