Dancing master, step dancer and musician (fiddle) from Dentdale. Born c. 1860.
Taught in an upstairs room of the George and Dragon Hotel in Dent in about 1900. He ran classes every 2-3 years teaching twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays for 10 weeks at a fee of 8/- (40p) for a season of lessons although girls went free! He taught only young adults, aged 15-20, teaching, in addition to the dances, the etiquette of the ballroom. Classes took place from about 8.00 to 10.00pm. Every fortnight he ran a dance for the pupils, outsiders having to pay separately to attend. He was in fact only a part-time teacher, making most of his living making hay rakes.
He was known as an excellent step dancer.
Known to have taught the following dances:
Barn Dance
Circassian Circle
Cottagers
Highland Fling
Lancers
Ninepins
Polka
Quadrilles
Schottische
Square Eight
Swinging Six
Three Reel
Turn-off-Six
La Varsoviana
Waltz Cotillion
Waltz
Known to have taught the following individuals:
Information derived from an interview by Tom Flett with Mary Oversby on 5 April 1960 , with Brian Chapman on 7 April 1960 and with Mr & Mrs Dick Middleton on 8 April 1960