Detailing the True British Aikido History and Lineage from its Inception by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei 1955

1959/60 - Left: Kenshiro Abbe ( H Ellis centre ) Sensei would often just step on the Hut Dojo mat and teach in his suit - Centre: Book `Positive Aikido`- Right: Teaching at the Crystal Palace London  " Kenshiro Abbe Memorial Event 2005 ". The mat was full to its allowed capacity of 425 students with 400 plus spectators. This was probably the greatest display of all the Budo arts ever witnessed in the UK.

The Traditional Aikido introduced to the UK in 1955 by the Budo legend Kenshiro Abbe Sensei was a martial art - It was a time before the rise of the plastic Samurai -There was no Ki Aikido - There was no dancing Ki with ribbons or breathing through ones toes - there were no silly `` no touch throws ``- There was no throwing from a distance with a nod of the head - There was no music in the dojo - there was no attacking by flying ukemi - no falling down on command - No one would dare to grade themselves or be graded by their own students, or give themselves titles of Hanshi or Shihan.

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei is a Budo legend highly respected in the world of Budo - yet - there are members of the British Aikido Board who have graded themselves higher than Kenshiro Abbe Sensei with the approval of the B A B.
Aikido was once a Martial Art.

Henry Ellis with Masahilo Nakazono 1992 - NM - USA

Nakazono Sensei is one of the most revered of all the early teachers. I was pleased to be invited to his home in Sante Fe New Mexico where I spent several hours talking of the early days of British Aikido. Sensei asked " who is grading all these high grades in the UK that I hear of ? "

I replied " Sensei - there are some that are Aikikai affiliated, the rest either grade themselves or grade each other "  Sensei laughed, then said " Henry, I should not laugh as this is rather sad, what would Abbe Sensei think ? "   

The  British  Aikido  History  Blog 

Click the link below for a early video of the first visit by Masamichi Noro Sensei to the UK and the `Hut Dojo`.

The Hut Dojo 1963

The purpose of this website is to promote the true history of British Aikido.

It is unfortunate that the "British Aikido Board Controversy" has now become an unacceptable part of our history. It does show that such conduct will not be tolerated by the students of both today and tomorrow. 

Visit Aikido Books for `Positive Aikido` Positive Aikido 

Scroll down for my Rare Collection of Aikido Books. 

                The ESTA and this website are not associated with the discredited British Aikido Board 

SCROLL DOWN for THE TRUE HISTORY of BRITISH AIKIDO

Aikido - UK - first demonstrated at the London Judo Society (LJS) National Championships by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei at the Royal Albert Hall London in 1955.
Abbe Sensei had arrived in the UK at the invitation of the LJS - After just one year Abbe Sensei decided to leave the LJS and join with M Otani Sensei.

This would be a successful partnership with the creation of the British Judo Council `BJC` - British Aikido Council `BAC` - British Kendo Council `BKC`.

Right: Ken Williams Sensei seated with Abbe Sensei at the `Hut Dojo`. Williams Sensei a Judoka 3rd dan who became the first UK Aikido student of Abbe Sensei and Aikido.
Left: 1950s - Early students of both Aikido and Judo at the `Hut Dojo`.
Front centre: Kenshiro Abbe Sensei - Ken William Sensei - Henry Ellis second from right back row.


Left: Kenshiro Abbe. Right: Ken Williams Sensei the first UK student of Abbe Sensei for Aikido.


This site is dedicated to preserving the true history and lineage of that amazing era in post war Britain - After the second world war these were hard times, they were also good times. It was a time when grades and titles were earned the hard way - the only way - the true way. 
Dan grades in all martial arts were a rare breed and very highly respected - No one was ever graded by their friends and students.
Kenshiro Abbe Sensei would laugh were he able to see some of the clowns of today - idiots that have graded themselves to the same grade or in some cases higher than Abbe Sensei.
Kenshiro Abbe - a man who was a true Budo legend.


Right: Mitsusuke Harada Sensei

Right: Guests - Henry Ellis - Mitsusuke Harada - Derek Eastman.
They joined Harada Sensei at the TK Chiba 40th Celebration in 2006.

Harada Sensei was invited to the UK in 1963 by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei - He held his first classes at the Hut Dojo.

Harada had no students to begin with - Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman studied Karate with Harada, he in turn studied Aikido with them - Harada began to incorporate Aikido moves later into his Shotokai Karate as can be seen in his teachings today.


Left: Henry Ellis with his son Rik Ellis at the Hut Pub and Dojo where Aikido began in 1955 - Henry and Rik had just had lunch with TK Chiba Shihan - 2011.
Rik Ellis a student of both Aikido/MMA and BJJ - Rik is the UK1 MMA -light heavy weight champion 2012.

The Betrayal of British Budo

This Blogsite is dedicated to the true history and lineage of British Aikido from its inception 

by 

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei in 1955

In the year 2000.  The British Aikido Board chairman Toni Davies, enthusiastically supported by the BAB secretary Ms Shirley Timms conspired with one Jack Poole to completely alter the true proud history and lineage of British Aikido. The following year, the new chairman Mr Vincent Sumpter would continue with this charade.

Left: Toni Davies - Right: Ms Shirley Timms

BAB = BAD at BUDO

Left: The ` Hut Dojo` history board that the BAB would, given the opportunity, give it a coat of white wash.

Until the year 2000 it was accepted that the legacy of the founder of British Aikido Kenshiro Abbe Sensei was the corner stone of UK Budo History.
The stories of the early days of Aikido in the UK with Abbe Sensei's and his first student Ken Williams Sensei, along with the first four dan grades - Dave Williams - Eric Dollimore - Haydn Foster - Henry Ellis - these factual events were well established.
This was until the British Aikido Board `BAB` who publicly claim to ``Maintain standards in British Aikido `` actually colluded with one Mr Jack Poole to change this history, the BAB defied all logic and accepted Mr Poole's version of the origins of British Aikido.
Henry Ellis advised the BAB of the errors of their crass conduct - the slide show below details their reaction to being exposed.

The British Aikido Board Controversy Slide-Show

The documented slide-show offers the genuine students of Aikido a quick insight into the crass conduct of the British Aikido Board and its favourite son Mr Jack Poole.
Mr Poole has many supporters, I can understand why they are prepared to go to great lengths to protect his devious fraudulent history, simply because at the same time they are desperate to protect their grades whatever their value.
For more detailed information visit in the right hand column " The Martial Arts Encyclopedia " ( The investigation into the BAB & Mr Poole )

The British Aikido Board Controversy Slide-show



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The British Aikido Board Event Presentation Programme

Reads ( pause at 7m 14sec )

" This year is a particular special event because we will be honouring 5 ( FIVE ) instructors who have served over 40  ( FORTY )  continuous years teaching Aikido in the UK. "

They are:  H Ellis ~ H Foster ~ R Reynolds ~ W Smith - D Eastman.

NOW look at the presentation group photo and the named 5 ( FIVE ) has mysteriously become 6  ( SIX ) 

Documented evidence of the conduct of the UK Governing Body for Aikido.

Detailing the BAB's attempted collusion with one Mr Jack Poole to change forever the true proud history and lineage of British Aikido, from its inception to the UK in 1955 by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei.

Henry Ellis was actually Mr Poole's first teacher, this is obvious to anyone who is not a student of Mr Poole or a member of the BAB executive .
It can clearly be seen from the large collection of photos and statements that Mr Poole's history is a sham, this did not deter the BAB from proudly parading Mr Poole along-side his teacher as a `Pioneer of British Aikido` .

                                                  IMAGINE

Imagine, you are a direct student of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and recognised by both the Doshu and TK Chiba as a pioneer of British Aikido.
The UK Aikido governing body, the BAB, invite you to receive an award in recognition of your achievments.

As you wait to meet the Lord Mayor of Birmingham - you hear a shuffling sound - you look behind - standing there unannounced and totally unashamed is one of your old students, by the name of Jack Poole, unbelievably he is standing in line to receive the same award as the true pioneers - unbelievable.
You could not make this up - The BAB did.

The British Aikido Board can make your Day Dreams a Reality.



British Aikido Board Exposed.

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and the early pioneers of Aikido in the UK, they could never have imagined that 50 years on, there would be a governing body for the art of Aikido, sadly, this was not  a governing body that would work for all that is good in Aikido -  This governing body, would collude with a self-graded Mr Jack Poole and others, to corrupt the true history and lineage  of Aikido in the UK.

Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman dared to question the conduct of the BAB.
The BAB, despite knowing that Henry Ellis did not even have a simple motoring offence against his good name and character - the BAB began to spread slanderous rumours that Mr Ellis had been charged with "GBH" grievous bodily harm - a very serious charge, which in the UK is second only to murder, a sentence that can result in a life prison sentence.
This gross act of slander was exposed by an ex-senior BAB executive.

Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman took their case first to the Minister for Sport at the `Houses of Parliament` - then to - `Sport England`.
The BAB were reprimanded for their crass conduct and instructed to give a written apology to Henry Ellis. The BAB apology was not a sincere acceptance of regret - The BAB was exposed by the ex- executive, the BAB would continue to slander the good name of Henry Ellis.

It is our aim to protect our proud history, and lineage, from those that create their own grades, titles and history.

 Future generations will one day look for the truth.

Visit the ``British Aikido Board Exposed `` Blog.
Read the shocking truth about this crass organisation. British Aikido Board Exposed

See my Rare Aikido Books Below