The History of New Road Molly Dancing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a member of New Road Molly you are continuing a long standing tradition at New Road School. New Road Molly first danced at the Straw Bear Festival in January 1992 when the above photograph was taken and we have danced every year since then. This year, 2017, will be our 26th time of dancing.

Do you recognise anyone in this photo?

Mrs Hodge and Mrs Band were the first dance leaders and Old Hunts Molly came to show the newly formed New Road Molly how to dance to basic steps of…one, two, three, hop… in an evening dance session at school. Our first dance was ‘College Hornpipe’ which we still perform today. In those early days we did not have a musician and always had to borrow one from another dance side. Now we have Tom Sennett, who was one of our first dancers, and Mrs Fincham, who kindly play their melodeons for us.

The parents and grandparents of the original dancers had spent a long, long time making the dance oufits and many of the tatter jackets that we still wear belonged to these children.

In this photo we are waiting in the Town Hall for the very first appearance at the Straw Bear Festival of the small Straw Bear. It was such a surprise for us all. Many previous New Road Molly Dancers still come to find us to say ‘hello’ on Straw Bear Day, even though they are now grown up with their own families. It is always lovely to see them.

Thank you for helping us to continue the tradition of Molly Dancing at New Road School.

Mrs C P Whitehand

PS- You will all know someone in the above photo. Miss Whitehand is the tiny tot in the mob cap at the front of the photo on the left hand side. She used to be our mascot!