>>> to help fight the good fight against the performance of Mowtown (sic), disco, etc., at what was traditionally an English folk festival - with some guests performing the folk music and dance of their nations,>>>as well...that's how it seemed when I enjoyed the BBC's (both radio and TV) 50th Sidmouth highlights, anyway

I hate to disillusion you WAV. The official title of the festival before the changes in 2005 (after the first 50 years)included the words "International Festival", if I recall and am correct. I only started attending in 1990 but to the best of my knowledge the content has never by any means been specifically and exclusively been English. Much as I love English traditional music and song, long may that remain so. As to the so-called "intrusion of Motown or disco" ... I think that may be precisely one event out of hundreds in a whole week - and it's for fun!

@Ralphie - Judging from the photos of you in Mr Schofield's book, I rather think that you were attending Sidmouth Festival. Interestingly enough, although I recall quite a bit of discussion at the time that Mrs Casey Music took over the reins of the festival from the EFDSS, I don't recall that anyone considered that that change of management and organisation made it a different and "new" beast then, did they?
I think it's called continuity .Sidmouth Festival is dead, long live Sidmouth Festival ???