Hewitt's History Files - September 24

HARRY Mousdell remembers a pivotal moment in his lifelong love of this country's traditional music.

By The Newsroom

Published 18th Sep 2008, 16:16 BST

Updated 8th Jun 2018, 03:13 BST

"In 1951 I was at a youth hostel rally in Austria and I saw some morris dancers performing," says Harry, who is delighted to be helping Horsham Folk Club celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.

"I saw these people who just stole the show. What a performance! I asked someone whether they had come from maybe Switzerland or somewhere like that. She said 'No, they come from England.'"

Harry, who lives in Ashington, was deeply impressed. "To see our folk tradition with all these other people assembled from all over the world was great."

Back home, he was keen to become involved in folk music, and he finally got the chance when he moved down from Lancashire to the Horsham area in 1958.

For the full feature, see the West Sussex Gazette issue dated September 24