Kate Emily Barkley Moss was a violinist, pianist, and professional singer. She was raised in London and studied at the Royal Academy of Music.
Moss wrote The Floral Dance in 1911, after visiting the Cornish mining town of Helston. During her stay there, she attended the town’s traditional Furry Dance, a day-long festival of dancing. On her way home, she began writing lyrics and later modified the tune as well. The original melody was retained in the chorus, with the remainder of the composition being Moss’s own invention.
