I've just acquired a print of about 1858 - "Morris Dancers at Crystal Palace" - which is showing mixed couples. The girls are dressed in shorter versions of the normal crinoline type skirt, and the men are quite becoming in open necked shirts with a knotted hanky round the neck, straw hats and knee-breeches. They each carry a slim beribboned stick in one hand. The music is provided by a military brass band. Is this a version of NW morris? It's from the Illustrated London News, I think.

I have also seen a report from the 1850s of morris dancers from Nottinghamshire - both male and female - coming to dance in Doncaster.

I personally believe that the late 19th century style of NW morris was a development of an earlier form, adapted over time to fit with the new urban lifestyle of the dancers. These brought a tradition of ritual dance with them when they moved from the countryside for a "better" life. You can't tell me that there was no tradition of ritual dance in the North West before the industrial revolution! I have always presumed the garland dances are a vestige of the rural tradition of May garlands.

Are there any unique NW dances still surviving that are particular to rural villages, rather than through absorbtion into the industrial areas?

Andrea