William Kimber

Kimber was born at Headington Quarry, Oxford, and left school at the age of nine to work as a bird-scarer before taking up the trade of a bricklayer.

Sharp, who was to be in the forefront of the revival of English folk music and dancing, noted down his first Morris tunes from Kimber's playing.

Kimber's fame grew, and he danced at the Royal Albert Hall, the Mansion House, and in front of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra at Chelsea Hospital.

Kimber's Anglo concertina playing — making use of the left-hand to add simple but effective chordal and rhythmic accompaniments — showed great vitality and lightness of touch.

"Country Gardens" from The Art of William Kimber is included as track seven on the first CD of the Topic Records 70 year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten.