Historic recording tells of life in Horsham in Edwardian times
The recording was made by local author Tony Wales and features the voice of a Mr Garner, from Horsham, who was born in 1877. He recalls life in the town in late Victorian and early Edwardian times.
Tony Wales, who died in 2007 at the age of 82, gave a life’s work to publishing books on Sussex folk song and folklore and made the audio recording with Mr Garner in the late 1950s/60s.
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Hide AdDuring the 60s and 70s Tony worked for the English Folk Dance and Song Society and, while downsizing, gave his historic recording to friend Sean Goddard of Chanctonbury Ring Morris.
Amateur historian Mak Norman, from Plumpton Green, got to know Sean through mutual interests in rural folk music and traditions, and Sean entrusted Mak with Tony’s works - and gave him the OK to donate Tony’s recording of Mr Garner to Horsham Museum.
Now Mak is hoping that relatives of Mr Garner will come forward. “I wonder if anyone who is related to Mr Garner could be made aware of this recording and know that a copy now sits with the museum,” he said.