Friday, 11 March 2022

 "It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty, and how few by deceit "                                                             Noel Coward

The Content published on this site is 100% factual - legally filed and documented

The 1950/60s early Traditional British Aikido was an incredible time, all the early Japanese teachers were direst students of OSensei Morihei Ueshiba - the training was hard and the grades hard to achieve they were never given, they were awarded with pride, no one ever graded themselves, first there were the 1st Generation of just 5 dan grades - later there would be the 2nd generation making a total of eight dan grades, these were the only Aikido dan grades in the whole of the UK. It was unimaginable in those days that one day people would grade themselves to 7th &8th dans and then have the gall to grade others, and even more bewildering are those that grade themselves to Shihan.  

It is almost seventy years since those incredible times when Aikido was born at the " Hut Dojo" , thanks to the support of author Abdul Rashid, Derek Eastman and I have been able to document the true history for those that are genuinely interested  more importantly future generations of Aikidoka. The books are all available on Amazon books  

Henry Ellis.   


Click  " Is Aikido a Martial Art ? "

This book consists of a interview I conducted with Henry Ellis, a pioneer of Aikido in the UK since the 1950s. With over sixty years  of experience in Aikido he shares his views on the above topic, warm-ups with Karate style kicks and punches, daily runs,full contact training, read about what he went through under the direction of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and Ken Williams Sensei at the famous "Hut Dojo". You will have a different perception of Aikido after reading this book.
Author: Abdul Rashid. 
2022 Release - Amazon - £7-99p.
Cover photo Henry Ellis and son Rik.


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 !