Dancers from Workington, Cumberland, England. John Whittle was born in about 1884 and Mrs Whittle in about 1888.
John Whittle attended dancing classes run by Dizzy Bryden in about 1902. The classes were in Workington and were for both schoolchildren and teenagers but he also ran dances for adults. He only taught social dancing although John Whittle knew the shuffle-off. He learned the following dances:
- d’Alberts (incl figures of Waltz Cotillion)
- Barn Dance
- Caledonians
- Circassian Circle
- Eight Hand Reel
- Heel and Toe Polka
- Highland Schottische
- Lancers
- Mazourka
- Military Two Step
- Polka
- Polka Mazourka
- Quadrilles
- Schottische
- Six Hand Reel
- Waltz
- Waltz Cotillion
John Whittle had seen the Three Hand Reel performed as an exhibition by three ladies in shoes at an old folks event in about 1905.
Mr and Mrs Whittle knew of Cumberland and Westmorland step dancing and remembered:
Harry Earp, Workington
Bill Lowden, Harrington
Harry Shepherd, Workington
Williamson, Workington
As all being exponents of clog dancing. They also knew of Oliver Cowper, Parry Cowper and Roland Cowper of Whitehaven and Will Wright of Seaton (who was a “proper dancing master.”)
Information derived from and interview by Tom Flett with Mr and Mrs Whittle on 4 January 1960.