KenShinKai Open Public Letter

"Ken Shin Kai supports the claims of Sensei Jack Poole"

To all that have unwillingly been dragged into this petty dispute by the direct mailing to personal emails from Derek Eastman, student of Mr Ellis on Saturday 9th February. The Ken Shi Kai Aikido Organisation UK supports the claims of Jack Poole and the decisions of the British Aikido Board UK. Mr Ellis has damaged his own reputation and integrity by continually persecuting a fellow Aikidoist questioning his lineage and his history in the art of Aikido, to the point of obsession, as it contradicts what has been written by Mr Ellis himself. There are many Aikidoka in the UK and it is taken that they speak the truth and fairly about their history and grades held in Aikido. To question another Aikidoka on such matters is not in following the true spirit of Aikido and achieves nothing for the positive development of the martial art of Aikido. Mr Ellis has not 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 cannot be confirmed as fact. He has never once taken the time or had the courage to speak on a 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 instead of the persecution of a fellow Aikidoka.

Ken Shin Kai - Yoshinkan Aikido Organisation UK

Henry Ellis Replies to Ken Shin Kai

***THIS PETTY DISPUTE ***
--
ELLIS: I suppose you also thought it "petty" for Mr Sumpter the present BAB Chairman to give a full apology to Mr Ellis at the Sport England meeting for the conduct of the previous chairman/Jack Poole /and his supporters for the position they placed the BAB in. (BAB Apology)

ELLIS: Is it "petty" to use coercion on the British Aikido Board executive? see statement from BAB vice chairman, presented at the Sport England meeting.6th-July-2004 (Meeting Minutes) **The BAB confess to Sport England** that the then Chairman Toni Davis had given Jack Poole the tarnished statue ""To appease him"".Recorded in the Sport England minutes..

ELLIS: Is it "petty" to lie to your students about your history? ~~Is it "petty" to attempt to change the history of British Aikido? ~~Is it "petty" to use coercion to gain the bronze statue award?.~~Is it "petty" to claim to have trained with Tadashi Abbe in 1952 ? another proven lie..~~Is it "petty" to claim to be the first dan grade for Shotokan karate, 11 years before it was introduced to the UK by Sensei Vernon Bell.? .another proven lie..~~Is it "petty" to have claimed to have been graded to 3rd dan Judo by Otani sensei?, another lie disproved by Sensei Robin Otani..Is it "petty" to claim to have represented the British Judo Council in International competitions before the said organisation ever exisited? another lie disproved by Sensei Robin Otani..Is it "petty" to claim to have trained in Kendo with Tomio Otani ? when Tomio was still a schoolboy and not yet involved in Kendo, another lie disproved by Sensei Robin Otani. Is it "petty" to use the proud honourable names of so many deceased martial arts masters to satisfy such an inflated ego?

These matters may be *petty* by the standards of the KenShinKai but not by mine or most genuine students of Aikido. Most Aikidoists will be disgusted that someone can call true lineage "PETTY" please read the letter on this site from Sensei Ellis Amdur on Lineage (here).

"Ken Shin Kai state": ""The KenShinKai supports the claims of Jack Poole!"" :

Ellis: ""OF COURSE THEY DO!"". Read the BAB chairmans letter on the BAB website, where the BAB Chairman states that he has received a letter on behalf of Mr Poole from Mr Keith Holland, stating " Mr Jack Poole can only corroborate his history from 1968..

"KenShinKai state": Questioning and continually persecuting Mr Jack Poole's lineage :

Ellis : I think that most aikidoists will now understand why the "KenShinKai" object to a close inspection of Mr Pooles lineage..Please read Mr Pooles biography and our in-depth research with statements from respected Aikido teachers such as Chiba sensei..Sensei Robin Otani.. Sensei Pierre Chasange.Hanshi Arnold Davis and other teachers.

"KenShinKai state": Mr Ellis has publicly persecuted Mr Poole on many websites:

Ellis: Mr Poole has had the protection and collusion of the BAB, The BAB have refused to deal with this matter rather than risk losing Mr Poole and his members/associates which I am sure would include the "KenShinKai"?..Mr Pooles acts of coercion were highlighted at the Sport England meeting on July the 6th 2004.minuted..

"KenShinKai state ": Mr Ellis did not have the courage :

Ellis: You speak of courage, yet you did not have the guts to put your name to the above message, You were also at the "Many Dojos" when I spoke on the history of UK Aikido and Abbe sensei, where was your courage then?, you were on the mat ~ you would have been in the bar afterwards or better still in the car park, where the hell was your courage then?..or now!!!

"KenShinKai state!": Mr Ellis questions Mr Pooles history,and lineage as it contradicts what has been written by Mr Ellis himself..

Ellis: Of course it contradicts what I have written you "muppet" that is because I was there in the 1950's/60's with Sensei's Williams, Foster,Reynolds,Eastman as students of Kenshiro Abbe sensei..

"KenShinKai state": Mr Ellis should use his time better in the development of Aikido..

Ellis: If you read the true history of British Aikido instead of the Poole fables you will see that when the "Hut" was the only Aikido dojo in the UK, Sensei Eastman and I were traveling around the UK teaching for free to introduce and promote Aikido.

Signed: Henry Ellis

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