Reminiscence Time!

I've been going through my photo and tape archive trying to piece together the 'Pads', who were around in the 19080s. Most of what I recall comes from my time in the 7Champions, although my recordings also come from stands they did at Towersey. Pads morphed into a team called 'Black and Blue' before folding.

To those that never saw or heard them, their dance repertoire was inspired by the 7Champs' treatment of the Cambridge feast dances which was then transmuted to barn dance figures by Pads. The team self-styled themselves as 'Urban Molly' - an all female team wearing soft felt hats, collarless blue shirts, dark trousers, and monkey boots. More memorable too was their band: Dan Quinn and Trevor Bennett from Flowers & Frolics, Ralph Jordan, Sam Stephens & Anne Lennox-Martin, a trumpeter (whose name I can't recall), and Nigel Carter, using mainly self-composed polkas and marches.

Most of the dances were composed by Kerry Fletcher, but I recall few of its other members (Sue 'E-T', Mary Fox?)

I've been in touch with both Kerry, Nigel and Dan. Kerry's notes are with the Morris Federation, as is three pages of some of their tunes. Most of my recordings have me talking over the music to give a rough notation so are largely an aide memoire.

I'd be interested to hear from ex-members, esp anyone else who might have recorded the band, who also went under the name 'Left Luggage' as the sound they made was utterly splendid!