Partlett, William

Dancer

Collection date: May 1910

Area: Oxfordshire

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William Partlett of North Leigh morris (1832-1923): age 80, 1 morris tune ‘Princess Royal’ FT2493 on 16 May 1910: Sharp interviewed William Partlett about the North Leigh morris side in 1910 and later met Fred Gardner in 1912 (see Gardner profile).

William Partlett was born c1832 in North Leigh, 3 miles NE of Witney. He was the 2nd of 6 sons of Henry Partlett, agricultural labourer, and his wife Martha. On 6/10/1856 he married Charlotte Gessey at North Leigh. He could not sign his name. They had no children and for nearly 20 years they looked after Charlotte’s father Edward in their home.

William Partlett was an agricultural labourer all his life in North Leigh and was disappointed that the morris had lapsed: ‘(We) used to be merry in the old days. Different now in the villages. Not no neighbours; not friends as they used to be’ (Folk Dance Notes vol1 pp142-3). William died 22/4/1923 aged 91.