Sunday 27 September 2015


Scroll Down for `British Aikido History Milestones`


 " No matter your pretence, you are what you are, nothing more " - Kenshiro Abbe Sensei

Welcome
To the ` British Aikido History ` Blog 
Kenshiro Abbe Sensei - 1915 - 1985

British Aikido History
1955
The Beginning of a Great Era of UK Budo

     UK Aikido History Milestones

Henry Ellis and  Derek Eastman Sensei's are proud to have their lineage diploma's signed by
 Osensei Morihei Ueshiba - Kenshiro Abbe Sensei - Masahilo Nakazono Sensei - Masamichi Noro Sensei - TK Chiba Sensei - Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba.
Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman Shihans both direct students of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and Ken Williams Sensei from the 1950s. Training at the birthplace of British Aikido at the now famous `Hut Dojo`. Hillingdon London.
They offer a personal insight with articles - videos - photos of the early history - lineage and training with Budo legends.
Kenshiro Abbe Sensei - Tadashi Abe Sensei - Masahilo Nakazono Sensei - Masamichi Noro Sensei - Nobuyoshi  Tamura Sensei - TK Chiba Shihan and many others. 
   




Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido

ESTA Founders: Derek Eastman & Henry Ellis; a brief UK Aikido history timeline from the 1950s to 2014.


Right: 1958 -  Kenshiro  Abbe Sensei's butterfly emblem of the BJC - BAC - BKA.




1.     1955.       Kenshiro Abbe arrives in the UK at the invitation (under contract) to the `London Judo Society` (LJS) - 
2      1955        K Abbe meets Masutaro Otani Sensei in London, the bonding of two great Budoka and an amazing future journey for British Budo.
3      1955.       K Abbe aged 40 takes on 33 LJS dan grades in line up - tells each the technique he will use, left & right - he beats every single one. 
4.     1955        K Abbe introduces Aikido - UK. `Royal Albert Hall London` - K Williams 1st UK student /dan grade - 1958 -BAC National Coach.
5.     1956.       K Abbe leaves London Judo Society. Abbe Sensei wanted to teach KyuShinDo Judo - the LJS were only interested in competition.
6.     1956.       K Abbe now joins forces with M Otani of the M.O.S.J.A. ( Jubilee Judo Club ). This was the beginning of a great era of UK Budo.
7.     1958.       K Abbe and M Otani create the `British Judo Council` (BJC) - `British Aikido Council (BAC) - `British Kendo Council` (BKC).
8.     1950s.     First UK Aikidoka - K Williams - D Williams - E Dollimore.      H Foster - H Ellis - D Eastman.

9.     1950s.      K Williams - D Williams - E Dollimore - H Foster - H Ellis - D Eastman first  UK dan grades recognized by OSensei and Aikikai.
10.    1959.       K Williams - H Ellis taught first  w/e UK Aikido seminar - Devises Judo Club Wiltshire UK as guests of Graham Burt Sensei.
11.   1950s.     Hut Dojo ( Abbe School of Budo ) first 8 dan grades to K Abbe Sensei;H Ellis-5th - D Eastman-7th.

12.   1957.       Kenshiro Abbe invites the first Japanese Aikido master to the UK - Tadashi Abe - `1926 - 1984` - Student of Osensei from 1942.
13.   1960.       H Ellis & D Eastman first UK Aikido TV exposure on Harlech TV with K Williams and all other Hut dan grades.

14.   1961.       K Abbe invites Masahilo Nakazono Sensei ( 1918 - 1994 )    to the UK as the official AikiKai rep for North Africa - Europe - UK.
15.   1962.       Masamichi Noro Sensei  1935 - 2013 - makes the first of many visits to the UK.
16.   1963        Ellis & Eastman traveled for 1 year round the UK - promoting - teaching - introducing Aikido for free - sleeping in dojos - car - name it.
17.   1963.       H Ellis & D Eastman first teachers to officially introduce Aikido to the UK Education System whilst traveling and teaching Aikido.
18.   1963.       Ellis - Eastman - Royal Albert Hall - 1963.K Abbe - M Nakazono - M Noro - M Harada - H Michigami - M Otani.- S Hamano.

19.   1963        Summer School - Grange Farm Essex - K Abbe - M Otani - H Michigami - M Harada - M Nakazono - M Noro - S Hamano 9th dan.
20.   1963.       Ellis - Eastman 1963.1st UK filmed Aikido demo -USAF West Drayton UK. - Event was the USAF European Judo Championships.

21.   1963.       K Abbe invites Mutsusuke Harada to teach Karate at the Hut Dojo - H Ellis and D Eastman studied with Harada Sensei.
22.   1964.       K Abbe visits Tokyo summer Olympics, visits Osensei, asks for TK Chiba to be sent to the UK as official AikiKai representative.
23.   1966.       Henry Ellis opens 1st Bracknell Aikido Dojo, demonstration by K Williams Sensei & all the Hut dan grades.

24.   1966.       TK Chiba Sensei arrives in the UK - makes first visit to the ` Hut Dojo`. Chiba Sensei makes sure the `Hell Dojo` lives up to its name.
25.   1967.       K Williams Sensei leaves the `Hut Dojo` in the care of Haydn Foster Sensei and moves to Wales to create the Ki Federation GB.
26.   1967.       H Ellis leaves `Hut Dojo` assistant to TK Chiba Sensei.1967 - 1972. Dojos - Earls Court London - Times Newspapers - London.
27.   1968.       H Ellis & K Chiba - First BBC World Radio Broadcast - 30 min Aikido interview.

28.   1968.       TK Chiba - H Ellis hold summer school in Bracknell - N Tamura - T Ichamura - H Tada.
29.   1968.       Derek Eastman creates the org `Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido`.[ ESTA ] then invites Henry Ellis to join.
30.   1968.       H Ellis & K Chiba - Granada TV - Aikido Demonstration.- see article ` Two Handsome Young Men `.

31.   1975.       William ( Billy) Otani Judoka and eldest son of Masutaro Otani Sensei tragically died aged 33 yrs - 1942 - 1975.
32.   1977.       Masutaro Otani head of Samurai Budo family dies aged 81 yrs - 1896 - 1977.- Together with K Abbe , created the BJC - BAC - BKC.
33.   1977.       British Aikido Board created from the Martial Arts Commission by the members for the members until discredited in 2000.
34.   1984        Tadashi Abe dies in  Japan - 23-11- 1984 - aged 58 yrs. He was the first Aikikai teacher to introduce Aikido to France and Eu 1952.
35.   1985.       Kenshiro Abbe Sensei dies peacefully at his home in Tokushima Prefecture - Japan. aged 69 yrs. (15-Dec-1915 -- 1-Dec-1985)

36.   1991.       Tomio Otani - Kendo - died aged 52 yrs - 1939 - 1991. - Tomio  student of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei. Tomio a close friend of Derek and I.
37.   1992.       Henry Ellis visits Masahilo Nakazono at his home in Sante Fe New Mexico USA.
38.   1994.       Masahilo Nakazono Sensei dies peacefully at his home in Sante Fe - New Mexico USA. aged 76 yrs. (20th-Dec-1918 - 8th-Oct-1994)
39.    2000.      British Aikido Board now discredited, attempt to corrupt the history of UK Aikido. ( they failed miserably  )  
40.    2004.      Henry Ellis forces the BAB to a meeting with Sports England. BAB receive strong reprimanded - ordered to apologize to Henry Ellis.
41.    2005.      Book Publication of "Positive Aikido" - A book on UK Aikido history anecdotes & techniques
42.    2005.      Ellis & Eastman organizing members "Kenshiro Abbe 50th Memorial Event". Crystal Palace London - Event totally sold out.
43.    2006       W `Bill` Woods died - 1930 - 2006 - Bill, personal assistant to Kenshiro Abbe, Bill was the most influential of all UK Budoka. 

44.    2007.      Ellis & Eastman organizing members "Masahilo Nakazono Memorial Event".
45.    2010.      Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman receive 6th dan AikiKai Hombu from the Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba.

46.    2011.      Haydn Foster Sensei  aged 84 yrs - 1927 - 2011 - Pioneer of UK Aikido dies peacefully at his home.
47.    1950s      2014 -H Ellis & D Eastman Diplomas signed by - Osensei Ueshiba - K Abbe - M Nakazono - M Noro - K Chiba - Doshu M Ueshiba.

48.    2012       UK Aikido History Articles published - Aikiweb - Fighting Arts Int - Aikido Today - Blitz MA Mag - Martial Arts Illustrated.
49.    2012.      H Ellis - D Eastman promoted to 6th dan AikiKai Shihan by TK Chiba Shihan and Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba - 3rd - 8th - 2012.
50.    2012.      H Ellis - D Eastman the original UK Aikido pioneers to be promoted to Aikikai Shihan by TK Chiba and Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba.
51.    2013.      Masamichi Noro Sensei dies peacefully at his home in Paris France, aged 78 yrs. ( 21st-Jan-1935 -- March 15 -2013)
52.    2014.      March -The discredited British Aikido Board begins to fragment with over 50% members leaving - incl the JAC and the BAA.

53.    2015.      Kenshiro Abbe Sensei - born 1915 - 100 years celebration of the birth of the legendary Budoka. 


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The British Aikido Lineage Tree

The British Aikido Lineage Tree
British Aikido Lineage comes directly from OSensei Ueshiba by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei to the UK in 1955..Photos in decending order are: OSensei ~ Kenshiro Abbe ~ K Williams ~ L- E Dollimore. R- D Williams- below - L- H Ellis -R - H Foster..below L to R - L Ballard - P Dowden -D Eastman - T Jones - R Reynolds...below the first Japanese teachers in order - M Nakazono - T Abe - M Noro - TK Chiba..The Lineage tree shows all the early teachers both British and Japanese. Click ~ British Aikido History site.

Aikido in the UK " The Beginning !!"

This article by Henry Ellis tells of the very early days of Aikido in the UK at the now famous " Hut Dojo " In those early days It was known as the " Hell Dojo ".
Aikido in the UK - The Beginning !