Chapter 17

Fiddler's Folly

1975 - 1990

Once, whilst on holiday, we passed close to Walter Wilkinson's house in Somerset. Kath and I did not stop as we were a little shy of meeting the great man; which was a pity as, apparently, he loved to have visitors and chat about his travels.  After that we decided that we would seek out and contact other puppeteers. 

We had heard about Fiddlers Folly which was over the other side of Shropshire so we phoned and made a date to visit.  It was run by Doug Ward, who had inherited his parents large house along the old road (now just a rutted track, superseded by the A49) from Shrewsbury to Ludlow.  When he was just a lad, his parents had let him use the empty, derelict cottage in the garden for a puppet workshop and later, a theatre.  It was (still is) a beautiful and quiet site, with very few houses close by and on the edge of the Long Mynd hill.  The picture shows the cottage being renovated; Doug's house is the white building behind.

Doug's assistant was Hilda Cross who had her own puppet show with which she toured schools and was responsible for the schools side of Fiddler's Folly and made (with help from husband Harry) many of the smaller puppets.  Doug produced and directed the shows and was a good pianist and singer.  The cottage was two storied and had a twenty five seat theatre downstairs and an exhibition room upstairs.  Schools would visit and half would see a show whilst the other half looked at puppets and had pop and biscuits. 

Part of the upstairs display of puppets, many of which the children could handle.

There was also a sort of followers club; not so much puppeteers as 'Friends of the Folly'.  Doug worked, part-time, at the hospital with occupational handicrafts and some of the 'friends' also worked there. A particular friend of Doug's was Bert Amies, who was drama

 advisor for Shropshire but although there were no other puppeteers (apart from us, Hilda and a blind Punch and Judy man!) most had some entertainment to offer.  Ginny and Ian were folk guitarists and singers.  We had some wonderful evenings in the garden, as the sun went down, which could only be called 'soirées'; it was like going back a couple of generations.  Doug would wear his 'frock' as we called his kaftan and he would sing with a girl in gipsy costume complete with tambourine.  Bert would bring along his latest protégé, usually a young, slim, Adonis who would dance modern ballet, solo.  Doug, Hilda, Kath and I would provide some puppetry.  This is one such evening:

  Hilda  Cross       Hilda with "Lorra Li'l  Le'uces" (Salop talk for a 'lot of little lettuces')         Doug Ward

Shortly before we joined they became a little more organised and became the Shropshire Puppetry Association, which was affiliated to SADA - Shropshire Amateur Dramatic Association, thanks to Bert Amies.  I started a newsletter called SPA News or 'SPAN' because we had quite a few members but there were some who rarely came our monthly meetings but liked to be kept in touch.  We would take it in turns to hold meetings in each other's houses which were mainly 'bring and show' and usually included some form of entertainment.  Occasionally there were bigger events. 

Doug performed his major work, "Once There Was A Witch", with Hilda and a couple of others, at the Music Hall in Shrewsbury and we ran a number of workshops in the area.  One, 'open to the public', event was done at the little intimate theatre tucked away behind the music hall.  We sat in front until it was our turn, then returned to watch the rest performing. Ron was to perform with us and we had never seen or heard of what he did.  When we asked the others they just said, "Wait and see". 

Ron was pitifully shy and would hardly speak when addressed and we were intrigued to know what he would do.  Ron went backstage quite early to prepare and Kath and I held our breath as he was announced.  His music started, "Aye, Aye, Aye, Aye, Aye, I Like You Very Much" and out burst Ron in the full Carmen Miranda outfit of frilled dress, fruit-bowl hat and heavy make-up.  He had a good powerful voice, danced well and shook his maracas like wild thing.  Afterwards, he crept out, with head bowed and just gave a quick smile and nod to our applause.  Unfortunately, we were too stunned to take a photograph.

Doug came into some money and decided to renovate the little cottage theatre. Much of the work was self help.  Son, Chris, and I doing a lot of the rewiring and designing of the staging. Chris's then girl friend, Helen, also helped as a labourer.  The raked seating was improved and the staging completely rebuilt so that it extended into the upper floor.

Upstairs and roof nearly finished, downstairs next.                                    Helen and Bert Amies do a bit of labouring.   

Many of the public events were held in the summer in the garden.  There were both workshops and entertainments for, not only normal adults and children but often for Special Needs adults.

                                                                   Doug with Special Needs group

            An outside workshop.                                       The blind Punch and Judy Man                                                          

Doug had connections in America and, before we joined the group, Had been out there with Hilda Cross to play and hold workshops in a few Arts Centres in the Mid-West somewhere.  He had been asked to return for another visit and during our time with him he went out again but this time a nice American lady had shown more interest in him than the puppets.  They both came back to Shropshire and not long after returned to the States where they married.  This was somewhat of a surprise as we never thought Doug was the marrying kind.  They had a son and lived partly in the States and partly here but it never seemed to be a lasting relationship.  As Fiddler's Folly was closed for considerable times the group tended to break up and although we remained good friends with many members, especially Hilda, the Shropshire puppetry association ceased to be.

One interesting connection with America was Doug's meeting with Judy Simms, and her coming to Britain.  She is the writer of the puppetry book "Puppets for Dreaming and Scheming".  She also designed a puppet, a long limbed monkey with 'poppers' at hands and feet that could be worn "Hug Me" (her name for him) fashion.  Unfortunately, she did not register the design and they are now to be seen in all the puppet outlets.  Judy visited a few puppeteers around the country before returning home.  As I am now 'downsizing' my signed copy of Judy's book is now elsewhere in the puppetry community.

 Our relationship with Hilda Cross became quite close during the Fiddler's Folly period and continued long after.  We must thank Hilda for her many ideas for simple but attractive workshop puppets.  Hilda and Harry lived over the border in Wales and we often worked together, especially with workshops which included the Kirkudbright Puppet Festival in

 Scotland.  It was here that we first met Pat and Hugo Brennan and this, also, became a very happy and fruitful association.

                               Workshops with Hilda                                           Never too young to start    

Doug returned home leaving behind his son and ex wife.  He had sold the large house but kept the cottage and for a few years lived there in retirement with a male friend who bred small dogs.  He has since moved from the cottage and I have now lost touch with him.

Hilda continued with her own puppetry, including her annual trip to a group of Cotswold schools with shows and workshops.  Hilda's Harry became ill with cancer and they moved to Wiltshire to live with their daughter.  We visited a few times and after Harry died Hilda stayed with us a couple of times.  She then suffered from dementia and we again visited her in the nursing home at Wincanton.  At the end she did not even recognise us; when we introduced ourselves by name she would simply say, "Oh, yes, I think I remember them". Such a sad way for a lovely lady to go.

   Learnt:    Everyone has a talent and can teach us something.

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