British Aikido Board Exposed - Scroll Down Front Page.

British Aikido Board  - FAQ 

Questions and Answers

Important - Questions and Answers.

Question;
“What are the advantages or disadvantages of being a member of the `British Aikido Board` ?”
Answer; Advantages = None -  Disadvantages are many

Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman of  `The Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido ` were initially members of the excellent `MAC` - `Martial Arts Commission,` they later became founder members of the British Aikido Board.

During those early days we, and the other founding members, were full of enthusiasm, we had a dream of building an organisation worthy of the rapidly growing UK Aikido community.

The BAB quickly grew in numbers, it also grew away from its members as it became more and more bureaucratic. There were people who were not so good on the mat, yet they were a little better in the administration.

The BAB have a very large bank balance created by its membership, along with its endless revenue flow from various coaching awards schemes.

If the BAB could come up with an award for laying mats or tying an Obi or a Hakama, and charge for it, they would.
You can actually buy a BAB dan grade certificate on their website. Why wait until Xmas - order yours, don't forget one for a friend  !!

"Oh - don't forget to add that you are BAB approved"

The executive actually have a sweet little share out of members money (your money ) they have a rather nice name for it too, they call it a `honorarium` of approx £1,000 each executive.

The ESTA resigned from the BAB in the year 2000 in protest at their crass attempt to alter the true history and lineage of British Aikido.

During the past thirteen years not one single person, nor one single organisation or authority, has asked if we are members of the `British Aikido Board`.
To be honest, we are always pleased to advise people that we are not associated with the discredited BAB.

Question:
“ We are only with the BAB for the martial arts insurance ! ”
Answer:
There is no need to join the BAB just for m/a insurance cover – The information below will meet all of your insurance martial arts requirements .
Contact the BKA and go compare.
BKA Martial Arts Insurance
– BKA Admin – 149 Longsight – Harwood – Bolton – BL2 3JE – Tel; 01484 843400 –
Email: bka@thebka.co.uk

 

Below the Documented Slide - Show of the BAB Controversy.

See the actual documents - `The BAB and Mr Jack Poole` have never offered one single item of fact or proof to support their crass actions.

Rather than justify their conduct with documented proof - they resorted to - Slander - Fraudulent Deceit - Blackmail emails - Hate Website.

Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido 

 Resignation Letter to the British Aikido Board.

Att: The Chairman of the British Aikido Board 

Mr V Sumpter & Ms S Timms

Dear Sir

We the Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido tender our resignation from the British Aikido Board as of the above date.

We have no further confidence in the board as a competent governing body due to the boards inept handling of the Jack Poole controversy.

In the past two years the board have not replied to any of my correspondence on this now public matter, neither have they replied to any other correspondence, including information on first aid courses as requested.

I recently received the minutes of the last meeting, these were the first in almost eighteen months.

It is now very obvious after two years of the "controversy " being a major topic of debate in the Aikido community that the BAB have no intention of addressing this matter which has brought the credibility of the BAB into disrepute and derision.

How can any organisation or individual member have the confidence and faith to approach the so called ``Governing Body `` with any future dispute after what has been a very public loss of trust as shown by the apparent cowardice of this chairman and his executive.

Yours faithfully

Henry Ellis

___________BRITISH AIKIDO BOARD EXPOSED_________

In the year 2000 the BAB executive clique colluded with Jack Poole of Shinwakai Aikido to promote him as a pioneer of British Aikido - The BAB had the audacity to stand Mr Poole alongside his first Aikido teacher Henry Ellis to recieve the same award of a samurai statue as a pioneer - The BAB ignored the photos of Mr Poole as a beginner in the dojo of Henry Ellis - Ms Timms held on to the photos for a considerable time until she realised there were many more photos - videos - statements - they were unable to hide the truth - To this day the BAB clique continue to protect Mr Poole and his fantasy life of Budo. The BAB continue to protect Mr Poole in an attempt to protect themselves from a serious and disgraceful error of judgement.


Left: Mr Jack Poole.                                                                                 Right: Ms S Timms BAB Secretary
To this day Mr Poole continues to receive the full backing of Ms Timms the BAB secretary and the chairman Mr V Sumpter - Facts - History - Lineage - Credibility have little or no value or meaning to the BAB clique.

Despite the undisputed facts - neither Mr Poole or the BAB have ever apologised to me, or more importantly their members for their crass deceit .

 If, as with the gullible - we were to believe Mr Poole and the BAB ? Mr Poole would be known forever as the first UK student of - Aikido - Karate - Kendo - 3rd dan Judo BJC International competitor with Mutsutaro Otani Sensei. - These claims denied by R Otani BJC President - . [ See the amazing  BIO of Mr Poole below ]

Mr Poole has now changed his bizarre claims to read " Sensei Poole has studied to black belt standard in several martial arts" . C'mon now Mr Poole - either you are a dan grade or you are not in Judo - Karate - Kendo - ? - Mr Poole is proud to have received his 7th dan from the joint approval of his students.


The Jack Poole Biography Exposed - Click >  The Jack Poole Biography Exposed

Mr Arnold Davies 8th dan Hanshi, `ZaZen International Society` - General Secretary.
Extract from a long letter from Mr Davies Hanshi.
States the following in a letter to Henry Ellis.

“Having read Mr Pooles biography; wherein it indicates that he had Organised Courses throughout Europe is definitely untrue”.
“I now state quite clearly that Jack Poole was excluded from the Bushido ZaZen International Society under a cloud of mistrust and deceit”.
My own opinion of Jack Poole and which is drawn from experience, is “ I see him as a very egotistical man who will use and abuse the trust of genuine people in order to develop an identity for himself”.

                                                                                                                   BAB  Members Money                     
2012 British Aikido Board members money ? BAB total Budget for 2012 = £10,000 - equal to - 2012 BAB Honorarium of £1000 paid to each executive = £10,000.

                               The Truth is Here

Apology Received from The (ex) BAB Communication Officer 6/9/09 

 No apology from BAB for this vicious act of slander.

Att; Henry Ellis Sensei.

 

Dear Henry,
I write this email to once and for all state that I am truly sorry for all of the distress caused to you by my email correspondence which contained information I now know to be complete lies and fabrications.
The basis for the lies came from various members of the then BAB Exec team. These meeting were held in both Solihull and Slough at the home of the BAB Secretary, Shirley Timm’s. None of the information discussed at these meeting was minuted in any detail with regard to you. It became apparent very quickly they were trying to recover themselves from a huge mistake they had made with regard to awarding Jack Poole an award for time in Aikido when he clearly had not been in Aikido this long. People turned against you in these meetings and started to bad mouth your good name and character with utter rubbish and fabrication. Shirley Timm’s was the basis and the main instigator in these lies with Tony Davis also adding false anecdotes and recounting tales which now quite clearly never occurred. Sadly, I listened to these and believed them. I know now they are completely false.
With Regard,
Ex BAB Communications Executive.

The (ex) BAB Communication Officer ( name with-held for legal reasons ) - ( Mr Ellis did not have a motoring offence against his good name. )

Henry Ellis - British Aikido pioneer  - Direct Student of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei - ex-BAB founder member - Ex-head of organisation -  Resigned from the BAB in Disgust - If the BAB can show such arrogance and contempt to a senior member who raises a factually documented proven serious complaint - how will other members fair if they ever dare to challenge the BAB ?
British Aikido Board attempts to change the history and lineage of British Aikido - This blog is a totally 100% honest and factual account of the conduct of the BAB - the discredited governing body for UK Aikido.The facts themselves are so damning, there is no need to exaggerate or embellish any of the statements within this site.
I stand by every statement I have written.- Henry Ellis

Below: Ms Timms BAB Secretary:

The shocking and serious revelations from the Ex BAB Executive, see below.
The BAB defamation of the good name and character of Henry Ellis.
 The ex BAB executive reveals his disgust at the conduct of this discredited organisation.
The ex BAB executive has stated in writing that he is prepared to stand up in court to defend his statement below.

Read the `FAQ` below - Item one - the proven lies - verbally and written by both Mr Davies and Ms Timms in an unconstitutional act to prevent a senior BAB member ( Henry Ellis ) speaking at a BAB general meeting.






Left - Mr V Sumpter BAB chairman - Right: Toni Davies the first BAB chairman to conspire with Ms Timms to create Jack Poole as their own Aikido pioneer -
Later, Mr Sumpter would continue the charade, he would fully condone and offer his full support for this shameless corruption of our proud history and lineage.
Henry Ellis requested a meeting with Mr Poole and the BAB . Mr Sumpter refused, insisting the BAB would only attend a meeting simply as observers with no input. Mr Ellis refused such a pointless meeting as he considered the BAB responsible for encouraging and promoting Mr Poole's fraudulent conduct.

Crass BAB Statements.

1 - BAB Chairman "We the BAB are not the custodians of British Aikido History - we therefore have no interest in same".
2 - BAB chairman "Henry Ellis was a kind of hit man for Ken Williams - if a club got out of hand - he would sort them out" - What a CLOWN
3 - Ms Timms to ex-executive "Henry Ellis has a police charge of `GBH`- grievous bodily harm" - (defamation of character)Henry Ellis did not have so much as a motoring offence against his good name.
4 - Ms Timms "Henry Ellis will never again be invited to take part in a BAB Seminar" - TF for that.
5 - BAB chairman "The history of British Aikido can not be proven as we have no records" - Idiot - he had three original Aikido pioneers as members of the BAB.
6 - Mr Sumpter BAB chairman - email to his executives "Be careful what you enter in the meeting minutes - Henry Ellis reads them." - Why be careful ? - if you have nothing to hide.

British Aikido Board Chairman Setting the Standards.
From the BAB website;

"The Board seeks to further the advancement of all styles of aikido and to establish and monitor standards of safety and behaviour for practitioners of aikido".

The photo and information is from the `KaiShinKai` website, It is the BAB chairman Mr V Sumpter 5th dan grading Bill Harris Sensei to 7th dan - Mr Sumpter was subsequently graded to 6th dan by Mr Harris.(more at bottom of this page)

Anonymous or pseudonyms - comments will be automatically deleted

                  The Expose Revelations
BRITISH AIKIDO BOARD EXPOSED...

MartialArts Encyclopedia
Click the link below to read "British Aikido Board Exposed".

1999 - Henry Ellis had volunteered to be a police witness in a case they were prosecuting - The Police suggested a character reference - Henry suggested BAB - Ms Shirley Timms the BAB secretary, ( right ) provided Henry with an excellent character reference - Ms Timms was privy to the ``innocent purpose`` of the character reference. (All letters available on file).


Unbelievably
As exposed by an ex BAB executive - Ms Timms would later openly tell others that she had provided a character reference for Henry Ellis because he had been charged with ``GBH `` `grievous bodily harm` a very serious crime, second only to murder - a crime that can result in a life prison sentence.

THE TRUTH
Henry Ellis has a clean character - he did not even have a driving offence against his good name. 

This is the evil that Ms Timms and the executive are capable of if anyone dares to defy them - as Henry Ellis did - when they attempted to make Jack Poole a pioneer of UK Aikido.

Important: Henry Ellis did not even have a motoring offence against his good name
Extract from the Expose Revelations

A Ex BAB Executive - sickened by the defamation of the good name of Henry Ellis - wrote the apology below.

Apology Received from The (ex) BAB Communication Officer 6/9/09 ~ No apology from BAB for this vicious act of slander.

Dear Henry,
I write this email to once and for all state that I am truly sorry for all of the distress caused to you by my email correspondence which contained information I now know to be complete lies and fabrications.
The basis for the lies came from various members of the then BAB Exec team. These meeting were held in both Solihull and Slough at the home of the BAB Secretary, Shirley Timm’s. None of the information discussed at these meeting was minuted in any detail with regard to you. It became apparent very quickly they were trying to recover themselves from a huge mistake they had made with regard to awarding Jack Poole an award for time in Aikido when he clearly had not been in Aikido this long. People turned against you in these meetings and started to bad mouth your good name and character with utter rubbish and fabrication. Shirley Timm’s was the basis and the main instigator in these lies with Tony Davis also adding false anecdotes and recounting tales which now quite clearly never occurred. Sadly, I listened to these and believed them. I know now they are completely false.
With Regard,
The (ex) BAB Communication Officer ( name with-held for legal reasons )

For the full BAB Revelations of the Executive ~ Click here BAB Exposed

Anonymous or pseudonyms - comments will be automatically deleted

__AIKIWEB Articles - K Abbe - M Nakazono - M Noro - TK Chiba___

______________________________________________"THE BUDO MASTERS"_______________________________________________

_____________________Kenshiro Abbe ~ ~ Masahilo Nakazono ~ ~ Masamichi Noro ~ ~ Kazuo Chiba _______________

Henry Ellis 6th dan AikiKai Hombu - Co-author of "Positive Aikido". Relates stories of training with the early Budo Masters.
_______4 Articles - featuring 1st Kenshiro Abbe Sensei - 2nd Masahilo Nakazono - 3rd Masamichi Noro - 4th TK Chiba_______

______________________________________CLICK the ARTICLE of YOUR CHOICE_____________________________

1st - Article: Kenshiro Abbe _____“Trying to Catch the Wind”_____
Click Here - AikiWeB Article - "It Had to be Felt".~ Kenshiro Abbe - "Trying to Catch the Wind".

2nd - Article: Masahilo Nakazono ______”A Man of Peace and Pieces”______
.Visit Aikiweb Click here >- Aikiweb - Nakazono Sensei Article

3rd - Article: Masamichi Noro ______The White Tornado__
Visit Aikiweb - Click Here - "The White Tornado"

4th - Article: Kazuo Chiba ______Two Handsome Young Men___Click here - "Two Handsome Young Men"

Henry Ellis a direct student of the legendary Budo master Kenshiro Abbe Sensei from 1957. "AikiWeb" has published 4 articles to add to their popular Ellis Amdur article collection of "It Had to be Felt" `IHTBF`.

Anonymous or pseudonyms - comments will be automatically deleted

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Henry Ellis Anniversary Dinner 2TK Chiba's 40 years in the UK".

Henry Ellis Sensei joined Chiba Sensei in the 1960s shortly after his arrival in the UK.

 

1 - BAB ` more ` Intimidation.

The British Aikido Board and the British BiranKai.

I have deleted most of the content of this item as the British Aikido Board threats to the London branch of the British Birankai have been successful - unlike similar threats to myself (Henry Ellis).

Below:Mr V Sumpter BAB Chairman........Ms Shirley Timms BAB Secretary.Many Aikidoka are aware of the controversy with the BAB,their threats and intimidation made to Henry Ellis Sensei at a time the BAB Executive were conspiring to fraudulently attempt to totally change the proud history and lineage of UK Aikido from its inception by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei in 1955. As everyone now knows, they failed miserably with a reprimand from `Sport England`.The BAB senior executives then resorted to very serious defamation of the character of Henry Ellis as detailed further down this page. The BAB were exposed by a disgusted member of their own executive team who had resigned.

Mr Sumpter the BAB Chairman was offended by comments on the London British Birankai web page. The comments were honest and frank. Mr Sumpter had initially demanded changes be made to the sites content, to which the British Birankai Chairman has rightfully refused, simply because, all of his statements are fact. It has long been a mystery as to what part of the word `fact` is so difficult for the BAB to understand. It now appears that the BiranKai have climbed down after threats and pressure from the BAB. The BAB tried this bullying tactic with Henry Ellis and they seriously came unstuck.
" BAB: The Chairman indicated to D Bath and the executive members that failure to modify the language and the tenor of the article would leave the chairman with no option but to formally table the matter for discussion at GM in May 3rd 2012."
Read these items in full on the BAB minutes dated 7th January 2012 here >BAB minutes
The BAB minutes and the London AikiKai page can be read in full by visiting the " BAB minutes".

British Aikido Board Setting the Standards.
From the BAB website;
"The Board seeks to further the advancement of all styles of aikido and to establish and monitor standards of safety and behaviour for practitioners of aikido".
The photo from the KaiShinKai website is of the BAB chairman Mr V Sumpter 5th dan grading Bill Harris Sensei to 7th dan - Mr Sumpter was subsequently graded to 6th dan by Mr Harris.(more at bottom of this page)


Visit the "Aikido Articles Blog"->Aikido Articles


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THE  BRITISH  AIKIDO BOARD  "EXPOSED"

British Aikido Board - EXPOSED

Shocking Revelations from Ex BAB Executive - At long last we now have the actual truth!

The Revelations along with Apology needs to be understand by each and every fellow member from the BAB in addition to Sport England

Ex-BAB Executive with a conscience now informs the truth!!! August 2009

Shocking Revelations from Ex BAB Executive - At long last – we have the truth!

“The Revelations and Apology should be read by every single member of the BAB and Sport England”

Ex-BAB Executive with a conscience now tells the truth!!! August 2009

A brief synopsis.

The controversy between the BAB / Henry Ellis / Jack Poole has been a long running affair despite on the 6th – July - 2004 Sport England instructing the BAB to publicly apologise to Henry Ellis. If the BAB had initially acted as a responsible governing body and held a public three way meeting between all three parties, as suggested by Henry Ellis, but abruptly denied by the BAB chairman Mr Vincent Sumpter, who offered instead a meeting “ in camera “ ( secret ) where they, the BAB, would simply act as observers / mediators, this offer was totally unacceptable. Henry Ellis considered the then BAB far more culpable than Mr Poole himself. Without the full support and protection of the BAB Mr Poole would not be in the embarrassing situation he finds himself today. Unbelievably, Mr Poole has continued to enjoy the full support of the BAB executive team, whilst Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman who are two of the last British Aikido pioneers, found themselves with little option other than to resign from the BAB, they were once proud MAC and founder BAB members.



Photo left Mr Toni Davies ex-BAB chairman Photo right Mr Jack Poole

BAB Act 6 ( Code of Conduct ) subsection a. No Member shall by act or omission bring the board, or Aikido in to disrepute……..

“””” BAB morals.. If a BAB member makes false or misleading claims of his or her grade / lineage, that person will receive the full support of the BAB complete with an achievement award… If however, any member dares to question those false claims, he or she will be abused resulting in a need to leave the BAB. “”””



Revelations from the Ex – BAB Communications Officer.

“I would stand in a court of law on this point happily! “

For legal reasons the name of the BAB Ex Exec is being withheld at this time – Sport England are fully informed.

From the (ex) BAB Communication exec Officer extract four.


Dear Mr Ellis,
I must finally tell you something, tell you the truth about who the dreadful rumours and vile-misinformation's about your good name came from. They came from Mrs Shirley Timms the BAB Secretary. There can be no doubt about this and I would stand in a court of law on this point happily. I believed I have heard her recounting with some glee that you were such an awful person that you were held on a GBH charge. Upon a further phone call from Ms Timms I was then informed that it was in fact not you, but your son, and, that I must have misheard what she said. She then prepared a letter of apology, and I was told to sign this and post it to you. That original letter was not written by me, it only contained my signature……. Signed Ex – BAB Executive.

<- bab="bab" br="br" left="left" ms="ms" photo="photo" s="s" secretary="secretary" timms="timms">
Job description of BAB Secretary… “Taking minutes at Executive and General Meetings, checking their accuracy with the Chairman, before copying and circulating them to Officers and Member Associations”

One can now correctly assume that Ms Timms blurred the lines of her professional duty as the BAB secretary along with her responsibilities to the BAB membership, by compromising her duties / friendship and close association with the Poole’s. “”” The ex – BAB Executive writes ( below ) “ The BAB executive did not consider the Poole affair of any importance, but Henry Ellis was perceived as a trouble maker “””” In a nutshell, It is OK with the BAB to create a false lineage and grades and attempt to change British Budo History, yet if a member raises a complaint, he / she, is considered a ` trouble maker ` “”” .

Henry Ellis recently received an email letter dated Aug 09 containing a sincere apology from the ex - “ BAB – Communications Officer ” and former member of the Executive team. The apology was accepted by Henry Ellis in good faith . Sport England are in possession of this article and all the facts, including the name of the BAB Ex Exec Officer. All emails supplied to me have complete tracking headers .


First - the Apology ( accepted )

Received from The (ex) BAB Communication Officer 6/9/09

Dear Henry,
I write this email to once and for all state that I am truly sorry for all of the distress caused to you by my email correspondence which contained information I now know to be complete lies and fabrications.
The basis for the lies came from various members of the then BAB Exec team. These meeting were held in both Solihull and Slough at the home of the BAB Secretary, Shirley Timm’s. None of the information discussed at these meeting was minuted in any detail with regard to you. It became apparent very quickly they were trying to recover themselves from a huge mistake they had made with regard to awarding Jack Poole an award for time in Aikido when he clearly had not been in Aikido this long. People turned against you in these meetings and started to bad mouth your good name and character with utter rubbish and fabrication. Shirley Timm’s was the basis and the main instigator in these lies with Tony Davis also adding false anecdotes and recounting tales which now quite clearly never occured. Sadly, I listened to these and believed them. I know now they are completely false.
With Regard,
The (ex) BAB Communication Officer


The Executive Clique behind Closed Doors – Silence is Golden!

Shocking !! At last, we are starting to see the full picture formulating of a group of people elected to the executive of the “ British Aikido Board “ at that time. The BAB are the recognised governing body for British Aikido, the exec hold meetings in the home of Ms Timms, plotting the defamation of the good name and character of Henry Ellis, and others, in a contemptible effort to protect themselves from being exposed for the inept group they truly are, whilst protecting themselves, they had no other option than to protect Mr Jack Poole. To the deliberately mis-informed membership, this would appear to be the BAB gathering around Mr Poole in full support. Of course the membership were of little concern to the then executive team, as we see from the email below sent by the chairman Mr Vincent Sumpter to the BAB communications officer.

Photo Mr V Sumpter

Email to the Communications Officer from the BAB chairman Mr Vincent Sumpter.

“ I think it was the opposite, actually. The BAB minutes of the meeting say nothing about the Poole Ellis affair - as they too go on to the web site. The decision was that we would say nothing and do nothing to help keep the subject up and running. Silence is golden we think. Vincent.”

Email from Mr Sumpter.

Subject Re: BAB – Approved 8th Dan ??

I’m totally with you on this one. The BAB does not give out or approve grades – that is purely an Association matter. The business of the “ Shihan “ title is another matter. I would be the first to say that only the Aikikai in Japan can “ officially “ award that title. But I doubt that – in translation – “ master “ we can stop anybody using the title in the UK. .That is, I don’t think there is copyright on the title..

“” Mr Sumpter is wrong, the BAB along with the previous chairman Toni Davies, approved everything that Mr Poole told the BAB, grades – history – lineage – Not only did they approve and fully condone Mr Poole’s fraudulent conduct, they gave him an award as a seal of their appreciation and public approval. “”

What one can clearly see from Mr Sumpter’s email above, is an example of the minutes of the meetings being manipulated to protect the BAB executives. Many BAB members actually believed Mr Poole’s claims, simply because of the staunch support of the BAB exec. This is clearly an abuse of the members trust and faith in this crass organisation.

According to the ex – communications officer, these defamatory conversations concerning Henry Ellis, took place, before / during / and after various meetings, many of these cosy meetings were held at the home of Ms Timms. These defamatory conversations were never minuted for the benefit of the membership, the chairman would later sign off the selected minutes as a true record of that particular meeting, as we can now clearly see, that is not so. I am sure that Sport England would frown upon this kind of mis-management…Henry Ellis



Here is an email from Grev Cooke BAB Coaching Admin Officer to the communications officer

Photo of Grev Cooke

From Grev Cooke

Shirley phoned tonight because She and Vince wish to put some statement about the Poole Ellis situation.

All I've said is the statement needs to irrefutable. There is also talk for requesting advice from a barrister. I've said that you will be the best person ask on any possible action we can take. Will be discussed on Saturday.

Grev

From Grev Cooke

Its like a deepening pit. I'm sure any official reply will generate another thread that will be twisted and berated by Ellis. How many replies has he posted. What a life, bitterer and bitterer.

ATB Grev

We can now see why the BAB never did place a statement on the BAB website, or take any legal action against Henry Ellis. The only statement that would be `irrefutable ` would have to be the truth ! hence no statement. They were now too busy running for cover. Mr Cooke accuses Henry Ellis of being bitter. It is not bitterness, but rather despair with people such as the likes of Mr Cooke, Ms Timms and Toni Davis running the then inept executive team of the BAB.- Henry Ellis

Here is another email from Mr Sumpter to the Communications officer. 23 – Aug - 2004

Thank you for your support .Just one thing, If anyone asks you what Mr Ellis is on about regarding an apology from you, please just say that it is a matter between you, the chairman and Mr Ellis. The need to know basis must prevail in case Mr Ellis really does go to his solicitor.

Vincent


Email from the (ex) BAB Communication Officer to Henry Ellis - Extract Four.

“ Shirley Timms always made much fun that your copies of letters were unsigned by her and on normal paper photocopied etc. It seemed to give her purpose in life! “.

“” Ms Timms the official secretary to the UK Aikido governing body amuses herself by deleting her signature from any and all BAB related papers posted to Henry Ellis when he was still a member and head of the ESTA association, also a founder member of the BAB. Rather sad and unprofessional conduct “” Henry Ellis

It is sickening to see below in the following email from the ex – BAB Communications Officer, the good name of Ken Williams Sensei is used by the BAB exec. Williams Sensei was the UK’s and K Abbe’s first Aikido student in 1955. Williams Sensei is the most respected of all UK Aikidoka, he is being discussed during the carefully doctored minutes at these furtive meetings at the home of Ms Timms. Is this the kind of twisted legacy that we want to be left behind for future generations of Aikidoka ??….. Henry Ellis



“Which again, I know to be a complete pack of lies!”

From the (ex) BAB Communication Exec Officer extract one.

Dear Henry

I certainly at that time had no knowledge of the law but it would have been along similar lines of you (which you were not, let make that clear again) going around being the big bad guy sorting out other Aikido clubs upon instruction from Ken Williams, i.e.. you were likened to being the Aikido trouble-shooter and basically went to sort out all the wannabe's and charlatans. You broke people in those clubs and taught them a lesson. I'm afraid that to me, GBH and beating people up aren't that dissimilar, I had no idea GBH was second to murder and no one accused you of that. It was simply me thinking that ok, you beat someone up, got into trouble for it, got
off with it, but you also considered yourself the self appointed aikido judge with other clubs so, that to me, was worse than getting caught beating someone up, you used to do it all the time anyway! based on what I was told that is. Which again, I know to be a complete pack of lies. Cont; You were perceived by them ( BAB ) as a huge trouble maker, they did not think it was a huge issue with the whole Jack Poole thing. Again, this is before Vincent's time. I'll state this again for the record, nothing of what I have said or quoted in here is anything other than the truth and you NEVER were involved in any GBH charges.

How disgusting that the very people who are elected to the Executive of the BAB, the only approved governing body for Aikido within the UK, should act in such an unprofessional cavalier manner. The BAB did not think the Poole affair was a `big thing` but a person who questions the BAB and Mr Poole is perceived as a ` huge trouble maker ` These people have managed to keep this appalling behaviour from the very membership they represent by failing to maintain honest meeting minutes. These people are not the executives of a governing body, they are a crass clique.


We have emails from Dominic Foster, a man of action! Who proposes taking legal action and seeking the advice of barristers. Some may remember Dominic’s vague interest in the history of UK Aikido when he attended the “ Kenshiro Abbe 50th Celebration “ 2005 , this event was represented by Mr P Don of Sport England – The Japanese Embassy UK – Mr R Otani The President of the BJC, but not the BAB. Dominic states to a respected and honoured guest “ The true celebration is not today, it is in two years time ! “ one has to beg the question, if he really believed that to be the case ? what was he doing there on such a fantastic day ? 1000 people either viewing or on the mat, a mat full to total capacity with 425 students.

Another email from Grev Cooke showing his contempt for John Harding a long serving BAB senior member who had simply asked Mr Cooke a valid question. “””” I ignore Johns emails !!!! “”””” see Mr Cooke’s email below.

From Grev Cooke BAB Coaching Officer

“In this email I sent to all Tutors and Exec members , yourself obviously included? This email didn’t go to John Harding. When I’ve Emailed John before I try to be guarded in what I say. I know my emails will go to Harry Ellis!

I once asked John who I was actually speaking to ie him or Harry. Normally I ignore Johns Emails but in this case,

Grev

This was my reply shown. “ ( followed by a brief reply to John Harding )



( Yes ! John Harding did send Henry Ellis one email detailing his frustration with the BAB coaching system, an email which was a part of an email sent to all of his email contacts, he was concerned about something with the BAB coaching.

If the BAB were honest and open ? why would Mr Cooke “ try to be guarded “ in anything that is honest and open BAB policy ? What gives Mr Cooke the right to decide which member he will, or will not write to ? Once again we see by Mr Cooke’s example, the BAB exec members acting with total contempt for the membership who they are there to serve. and receiving a nice little members contributed honorarium for their time. I am sure that John Harding will now fully understand why he was treated in the disrespectful way he was by Mr Cooke and the BAB )

Amongst the many email copies I received, there was a reminder ( extract below ) of a misguided but rather touching email from Gary Masters, writing on behalf of the ` Ken Shin Kai, where he makes the following crass statement, which I am sure at this time must be most comforting and reassuring for both the BAB exec, Mr Poole - lets not forget Ms Timms.


The `Ken shin kai `Aikido Organisation supports the claims of Jack Poole and the decisions of the British Aikido Board UK!

From Gary Masters

To All that have unwillingly been dragged into this petty dispute by the previous mailshot,

The Ken Shin Kai Aikido Organisation UK supports the claims of Jack Poole and the decisions made by the British Aikido Board UK. Mr Ellis has damaged his own reputation and integrity by continually persecuting a fellow Aikidoka and questioning his lineage and history in the Art Of Aikido, to the point of obsession. As it contradicts a history being written by Mr Ellis himself. There are many Aikidoka in the UK and it is taken that they speak in truth and fairly about their lineage and history and grades held in Aikido. To question another Aikidoka on such matters is not in following with the true spirit of Aikido and achieves nothing for the positive development of the Martial Art of Aikido. Mr Ellis has not only questioned Mr Poole's integrity but he has decided to publicly persecute Mr Poole by publishing articles on multiple web sites and making statements at many Aikido Dojos which themselves cannot be confirmed as fact. He has never once taken the time or had the courage to speak on a mutual and friendly basis with Mr Poole regarding this matter. Live and let live, we say, and Mr Ellis should use his time better in the development of Aikido than in the persecution of fellow Aikidoka.

Ken Shin Kai - Yoshinkan Aikido Organisation UK

“” The above message from Gary Masters of the Ken Shin Kai organisation, is exactly the reason that I have been determined to get the true history of British

Aikido factually recorded. People like Mr Masters and other loyal but just as sadly misguided students of Mr Poole will churn out the above nonsense to support

Mr Poole despite his proven fraudulent biography. We owe it to the young students today and of the future to preserve the truth. signed Henry Ellis



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The information / emails and insight into the workings of the BAB are provided by the Ex – BAB Exec Communications officer.

This documented article was prepared and published by Henry Ellis of the - `Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido`.

The above information clarifies the fact that the BAB were fully aware of their error in their contemptuous support for Mr Jack Poole. Rather than face the BAB membership and admit their crass conduct, the exec decided to stand by their serious error of judgement along with Mr Poole. The only way to justify this stand would be the defamation of the good name of Henry Ellis. Over the years of this controversy there has been many rumours spread about Henry Ellis that are totally unfounded. Mr Ellis does not even have points on his driving licence never mind a criminal conviction.

Henry Ellis Shihan 6th Dan International Birankai

Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido.

http://britishaikido.blogspot.com/


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Aikido - Then and Now - 1955 - 2014

Henry Ellis - I am often asked the following question.

 " What is the difference between the Aikido of the 1950s and the Aikido of today ?"


1950s - This was a time when all kyu and dan grades were highly respected, simply because everyone knew that even the lowest grade had been honestly earned through blood sweat and tears, not like today, often given as a Christmas present by your own students, or ordered online from the inept British Aikido Boards website for a modest fee.

Students never handed out titles to their own teachers, such as Shihan - Grandmaster - Soke - Hanshi - Doctor - Professor and any others you can think of.  - Just imagine being at school and the kids informing the teacher that the class had jointly awarded him/her a PHD, now that would be worth six strokes of the cane on both hands in my school days.





Photo Left: Kenshiro Abbe teaching - Henry Ellis centre.

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei taught that uke should always attack on balance - today it is more often a ukemi attack with uke being overly compliant and acrobatic. 

If you attack on balance, then the techniques have to be good to control the attacker - the nod of the head, and no touch throws would then be comical, sadly, many students show as much resistance as an unattached piece of string.

Importantly, it was a time when students did not grade their own teachers as so many do today.
It was also a time when there was no Aikido with ribbons, if anyone had been daft enough to come into the dojo with a bundle of coloured ribbons ?  they would have been found hanging by them from the Hut Dojo roof beams.  

It was a time when Aikido was a respected martial art, respected by all the other m/a.
If Abbe Sensei thought his teaching wasn't getting through - no words were spoken - Sensei would `tap` the offending body part with a crack of a Shiinai - this was a very successful method of teaching, it gained immediate attention, it would be a reminder and an indicator to the student what their problem was, no one ever complained - The Ki people would be in tears today.

It was a time when students would train hard, and the techniques would be strong and effective, everyone attacks a little different, therefore you cannot plan what your defense would be, the attacker makes your defense ( or not ) It was a time when people trained hard to understand the techniques - if, as so many do today, trying to scientifically analyze Aikido with engineering and physics, Aikido is natural movement, not for some,  for example, if a student asked Kenshiro Abbe or Mutsuro Nakazono anything of a technical nature, they were told to practice with an ` empty mind ` only a clear mind will adsorb the  knowledge.

Left: The 4th dan certificate presented to Kenshiro Abbe Sensei by Emperor Hirohito of Japan in the 1930s.


1955

This was a time when Kenshiro Abbe sensei was the only 8th dan in the UK .


We now live in a different age, a crazy age, where 7th and 8th dans are like post-boxes, with at least one in almost every town and village in the UK, thanks to the inept - " BAB   -  you can grade yourself, or ask your students to grade you - and simply add ``British Aikido Board Approved ``. It is like ordering a doctorate online.

Aikido training In those early days by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and with alittle encouragement of a Shinai, the traing was very physical, building fitness, fighting spirit, and physical and mental strength, after the warm up, there was always a session of kicking and punching techniques, this was followed with push-ups, depending on grade, with between 20 for beginners and two hundred for dan grades of push-ups on the back of the wrists. 

It was also a time when all Aikido came under the respected `British Aikido Council` [BAC] overseen by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and Ken Williams Sensei.

In later years we would see the creation of the so-called governing body for Aikido, the ` British Aikido Board` [BAB] - a body that started with good heart and honest intentions, only to become a an overly bureaucratic body that would recognize its own grandmother as an ` approved ` Hanshi or dan grade,  an organisation that would later offer online dan grades for money.

The BAB would knowingly recognize well known fraudulent practitioners grades, publicly promote the offenders profile to its membership and the genral public. 

The BAB allow the endless use and abuse of `` BAB Approved `` for the promotion of self appointed titles of Shihan - Hanshi - Grandmaster - Professor - Doctor - Soke .

The British Aikido Board has now become a home for the homeless, the established organisations such as the JAC and the BAA, which are creditable organisations who are all associated with Japan HQ - these organisations have resigned from the BAB.

Aikido Dancing   -  Aikido Ribbon Dance  -  Nodding Aikido  - Fantasy Aikido - 

Times change, people change, and Aikido will change - but sadly it is not always for the better.

`The Aikido Controversy`

Admin - Henry Ellis

Co-author of Positive Aikido`

http://britishaikido.blogspot.com/   

3 - B A B - Members Survey - lol

Mr V Sumpter BAB Chairman>
The British Aikido Board - governing body for `some` UK Aikido - foolishly surveyed its membership, asking what they thought of them ?



Extract from the November 2011 British Aikido Board General Meeting minutes.
Members Survey.The questions was: “Does your NGB offer value for money?”
One of the answers
"Don’t give a shit about its members only themselves" (Traditional Club)


Henry Ellis & Derek Eastman were initially members of the highly respected `Martial Arts Commission` ( MAC ),the organisation that preceded the formation of the BAB.Later they became founder members of the BAB,with visions of all Aikido being in one family organisation of clubs and associations.It all started off so well with meetings around the UK at various member dojos,a buffet would be supplied by the host club.A time when all the original members `freely`gave their time and effort with no expectation of financial reward,other than the promotion of the BAB.
Today the BAB has become a ``clique`` where the executive members each take a slice of the ``members money``(£1,000 - honorarium )for their time. All the meetings are now held in Birmingham. To save money the executive have put an end to the customary buffet, remember that many member representatives travel hundreds of miles to attend these boring events. The BAB is now bogged down in its own cess-pit of bureaucracy.


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________BRITISH AIKIDO BOARD_____________________________________________________

THE AIKIDO CONTROVERSY

The Aikido Controversy
The Aikido Controversy is now a part of British Aikido History. It was a long and difficult fight to protect the true history of British Aikido from the 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 substantiate his history from 1968.


The Controversy
(Why such a controversy)

Two years ago I received a circular, via the 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 as the first ever for Aikido in the UK in 1952. This is a very serious statement and offencive to those like myself and others who took part in the birth of British Aikido, and its subsequent promotion. So why the 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) However the British Aikido Board in its wisdom refused to answer my subsequent complaint, against Mr Poole's claim, and at the 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 as the events unfolded.

Yours in Budo
Sensi Henry Ellis

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


The Final Analysis

On the 29th February 2000 Sensei Ellis sent an official letter of complaint to the British Aikido Board, the letter was addressed to the 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 discuss the matters detailed in the 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.

At the British Aikido Board meeting held on the 23rd September 2000, the British Aikido Board executive denied having received the "official complaint" when the matter was raised by Sensei Derek Eastman. If the British Aikido Board executive did not receive the letter, why? It was as a result of this letter that the above meeting took place, so I will ask the question again, why was this important official letter that directly affects the history of British Aikido not placed before the whole of the executive committee?

In brief the evidence against Mr Poole that was offered to the 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 of the 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".

On the strength of that brief statement the British Aikido Board awarded Mr Poole with a fine samurai statue to celebrate our new leader.

Once again I repeat that the only reason for the controversy article being placed on our Internet site is not malicious but simply to protect the true history of Aikido in the 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 keep the article on our website and if Mrs Timms and Mr Poole wish to contest the 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 from the British Aikido Board, enclosed were the usual documents of a previous general meeting, amongst the papers was a A4 size photo of Mr. Poole, inviting everyone to the above celebration, including me. The content of the poster was of great concern to many others and me who shared in the 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, the history of Aikido in the 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, the only ones to survive are Williams sensei, Haydn Foster sensei, and myself Henry (Harry) Ellis. Williams sensei was made the National coach for Aikido in the UK, and I was the assistant National coach.

During those great early years, we traveled all over the 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 in the era of 1952/3, this is two years before the arrival of Kenshiro Abbe sensei to the UK. None of the 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 at the 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, and the fact that Mr Poole was with my beginners for some three years, would he not have told me.

I have a book in the final stages of preparation in the USA titled "Positive Aikido, 45 yrs of Traditional teachings ". Arthur Lockyear the most prominent writer on Aikido is also gathering information on the history of "Aikido in the UK". I also understand that Sensei Williams is also preparing something on the same lines.


Once a fellow Aikidoist has read the history of our Aikido then perhaps you will realise why the few of us that are left from the early days are so protective of its origins.

Prior to this claim of 47 years, Mr. Poole has always chosen to totally ignore me and my existence when attending the British Aikido Board meetings. Maybe he feels that if he ignores me he then can ignore his true history.

During the time Mr. Poole was in my beginner’s class, he was always a good student, and I can never recall any problems or concerns. I have no concerns either regarding Mr Poole’s impersonation of O'Sensei on the poster I received, nor do I envy the fact that he is the only person to my knowledge to ever have a grade in" Budo". However I do have grave concerns for the true principals of Aikido, and just as importantly its survival as a creditable Martial Art.

The planned celebration by M Poole is to take place in April. I have written to Mrs. Shirley Timms, the secretary to the British Aikido Board, to ask the British Aikido Board to authenticate Mr. Pooles claim. Mrs. Timms told me that this would take some time. I suggested to her that now was the right time, before he commits himself to the "celebration".

On Saturday the 11th of March 2000, I traveled to Birmingham with Sensei Derek Eastman's (The 4th survivor from the 1950’s) son, Mark. This was the first time he had attended a General Meeting of the British Aikido Board, he could not believe how the proceedings went.

On arrival at the meeting Mrs. Timms hurried ahead of everyone else, I can only assume to advise the Chairman Toni Davies that I was here to speak at the Item 11 of the agenda, which was any other business. This is the only time that you can bring any other issues to the attention of the board). After sitting in the meeting for almost 3 hours we eventually reached Item 11, any other business, and as quickly as I stood up the Chairman called the meeting closed. I asked to be allowed to speak and Bill Smith Sensei one of the most respected men in Aikido, called out "Let the man speak" and again "Let the man speak". This is an abuse of privilege that we have never seen before in the British Aikido Board. I was refused permission to speak and raise the matter of Mr Poole. I have been told that Mr Poole claims to have trained in France and that he has a letter from O'Sensei. In those early days we too trained in France, we still have contacts in France, so it would be possible to check out this claim. With reference to the letter from O'Sensei, I have no comment.

In its hurry to dismiss item 11 from the agenda, the board also omitted the very last item on the agenda, which was the date of the next meeting.

By protecting Mr. Poole from what would have been a simple question of authenticity the British Aikido Board have actually accepted his claim to rewrite the history of British Aikido, and given him their full approval.

When I carry out a display of Aikido I always use a couple of beginners to try to encourage other people to join, I have a 8mm film converted to video clearly showing Mr Poole in 1967/8 as a beginner.


Addition:


AIKIDO in THE UK

The origins and history of Aikido in the UK started with its introduction by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei in 1955 and his first student was Sensei Ken Williams. A small select group of dan grades developed around Sensei Williams at the Abbe School of Budo, Hillingdon Middx.

Apart from Sensei Williams there are only four survivors from those early days, Sensei's Foster, Ellis, Reynolds & Eastman. When Sensei Foster and I were training at the "HUT" in the 1950s I am sure that neither of us ever thought that we would still be involved in Aikido 45 years later. Sensei Williams always had great faith in the future of Aikido, and would often say to me that Aikido would grow to be the most popular martial art in the UK, and all the early dan grades would one day be full time professional teachers. The promotion of Aikido in those early days was such a struggle that although I felt just as passionately about Aikido as Sensei Williams, I must admit I did not share his vision.

The early history of British Aikido is a colourful one with many anecdotes as we the early teachers tried to promote Aikido. Now after 45yrs those original four are still teaching and promoting Aikido.

After all these years I (Henry Ellis) still feel as passionately and dedicated as I did in those early days. I have always had a strong and positive approach to Aikido and I know that the other teachers and I are all very proud of our history and our small part in the development of what was once only a vision of Sensei Williams. Today that vision is now a reality.

I trust that any true student of Aikido will know that I care little for my own promotion but only for the Protection and Promotion of the Martial Art of Aikido that I have devoted most of my life to.

Yours in Budo,
Sensei Henry Ellis


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