A Grand Old Fool

John Messias

On the 21st June 1958 East Kent Morris Men toured around the Kentish Countryside. They went to Tenterden, Great Chart, Biddenden, Appledore and St Mary's Bay. This was the first occasion on which they were accompanied by their new Fool, Mr John Messias.

On the 20th June 1998 EKMM and Woodchurch Morris accompanied by friends carried out an anniversary tour. With John in fine form, we visited some of the same places and met many people who remembered John from his previous visits with the side over the years

John, our fool for 43 years, died in September 2001. A central figure of our performances all this time, with his bowler hat, red nose and ready wit, he will be missed. Not only by the side but by those members of the public to whom he was as much a part of the morris as the dancers, the music or the horse.

Peter Thomas