Start of his Aikido Study
Someone where he was staying, applied a nikkyo on Norman, which intrigued him enough to search out his local Aikido club. He started practicing around 1968 with Gwynne Reese at the bottom of Barach Hill in Newport. He was around 32 years old at that time. Later the club moved to the old wireworks at Pill, Newport. He remembered this being on the 3rd floor, and having to move mats to avoid dripping water whenever it rained.
Sensei Williams was based in Pentre in the Rhondda Valley and each year he held an intensive two week Summer School at Barry Island. Norman became a regular at Summer School, which he said was as memorable for the socialising as for the practise!
Norman was the first Teacher approved by Sensei Williams to teach Ki Aikido in Romania. He travelled there to teach in April 1990 only months after the toppling of Ceaușescu. He was 54 and 5th Dan at the time.
When he went there the teaching of any martial art was banned. They had no dojo so they had to practise in the park! He could have been arrested if he was reported or the police saw him. Norman often recalled with a smile, ‘Little’ Bogdan asking when they were doing ki tests -
He travelled to the Ki no Kenyukai HQ in Japan with a group from the Ki Federation in the early 1980s.
Norman was an active member of the Ki Federation for many years where he was a Committee Member and Grading Officer.
End of his practice
Norman retired from Aikido practice in 2006 aged 70, as he was no longer able to roll and kneel properly; he felt that he couldn’t ask pupils to do something that he couldn’t do.
Fortunately he was able to be persuaded to come up and watch classes, and sometimes come on the mat to help and show us something.
He would occasionally show us something that they used to do years ago. he would look at our amazed faces and say, with a gentle smile, "Haven’t I shown you that before?” He knew so much and would often surprise students with things they had never seen before.
Outside of Aikido
He was a driver in the Army for 6 years, a time which he really enjoyed; he left early due to illness of his mother.
For many years he was also a keen and active member of a Male Voice Choir.
He worked as a driver for Lucas Girling when he came out of the army. He was happiest when either practicing Aikido or up on the farm helping friends with the animals.
He will be very sadly missed. Rest in Peace
Sensei Ford sadly passed away on the 26th October 2025 at the age of 89.
Thank you to Tim Brown for helping with the research for this page but also, more importantly, visiting and supporting Sensei Ford in his later years.