In Memoriam:
David James Pritchard
11th February 1955 - 25th October 1999

One mayday morning (back when I used to do that sort of thing) while waiting for enough others to arrive at the top of whichever university building it was that year I put to him the question which had been posed on the MDDL by I forget whom, namely if our dancing makes the sun come up why do we do it so early?

He was, naturally, unfazed by this pointing out that dawn dancers were like electrons. Current only flows because of all the electrons, but an individual electron can't decide what the current is going to be, similarly the dancing all over the world made the sun come up but we couldn't unilaterally make it come up later.

Matthew Wright

I'm at a loss for words...

I have a treasured photo of great tall fuzzy David dancing patiently and joyously with my 10-year-old son this summer at Burton Agnes Hall, leaving the lad feeling proud and capable. NEFFA '97 & the Brew Moon pub in Harvard Square. David & Christina smiling & dancing with Woodfidley at Chippenham this summer...

David (right) dancing with Ahren, Debbie and Sue at Burton Ahnes Hall

I didn't know him well, but know for certain sure that the world was a better place because of David. We shall miss him.

Debbie Lewis

Thanx for the news, tho' sad, my dear. Great hugs and fondness for all good memories shared.

RuthTemple

Even though we only had the chance to meet David twice - once at Hastings a few years ago, and more of an extended time this spring for Mayday and other dance outs, it was easy to see what a great person he was. His sense of humor, as well as his patience with teaching my Dave how to dance Red Stags dances, and his obvious delight in morris dancing, were a sight to behold.

We will both miss him.

Doreen Motheral

My main memory of David, which I will treasure, is for making me feel so welcome at Stags and for his friendliness at practice and in Nottingham last month. He was part of a very special culture.

Sue Hamer-Moss

It seems strange to be writing this now. When I left him the night before he died, he seemed to be making good progress. I'm glad that he felt able to be rude to me, that he knew how well he was loved, that he could make sarcastic comments about the food.

I don't make friends easily and I can ill-afford to lose any.

It was tempting to put curly bits, wreaths and an animated gif of a candle on this: tempting because he'd have hated it. On balance, I went for making it work with all browsers and all widths, and load quickly. David was giving advice on making displays look good shortly before he died, and it certainly wasn't anything to do with animated .gifs. You taught me well, my friend, and I won't debase that for a cheap shot. So, as David would have wanted, if this doesn't look good on your browser,

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Vaya con Dios, David

If you have favourite pictures or stories you'd like included, or you just want to add your name, email me.