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The Reverend Kenneth Loveless (1911-1995), Area Dean of Hackney, morris dancer and musician, got to know William Kimber and became his pupil on the concertina. When Kimber died, he left Loveless the concertina which had been bought for him by public subscription after his previous instrument had broken during a concert in 1909, and which he had played ever since. In this previously unpublished 50-minute recording, made by Mouton Morris Men in 1982, he talks about morris dancing, about playing for the morris, his memories of Kimber, and plays several tunes on the concertina.

Though small in stature, Loveless was an impressive speaker, and when you  listen to the recordings it will come as no surprise to learn that Benjamin Britten is said to have been inspired by Loveless’s voice when he wrote the part of God in Noye’s Fludde!

We are grateful to Moulton Morris Men for making this recording available to us.

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