The Old Bull Arts Centre And Old Bull Morris Dancers

A Memory of Barnet.


I joined a "side" of clog morris dancers known as The Old Bull" in 1980. We all attended weekly practices and danced out at various local pubs in the area.

Our practice venue was a former pub known as the Old Bull. It was purchased by Barnet Urban District Council in 1963 with a view to demolishing the building and creating an access road to a bypass parallel to Barnet High Street which was destined to become pedestrianised. However this proposal never matured, and the building was inherited by the London Borough of Barnet when the boroughs merged in 1965. It was used as a Civic Defence Centre and the magistrates office before being opened in 1975 as The Old Bull Arts Centre by a local group who had been running a summer festival in nearby Ewen Hall Barnet for a few years. Our side of Morris Dancers was just one of many arts organisations who used the venue.

I still wear my dancing clogs with the Old Bull logo although I have now retired and live in Devon and am no longer fit enough to do the vigorous "north-west" style of clog morris dancing. Instead I join in with the musicians of the Heather and Gorse Clog Morris side in south Devon.


Added 18 August 2011

#233131

Comments & Feedback

I am curious to find out if a girl I once liked quite a lot is still living around the Samos Road, Anerley area. I just want to say, ''Hello'', Marion. I sat in front of you at St Johns school until 1956. I have done a lot of things since then, and I was in The Army for a long time in the 70s and 80s during which time I was injured on active duty. I hope you are well and if you have a Family, then I wish them all well too. I last saw you in Frost's shoe shop in Maple Road Penge, during the early1960s. I Didn't recognise you straight away, and by the time I realised it was you, it was too late. A shame too, but I have never forgotten you. So pretty, so elegant, so nice. Anthony

Add your comment

You must be signed-in to your Frith account to post a comment.

Sign-in or Register to post a Comment.

Sparked a Memory for you?

If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?