Lancashire Wallopers
Clockwise from the top:
Chas, Harry, Jill, Robynne, Ruth, Simon and Wallop (middle)
Sidmouth Folk Festival 2022 (Dorset Morri'arty)
The team was originally formed in 1981 by students of the legendary clog dancer and music hall entertainer Sam Sherry. The purpose of their formation was a one-off performance at the National Gathering at Cecil Sharp House of the bargees social dance taught to them by Bill Gibbons. Their outfits are inspired by the clothing traditionally worn by canal bargees and the group includes a dancing boat horse.
Why Wallopers? Walloping is an old Lancashire term for clog dancing.
Left : Sidmouth Folk Festival 2016 (John Dowell) Middle: Sidmouth 2022 (Kyle Baker Photography) Right: Queen Street Mill 2018
Mills and Music Halls......
Sailor! Where Art Thou? - 80 years on......
Sam had interests in both the traditonal styles of clog dancing and the music hall styles which are assumed to have developed, at least in part, from the former. The Wallopers continue that combination of interests and this is reflected in their diverse repertoire.
The Wallopers' present repertoire includes routines based on most of the steps that Sam Sherry taught, steps danced by other celebrated clog dancers and dance routines in the style of the music hall as performed by The Five Sherry Brothers.
The final (and most important) team member........
Wallop is a retired barge horse that makes occasional appearances with the team. He has a reputation for being a bit of a show off but who can blame him? Wallop won the prestigious Sidmouth Horse Trials in 2016 and has an impressive 6 Lancashire and Cheshire Clog Championship titles!
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