Halsway Manor Society

OBITUARY - Marjorie Hunt (1909 - 2003)
The inspiration behind Halsway Manor

by Brian Heaton

Marjorie Hunt, born Marjorie Waite in Tooting, London, first met folk dance at school in Bristol. She loved the music of Cecil Sharp's dances and the sociability of the later 'Traditional' ones introduced during the second world war. So much so that she joined Margaret Grant as a Branch teacher for the EFDSS in Exeter travelling the area on her bicycle with a box of 78rpm records.

Even at that time Marjorie had endless enthusiasm for Douglas Kennedy's post-war folk revival. Donald and Marjorie were married in 1945 and for several years shared a farm with fellow Quakers, Hugh and Doris Flatt, in Huish Champflower where the neighbours would be invited to spend happy evenings dancing in the farm kitchen.

Farming on Exmoor was a 'young man's game', as Donald was heard to say, and when Frances Gair-Wilkinson needed wardens to run Halsway Manor as an arts centre, Marjorie and Donald felt that the idea was perfect for them. It would give opportunities for their considerable artistic, musical and practical skills. But Frances was to meet 'Dusty Miller', and before all the improvements to the Manor had been completed, she was to marry him and sell Halsway.

Whilst in Poland, on one of Bill Rutter's dance tours, Marjorie tapped Bill on the shoulder and suggested that Halsway would make an ideal centre for folk music - and this was the beginning of the wonderful vision we have shared since 1965.

During the early years Marjorie established a style so loved by the dancers and singers of the time. Although there were no locks on guest doors and en-suiting had not been thought of, the Halsway experience was like coming home. You were welcomed as a member of the family and the staff were generally students, or the children of Marjorie's friends, who lived in, and were shown what to do by a small team of local 'girls'. Donald always ritually carved the joint on Sunday and Marjorie had the skills and flair to turn the house into a family home for everyone who stayed, even though we all shared the washing-up and minor chores.

Marjorie and Donald retired in 1972 and lived in their lovely 16th century cottage in Vellow. Then to Middle Bradley Farm in Devon with their son Adrian and his young family. After Donald's death in 1991, Marjorie lived with Donald's sister Kathleen in Norwood Road, and then moved to St. George's residential home in Tiverton. Here she surrounded herself with photographs and memorabilia of her grandchildren and her extended family and friends: but her missionary spirit had not diminished. Derek Byron and I played for her one afternoon and after asking for a selection of beautiful Playford tunes to be played for the residents she said that she would wake up the old people and get them dancing - and she meant it! Even to the end she could not resist sharing her joy of the dance and song with everyone around her.

It was in recognition of her unique contribution to Halsway that she was elected Vice-president of the Society in 2002. Marjorie has now joined Donald in the lovely Saxon churchyard of St. Margaret's, Templeton, Devon. Without Marjorie's vision and warm personality we would not be enjoying Halsway as a National Centre for Traditional Music today. She will be sorely missed.