I agree Brian I cannot imagine playing chords right and tune left I can appreciate someone having a go at it, but I doubt if I shall ever try it.Your name was not taken in vain by the way you do a lot of right hand chords which are a pleasure to listen to. (and learn from)and I could think of nobody better to quote for that way of playing.
The South African (Boer Music)does use a lot of this style however.

So getting back to the English System subject, there have been a number of experiments with horizontal button layouts ,Henrik Muller has just made his own concertina and opted for a more horizontal approach. With the popularity of the Anglo and Duet layouts I wonder why Wheatstone persisted with the vertical button layout, locked the thumb in a strap and provided a little finger rest that some find a useless attachment.
Al