"Sussex by the Sea" (also known as "A Horse Galloping") is a patriotic song written in 1907 by William Ward-Higgs, often considered to be the unofficial county anthem of Sussex. It became well known throughout Sussex and is regularly sung at celebrations throughout the county. It can be heard during many sporting events in the county, during the Sussex bonfire celebrations and it is played by marching bands and Morris dancers across Sussex. It is the adopted song of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club and of Sussex County Cricket Club.
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History
The song became popular during the First World War, having already been adopted by the Royal Sussex Regiment as an unofficial "nick" march. William Ward-Higgs, a native of Lancashire, lived at Hollywood House in South Bersted for only five or six years. One version of the tune's origins is that Ward-Higgs grew to love his adopted county so much he produced a marching song in its praise. In another version Ward-Higgs composed the song specifically for the wedding of his sister-in-law Gladys when she became engaged to Captain Roland Waithman of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment. It may well have come from a poem written by Rudyard Kipling in 1902 entitled Sussex, the final stanza of which is:
God gives all men all earth to love,But since man's heart is small,Ordains for each one spot shall proveBeloved over all.Each to his choice, and I rejoiceThe lot has fall to meIn a fair ground – Sussex by the Sea!In a fair ground – Yea, Sussex by the Sea!The song was published in 1907, and Captain Waithman performed it in concerts at Ballykinlar Camp in Ireland where the battalion was then stationed. The song never became the regimental march: this was always "The Royal Sussex". It was, however, the first march used by the Royal Air Force, as their Officers Training School No. 1 was in a hotel in St Leonards-on-Sea. During the liberation of Singapore at the end of World War II in 1945, the Royal Marine band of the heavy cruiser HMS Sussex played "Sussex by the Sea" as the ship entered harbour.
Enthusiasm for "Sussex by the Sea" goes far beyond Sussex. King Hussein of Jordan would insist the tune be played whenever he visited the military academy at Sandhurst. The march continues to be played at band concerts all over the world and, despite the Royal Sussex Regiment's amalgamation into the Queen's Regiment and later the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, it is still played on ceremonial occasions.
"Sussex By The Sea" is the regimental march of the 25th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment, Australia.
Sussex County Cricket Club
In 1957, Joe Haddon wrote a two verse version dedicated to Sussex cricket.
Now is the time for playingNow let your hearts be gayList what your captain is sayingWhile off the field of playSo put your best leg forward, my ladsAnd time each ball you seeIf you sing the old songWell you can’t go wrongOf Sussex By The SeaChorus:
Good Old Sussex by the Sea, Good Old Sussex By the SeaYou can tell them all that we stand or fallFor Sussex by the Sea.Good Old Sussex By the SeaTheir cricket is a pleasure to seeThey will give you a showFor they don’t play slowAnd useful men are theySo when you go to SussexSix Martlets men to seeThey will delight you allWith the bat and the ballIn the County Ground by the Sea.Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. & Sussex County Cricket Club
The song has also become attached to Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. and Sussex County Cricket Club. It is the clubs' official song, but with a changed chorus (often sung on its own, without any verses) - or, more recently, just humming the verses. The Seagulls also use GOSBTS to run out to at their new American Express Community Stadium, where a loud, rousing version by the Grenadier Guards is used.
Good old Sussex by the sea,Good old Sussex by the seaOh we're going upTo win the cupFor Sussex by the sea.Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital uses the tune as its school march.
1939 Sussex People's March of History
Marching through Eastbourne in the 'Sussex People's March of History' of 1939 with banners that included Jack Cade's rebellion in 1450, the Swing Riots of 1830 and the Battle of Lewes Road, which was a significant incident in Brighton in the General Strike of 1926, 400 protesters led by Ernie Trory of the Sussex Communist movement sang the following words to Sussex by the Sea.
Now is the time for marchingUnder our banners redRank upon rank advancingSurely we forge aheadSo let your voices ring comrades,All you who would be freeAnd we'll sing a songAs we march alongOf peace and liberty