A Morris troupe or team is known, for reasons unsure, as a Side.
DANCERS
Stephen Collingwood – The Squire has danced the Morris for longer than he can remember. When not dressed in baldricks and bells, and having retired (several times) as an EHO sorting out ‘Lives of Grime’, he now sings with the East Surrey Choral Society and St Matthews Church choir.
Jon Wimhurst – Bagman is a printer by trade and also the Side’s photographer. More important though, Jon keeps us organised and makes sure that we have a diary of events to attend.
Roger Hill has friends and family all over the world and is often away globetrotting. He may be the oldest member but maintains a spring and style to his dancing that belies this entirely.
Mick the Barber retired in 2021 after 43 years cutting hair in Woodside Green. A visit to Mick’s shop left you not only younger and better looking but also entertained by the best raconteur not yet found by the mass media.
David Williams – Treasurer is doggedly learning the complexity of Morris dancing. He is now retired having spent over 40 years working with computers. The emblem on the back of his waistcoat depicts this with a famous cartoon and the caption, “Hit any Key !”
Brian Tasker, a past Squire of the Morris Ring, takes the trouble to don North Wood kit and travel some distance to join us for several events through the year.
Andy Ellis – WebMonkey is recognisable by the Stag Beetle which adorns his waistcoat. When not clashing sticks and jangling bells he runs a small computer business but is also an official City of London tour guide.
Lizzy Maskey joined us in 2021. Although she claimed two left feet and was regularly chastised for skipping (her words) she proved a talented dancer. She runs her own bushcraft business, and can be found in the woods lighting fires, building shelters and eating the plants off the hedgerows. Lizzy moved Oop North in 2022 but we look forward to seeing her now and again.
Bob Houghton has moved back to his native Canada and is sadly missed. Having danced in Canada for nearly a decade with Cold Barn, Orange Peel, Cats on Fire, Cambridge Splinters and Wolf at the Door Molly. Bob came to us via the Red Stags of Southampton and introduced us to the dance called Cuckoo’s Nest. A history and ICT teacher by trade, he finds that dancing the Morris keeps him from taking himself too seriously.
Malcolm Hill has been a member of Northwood Morris for more than 15 years and still has difficulty remembering the steps, but he has the philosophy “Persistence may lead to success”. For many years he was the keeper of the Northwood Beast “Nugent” but has recently passed him to younger shoulders. Malcolm’s other passion is model trains. He has advanced first aid skills. but has never had need to use them at a Morris event.
On most occasions we are joined by members of North Wood Way.
MUSICIANS
Rick Bamford – NoteMaster joined us from Madder Mill Molly in 2022, taking over from…
Brian Stewart who took over from the now sadly departed Brian Collins. He used similar instruments so the undiscerning may not have noticed the difference. Brian, who still joins us for some special events, can be relied on for a non-ending series of clever jokes and commentaries on the tram system in Chennai: he is married to ….
Jannette Stewart who, despite some obvious and other less obvious obstacles, provides essential support for the team in banging her drum and commenting on the team’s dancing styles and sometimes even dancing herself which really does show us up.
Brian Collins for many years fought a losing battle as the side’s musician and was ever hopeful that one day he’d convince the dancers they ought to listen. Sadly, Brian passed away in February 2023, he will be much missed.
…AND FINALLY
Crispin Duck, a firm favourite of our Squire, is our trusty mascot without whom no North Wood outing would be complete. 
He is sometimes accompanied by his consort, the aloof L’Orange.
