A programme and flier from the banned 1926 performance of the Albert Hall's Festival of Remembrance have been discovered at a charity shop in Berkhamsted.
 
Oxfam volunteer Jayne Harris contacted University of Manchester historian James Mansell with news of the rare find - which also included a programme from the first festival of 1923.
 
Jayne had read about James' research which revealed a conspiracy against maverick composer John Foulds - famed for directing the short-lived festival.
 
The 1926 flyer lists rave newspaper reviews for the requiem and commits all profits to "Field Marshal Earl Haig's appeal for ex-servicemen of all ranks".
 
It also lists the ticket prices: promenaders paid 1shilling and 2 pence whereas the most expensive seats in the Grand Tier were £2, 17 shillings and 6 pence.
 
The programme described the event as "a festival of faith, not of victory".
 
Manchester-born Foulds' World Requiem was performed at the festival which was held three times after 1923 and then silenced for 81 years until this month when it was broadcast by the BBC.
 
Though now regarded as a masterpiece, the piece with full orchestra and a 1000-strong choir of 'untrained singers' was branded as boring by the then Director of Music for the BBC - Sir Adrian Boult.
 
Foulds and his wife Maud MacCarthy donated all proceeds of the festival to the poppy appeal organised by the British Legion.
 
James Mansell said: "This find is very exciting and I'm delighted that Jayne got in touch.
 
"These are the best examples of original performance material that I've seen- they are in amazing condition.
 
"It gives a unique snapshot of what the festival would have been like.
 
"The phrase it's "a festival of faith, not of victory" is indicative of Foulds' political outlook and internationalism and sheds more light on why the establishment viewed him with distaste and suspicion.
 
"That includes Field Marshal Earl Haig who ran the poppy appeal for the British legion, editor of the Express Newspaper Ralph Blumenfeld as well as Sir Adrian Boult."
 
Jayne Harris said: "As a volunteer in Oxfam in Berkhamsted I am in charge of collectables and antiques.
 
"The programmes were handed in several weeks ago.
 
"They were handed to me to research the price for inclusion in our Remembrance Day window.
 
"As I've been at home recovering from a shoulder operation I carried out an internet search to try to find something out about the programmes.
 
"Imagine my surprise when I found that not only was someone researching John Foulds but that the World Requiem was to be performed at The Royal Albert Hall on Sunday evening for the first time in 81 years.
 
She added: "If it had not been for my operation I probably would have had to put them aside to be thoroughly researched at a later date.
 
"They are in excellent condition and we are all very excited about this find."