The Great British Aikido Controversy

Written by Henry Ellis


The Aikido Controversy

The Aikido Controversy is now a part of British Aikido History. It was a long and difficult fight to protectrepparttar true history of British Aikido fromrepparttar 132885 false claims of Mr Jack Poole and The British Aikido Board. Sport England totally exonerated Henry Ellis. The BAB were instructed to give Henry Ellis a full public apology after admitting that Mr Poole had received an award to APPEASE him. The BAB also admitted that Mr Poole could only substanciate his history from 1968.

The Controversy (Why such a controversy)

Two years ago I received a circular, viarepparttar 132886 British Aikido Board, inviting me to Mr Jack Poole's celebratory seminar of "47 years in Aikido". At that time this would have placed Mr Poole asrepparttar 132887 first ever for Aikido inrepparttar 132888 UK in 1952. This is a very serious statement and offensive to those like myself and others who took part inrepparttar 132889 birth of British Aikido, and its subsequent promotion. So whyrepparttar 132890 controversy? Mr Poole was an immediate beginner in my Dojo at Slough, Berks, in 1968. One does not have to be a nuclear scientist to calculate that 1968 from 2000 is 32 years (not 47 years) Howeverrepparttar 132891 British Aikido Board in its wisdom refused to answer my subsequent complaint, against Mr Pooles claim, and atrepparttar 132892 National Seminar 2000 awarded him a bronze samurai statue to celebrate his "40 plus years of Aikido".

The article that follows details these events and has been built up asrepparttar 132893 events unfolded.

Yours in Budo Sensi Henry Ellis

Forrepparttar 132894 history of British Aikido, read Sensei Ellis's article "Positive Aikido" in "Fighting Arts International".

The Final Analysis

Onrepparttar 132895 29th February 2000 Sensei Ellis sent an official letter of complaint torepparttar 132896 British Aikido Board,repparttar 132897 letter was addressed torepparttar 132898 British Aikido Board secretary Mrs S Timms, subsequently Mrs Timms arranged a meeting at "The Hut" with Sensei's Foster, Ellis, Eastman, and Mrs Timms herself to discussrepparttar 132899 matters detailed inrepparttar 132900 letter. It was agreed without doubt that no one had ever heard of Mr Poole prior to him being a beginner in Sensei Ellis's dojo in 1968.

Atrepparttar 132901 British Aikido Board meeting held onrepparttar 132902 23rd September 2000,repparttar 132903 British Aikido Board executive denied having receivedrepparttar 132904 "official complaint" whenrepparttar 132905 matter was raised by Sensei Derek Eastman. Ifrepparttar 132906 British Aikido Board executive did not receiverepparttar 132907 letter, why? It was as a result of this letter thatrepparttar 132908 above meeting took place, so I will askrepparttar 132909 question again, why was this important official letter that directly affectsrepparttar 132910 history of British Aikido not placed beforerepparttar 132911 whole ofrepparttar 132912 executive committee?

In briefrepparttar 132913 evidence against Mr Poole that was offered torepparttar 132914 British Aikido Board:

Sensei Ellis has not one photo of Mr Poole as a beginner in 1968 but several.

Both these photes clearly show Mr Poole as a beginner and were taken in 1968

A video taken in 1968, clearly showing Mr Poole as a beginner. Witnesses to these dates: > Chiba Sensei > Ellis Sensei > Eastman Sensei > Goodwin Sensei > Staverou Sensei Students from that time. When Mr Poole was asked by a senior member ofrepparttar 132915 British Aikido Board "Jack, when and where did you actually start your Aikido", Mr Poole's reply was "errgh, I can't really remember when I started".

Onrepparttar 132916 strength of that brief statementrepparttar 132917 British Aikido Board awarded Mr Poole with a fine samurai statue to celebrate our new leader.

Once again I repeat thatrepparttar 132918 only reason forrepparttar 132919 controversy article being placed on our Internet site is not malicious but simply to protectrepparttar 132920 true history of Aikido inrepparttar 132921 UK.

As of today’s date, 13th October 2000, we have not yet received any advice from a lawyer as to any threatened action. We intend to keeprepparttar 132922 article on our website and if Mrs Timms and Mr Poole wish to contestrepparttar 132923 truth then we patiently await your legal response to change hard facts into fiction.

Jack Poole And his forthcoming "Celebration of 47 years of Aikido" By Henry Ellis Sensei The Controversy

Recently, I received a letter fromrepparttar 132924 British Aikido Board, enclosed wererepparttar 132925 usual documents of a previous general meeting, amongstrepparttar 132926 papers was a A4 size photo of Mr. Poole, inviting everyone torepparttar 132927 above celebration, including me. The content ofrepparttar 132928 poster was of great concern to many others and me who shared inrepparttar 132929 birth of Aikido in Britain. If you have not read my story in "Fighting Arts International " No 93, and Aikido Today Magazine No 36, they are to be found on this web page.

Why all this concern?

As I have stated above,repparttar 132930 history of Aikido inrepparttar 132931 UK is very well documented. Kenshiro Abbe Sensei introduced Aikido in 1955, his first student was Ken Williams Sensei, (see Aikido Today Magazine #43). From that early group of selected students,repparttar 132932 only ones to survive are Williams sensei, Haydn Foster sensei, and myself Henry (Harry) Ellis. Williams sensei was maderepparttar 132933 National coach for Aikido inrepparttar 132934 UK, and I wasrepparttar 132935 assistant National coach.

During those great early years, we traveled all overrepparttar 132936 British Isles, also to France and Belgium.

If we are to believe Mr. Poole’s claim to 47 years of Aikido, then this would place him back inrepparttar 132937 era of 1952/3, this is two years beforerepparttar 132938 arrival of Kenshiro Abbe sensei torepparttar 132939 UK. None ofrepparttar 132940 early teachers had ever heard of Mr. Poole, that is until Mr. Poole came to join my "beginners class" in 1967/8 at my dojo in Slough, Berkshire.

Take a look atrepparttar 132941 photos in both magazines, you will see a man with a bald head and long beard, that is unmistakably Mr. Poole. Is it not conceivable that as I was a 3rd dan at that time I would have noticed that this "beginner" had some 15 years previous training, andrepparttar 132942 fact that Mr Poole was with my beginners for some three years, would he not have told me.

A Choose Up Game - One of My Best Games

Written by Aron Wallad


A Choose Up Game - One of My Best Games

The teams were picked andrepparttar line ups were announced. I was batting third. I could not wait to hit. Hitting to me was like eating for a fat man with a tape worm. I lived forrepparttar 132884 experience. I knew even before I batted that I would get a hit. I was so young and cocky! Afterrepparttar 132885 first two guys on my team made outs, I strolled up torepparttar 132886 plate, as confident as Babe Ruth - pointing to center field inrepparttar 132887 1934 World Series when he called his famous home run. Digging in and sneering at Donnie, I was determined to smack that pill. First pitch was a high and tight fastball. . I got out ofrepparttar 132888 batter’s box and stared again at Donnie. I was thinking fastball for his next offering. I was right. The ball came in so big so round so slow. I could seerepparttar 132889 red seams onrepparttar 132890 ball. Boom! I connected on that real sweet spot onrepparttar 132891 bat.

All batters love that sound. That crack that sounds so solid. Pitchers hang their heads when they hear that noise. It’s likerepparttar 132892 strike of chalk on a backboard, they hate it. The ball jumped off my bat and sailed overrepparttar 132893 left and centerfielder’s heads. It was a shot and a half. As I roundedrepparttar 132894 bases I got a glimpse of Mr. Ginsburg,repparttar 132895 high school coach, watching me roundrepparttar 132896 bases. This was Major League stuff.

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