Hewitt's History Files - September 17

In 1951, Viscount Duncannnon of Stansted, later the 10th Earl of Bessborough, saw the theatrical potential of Belloc's tale of a journey from one side of Sussex to the other.

He later wrote: "For the Festival of Sussex in 1951 I made a dramatic arrangement of Hilaire Belloc's The Four Men which was performed throughout the county and subsequently broadcast by the BBC.

"Robert Speight produced and played the part of Belloc himself with remarkable insight."

The performance brought the house down, particularly thanks to Belloc's words to In The Sussex Hills Where I Was Bred specially set to music by the viscount's cousin David Ponsonby.

Ann della Verde, of Havant, remembers it all well.

"My father, Walter Browning, was from a Chichester family and agent at Stansted Park for 43 years. It was a lovely place for a child to grow up. I was very lucky.

"I remember all the preparations for the production of The Four Men, although as I was getting married in Stansted Chapel in 1951 this was somewhat uppermost in my mind.

"My new husband and I went with my parents to see the play. We all enjoyed it immensely."

For the full feature, see the West Sussex Gazette issue dated September 17