Reading University Union Folk Dance Society: PlayfordBall

---+ Playford Balls and Playford Teams

RUUFDS ran a series of annual Playford Balls for many years.
These events were often held in Childs Hall, the Great Hall at London Road, but on
at least one occasion we used the Town Hall.

Many dancers turned out in full period costume, often made from Granny's curtains! (Obviously in the later days of the team they had to be a bit frugal - Brian).

Please add Playford Ball stories and pictures to this page.

-- Main.AndrewFindlay - 09 Feb 2004

   ++The Playford Team

Click here for the [[PlayfordTeam][Playford Team]] page.

---++The Playford Balls

---++ 1967

The first Playford ball was in 1967 - we found that the Archivist had the Scrap Book from that era and with it - details of the first Playford Ball.

    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/PlayfordBall67cover.JPG" alt="PlayfordBall67cover.JPG"  width="402" height="654"  />

The menu was -

Game Soup (with hot farmhouse bread) then Tender Spring Chicken with Watercress crisp and green, Chipolata Sausages, Chili Sauce, Coleslaw, Fruit of the Earth hot in their jackets, Sweet Garden Peas with a tang of mint then Biscuits and Cheese then Fresh Fruit followed by Coffee. Finger Bowls and tooth picks were provided.

Then we danced The Queen's Jig, Fandango, The Bishop, Newcastke, Jacob Hall's Jig, Oranges and Lemons, Jack's Maggot, Shrewsbury Lasses, Geud Man of Ballangigh, Picking up Sticks, None Such (that's what the programme said) and Sellenger's Round. Extras were Parsons Farewell and Hunsdon House.

I think that The Rangers were led by John Conquest - can anybody confirm or correct this?

-- Main.BrianJones - 22nd September 2004


---+++ 1968

The second Ball

   * From Childs Hall archive:

    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/PlayfordDance.jpg" alt="PlayfordDance.jpg"  width="288" height="544"  />

This was sent to me by Gareth Atkinson, the Childs Hall Catering Manager, with whom I've been organising the booking of the Saturday evening. He had been looking at it in their archives.

The dancing led by Pat Shuldham-Shaw and musicians led by Denis Smith. We danced Holborn march, If All the World Were Paper, The Bishop, Noinsuch, Dick's Maggot, Argeers, Shewsbury Lasses, Old Noll's Jig, Newcastle, Picking Up Sticks, Jack's Maggot and Sellenger's Round. Pat allowed three dancers as extras in case there was time - Greensleeves, Zealand and Captain Macintosh.

Did you realise that these Programmes were before the days of computer graphics - we created them using Letraset - rubbing down the words letter by letter from a sticky page? It took ages.

-- Main.BrianJones - 20th March 2004

---+++ 1969

The third Playford Banquet and Ball was held in Childs Hall on 1st February 1969 with dancing led by Pat Shuldham-Shaw and musicians led by Nan Fleming-Williams.

The dances were Lilli Bolero, Nonsuch, Picking up Sticks, Mr Beveridge's Maggot, Oranges and Lemons, Greensleeves, The Bishop, Agreers, the Walcheren Waltz, Captain Macintosh, Newcastle and Holborn March with extras - The Boatman and Dick's Maggot.

---+++ 1970

The fourth Playford Banquet and Ball was held in Childs Hall on 7th March 1970 with dancing led by June Wilson and musicians led by Denis Smith.

The dances were Indian Queen, Fandango, Jack's Maggot, Green Willow, Orleans Baffled, Nonsuch, Female Saylor, Waterfall Waltz(?) Picking Up Sticks, Apley House and Newcastle - with Hey Boys and Nantwich Fair as extras.

---+++ 1971

In 1971 on 27th February, still at Childs Hall, the dancing led by Pat Shuldham-Shaw and musicians led by Denis Smith. We danced Valentine's Day, The Boatman, Mr Beveridge's Maggot, Newcastle, Juliana (2nd figure), The Health, Old Noll's Jig, Oranges and Lemons, Bartlett House, Fandango, Draper's Maggot, Green willow, Dick's Maggot and The Geud Man of Ballangigh. Extras were Never Love Thee More and The Spring.

---+++ 1978

   * Sharon Latty and Peter Webb at the 1978 Playford Ball:

    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/PeterAndSharonPlayford1978.jpg" alt="PeterAndSharonPlayford1978.jpg"  width="284" height="448"  />

-- Main.PeterWebb 28th March 2004

---+++ 1983

    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/PlayfordProg1983-cover.jpg" alt="PlayfordProg1983-cover.jpg"  width="300" height="705"  />

    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/PlayfordProg1983-inside.jpg" alt="PlayfordProg1983-inside.jpg"  width="606" height="709"  />

---+++ 1984

The 1984 Playford Ball programme (Andrew Findlay's copy):

    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/PlayfordProg1984-cover.jpg" alt="PlayfordProg1984-cover.jpg"  width="333" height="700"  />

    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/PlayfordProg1984-inside.jpg" alt="PlayfordProg1984-inside.jpg"  width="667" height="700"  />

---+++ 1985

The 1985 Playford Ball programme (Andrew Findlay's copy):

    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/PlayfordProg1985-cover.jpg" alt="PlayfordProg1985-cover.jpg"  width="752" height="800"  />

<p>1985 Playford Ball programme - inside: <p>
    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/PlayfordProg1985-inside.jpg" alt="PlayfordProg1985-inside.jpg"  width="743" height="800"  />


---+++ Some pictures from [[Main.AllanCharlton][Allan Charlton]]:

   * Paddy Ramm at the 1988 Playford Ball: <br />
    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/paddy-ramm.jpg" alt="paddy-ramm.jpg"  width="499" height="543"  />

   * Tina Bilbe at the 1988 Playford Ball: <br />
    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/tina-bilbe.jpg" alt="tina-bilbe.jpg"  width="406" height="543"  />

---++ Playford Reunion dance in 1974

    <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/1974playford.jpg" alt="1974playford.jpg"  width="711" height="516"  />

From left to right Trevor Rigg / ? Ian Howard / ? / ? / Malcolm Thomson /
Celia Williamson [Bonner] / Linda Johnson [?] / Martin Johnson / Sandy
Howard [Wilby]

It was a reunion dance after we had all left Uni but I can't remember the
location.

-- Main.TrevorRigg

Ah - this photo is also on the [[PlayfordTeam][Playford Team]] page - with all the names

   Main.BrianJones 21 August 2004