"E" Profiles
EARÉE, Revd ROBERT BRISCO (1846-1928)
Born: (?), 1846
Educated at Cockermouth Grammar School, Cumbria. Ordained in 1871 and appointed as curate to Coggeshall, Essex (1871). While chaplain in Berlin in the 1880s he was responsible for raising a fund for a new church dedicated to St George. In 1890 was appointed Rector of Miserden, Gloucestershire. A philatelist who wrote several books on the subject. Earée was entered on the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1921.
Died: (?), 1928
(from J. S. Bach) E, T. (Anon) (-)
EALES, A. R. T. (-)
EARLE, WILLIAM BENTHAM (1740-1796)
Born: (?), 1740 in Shaftesbury or Salisbury, Wiltshire
Spent most of his life in Salisbury. Educated at Salisbury Cathedral School in the cathedral close. He moved on to Winchester College and later up to Merton College, Oxford. Graduated BA(Oxon) in 1761 and MA(Oxon) in 1764.
From 1765-1767 he made the 'grand tour' of the continent. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1773.
On the death of his father in 1776 he succeeded to an ample fortune.
Died: 2nd or 21st March, 1796 in Salisbury
EARP, HENRY EDWARD (1877-1955)
Born: (?), 1877
Died: (?), 1955
EASTWOOD, M. (-)
EBDON, THOMAS (1738-1811)
Born: (?), 1738 in Durham
A chorister at Durham Cathedral under James Heseltine. He succeeded Heseletine as Organist of Durham Cathedral in 1763 until his death in 1811.
He is buried in the churchyard of St Oswald's church, Durham.
Died: 23rd September, 1811 in Durham
ECCLES, GRAHAM (20th cent.)
Born: (?)
First studied the organ at Worksop College in Nottinghamshire and during this time he gained his LTCL and ARCO diplomas. Subsequently he studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester under Ronald Frost and was appointed Bedlington Organ Scholar at St Ann's Church. Around this time he achieved the ARCM and FRCO diplomas. Assistant Organist of Chester Cathedral (1989-1998). Organist and Master of the Choristers at Asaph's Cathedral, Wales (1998-2003). Became a freelance musician in 2004. Director of Music at Bangor Cathedral, Wales (2009-2014).
EDEN, Dr CONRAD WILLIAM (1905-1995)
Born: 4th May, 1905 in Alton, Hampshire
A chorister at Wells Cathedral and pupil there of T. H. Davies. He won a scholarship to Rugby School, another to the Royal College of Music, London and an exhibition that took him to St John's College, Oxford as College Organist. A short period as Organist of St Philip and St James Church, Oxford and Director of Music at the Dragon School, Oxford ended with a fractured skull. After his recovery he became Assistant Organist of Wells Cathedral (1927-1933) where he was appointed full Organist and Master of the Choristers until 1936. Whilst in this tenure he took his degree of BMus(Oxon). In 1936 he moved to be Organist of Durham Cathedral (1936-1974).
He received the Honorary FRCO diploma in 1971 and MusD(Lambeth) on his retirement in 1974.
Died: 16th October, 1995 in Sherborne, Dorset
EDMUNDSON, COLIN (20th cent.)
EDWARDS, (?) (-)
EDWARDS, ARTHUR CHARLES (1896-?)
Born: (?), 1896 in Framlingham, Suffolk
Died: (?)
EDWARDS, ARTHUR MORRIS (1854-1928)
Born: (?), 1854 in Clifton, Gloucestershire
Died: 14th April, 1928 in Clifton, Gloucestershire
EDWARDS, EDWIN (1830-1907)
Born: (?), 1830 in Street, Somerset
Private organist of the Duke of Buccleugh's Chapel, Dalkeith, Scotland.
Moved to Rugby School as a teacher of music around 1865. Music Master and
Organist of Rugby School (1867-1886).
Died: 21st August, 1907 in Rugby, Warwickshire
EDWARDS, FREDERICK GEORGE (1853-1909)
Born: 11th October, 1853 in St Marylebone, London
Attended boarding school in Brixton Hill, Dedham Grammar School, Essex and the Royal Academy of Music, London from 1875 where he studied the organ with Dr Charles Steggall and at King's College, London. He had further organ study with Henry Bevan at St Mary's School, Kilburn with Henry Frost of the Chapel Royal, Savoy Hill. Started giving recitals at the Exeter Hall from 1873. He started a business in London in 1869 but he had abandoned it by 1875. Organist of the Surrey Chapel in Blackfriars Road from 1873.
Died: 28th November, 1909 in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire
EDWARDS, Dr HENRY JOHN (1854-1933)
Born: 24th February, 1854 in Barnstaple, Devon
Among his teachers were Sir William Sterndale Bennett for piano and orchestration, Sir George Alexander Macfarren for composition, H. C. Banister for harmony, and George Cooper junior.
BMus(Oxon) whilst at New College in 1876 and DMus(Oxon) whilst at Keble College in 1885.
Became an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music (1908) and an honorary freedom of Barnstaple, Devon (1908).
Succeeded his father as Organist of Barnstaple Parish Church around 1876 for over 50 years. Became a conductor of the local festival society. He gave many piano recitals throughout the country.
Died: 8th April, 1933 in Barnstaple, Devon
EDWARDS, J. P. (-)
EDWARDS, M. E. WYNNE (-)
EDWARDS, PAUL CHRISTISON (20th cent.)
Born: 19th March, (?) in Bedford
A chorister at St Paul's Cathedral Choir School (1964-1968) and later at Bedford Modern School. Lay clerk (counter-tenor) at Peterborough Cathedral (1978-1982). Organist of several churches around Bedford including Weston Favell, Northamptonshire (1987-1992) and of St Paul's Church, Bedford (1992-2001). Organist then of All Saints', Kempston, Bedfordshire. A prolific composer of excellent choral and organ music.
EDWARDS, ROBERT (1797-1862)
Born: (?), 1797 in Mostyn, Flintshire, Wales
Spent his childhood in Mostyn, Flintshire and started work as a miller in the nearby village of Melin Gwibnant. As a young man he moved to Liverpool and found employment as a carter for the Bridgewater Trustees. This company managed stretches of canal between Liverpool, Manchester and Runcorn. He later became the superintendent of the carting company.
Succeeded John Ellis as Precentor of the Bedford Street Calvinistic Methodist Church in Liverpool (1835-1859).
Died: (?), 1862 in Liverpool
EDWARDS, THOMAS (-)
(from Martin Luther) 'EIN FESTE BURG' *
EKWUEME, LAZARUS EDWARD NNANYEW (1936-)
Born: (?), 1936
ELBORNE, EDWARD PICKAVER (1823-1891)
Born: (?), 1823 in (?)
Died: (?), 1891 in (?)
ELGAR, Sir EDWARD WILLIAM (1857-1934)
Born: 2nd June, 1857 in Broadheath, near Worcester
Son of an organist and bookseller. Attended Roman Catholic schools in the area of Worcester including the local Dame School, Spetchley Park and Littleton House in 1886. Left school aged 15. Learned to play the piano followed by the violin with teachers in the area but from 1877-1878 he moved to London to continue violin study with Adolphe Pollitzer. In 1880 he took the local examination of the Royal Academy of Music, London for violin and general musical knowledge, passing with honours.
He worked in a solicitor's office from 1872-1873 but at 16 decided to pursue a career in music. He went to Germany in 1883 and heard Reinecke conduct the Leipzig Gewandhaus. In the same year he became engaged to Miss Helen Weaver of Worcester but the engagement was broken a year later due to religious incompatibility.
Band master at the mental institution at Powick, Worcestershire (1879-1884). Among his assignments was to play the violin at the Three Choirs Festivals of 1878, 1881 and in 1884 under Dvorak. Tried his hand at teacher but this became something of an ordeal!
During the 1880s he would regularly visit the Crystal Palace in London to promote his music and listen to the concerts. He had served his father as Assistant Organist at George's Catholic Church, Worcester, succeeding him in 1885 until 1889. In 1891 he returned to the Malverns and Hereford. He started doing a great amount of composing whilst back home.
Professor of Music, Birmingham University 1905-1908. Knighted in 1904 and received the Order of Merit in 1911. Around the turn of the century his standing as a composer increased enormously.
Hon MusD(Cantab), Hon DMus(Oxon), Hon DMus(Dunelm) and at Yale.
Master of the King's Music (1924-1934). In 1932 he recorded his Violin Concerto with the 16 year old Yehudi Menuhin as soloist.
Died: 23rd February, 1934 in Worcester
ELLIOTT, (?) (-)
ELLIOTT, JAMES WILLIAM (1833-1915)
Born: 13th February, 1833 in Warwick
A pupil of W. Clayton, Dr William Richard Bexfield and Sir George Alexander Macfarren. A chorister at Christ Church, Leamington, Warwickshire (1846-1848). He succeeded James Perring as Organist of Christ Church, Leamington (1847-1852), was organist of Haversham Parish Church, Buckinghamshire, and succeeded William Glover as Organist of St Luke's Church, Cheetham Hill, Organist to the Earl of Wilton at Heaton Parish Church, Banbury (1860), Organist of St Mary Bolton's Church, Brompton, London (1862-1864), succeeded Walter Hay Sangster as Organist of St John's Wood, London (1864-1874), and succeeded Alfred Gilbert as Organist of St Mark's Church, Hamilton Terrace, Maida Vale, London (1874-1909).
Died: 5th February, 1915 in St John's Wood, London
ELLIOTT, JAMIE (20th cent.)
Born: (?)
Sometime chorister at Westminster Abbey.
ELLIOTT, Miss M. B. (-)
ELLIOTT, MYLES B. (-)
ELLIOTT, ROBERT FRANCIS BERNARD (1869-1954)
Born: 15th December, 1869 in Poplar, London
Died: 5th May, 1954 in Worthing, Sussex
ELLIOTT, VINCENT (-)
ELLIOTT, W. (-)
ELLIS, (?) (-)
ELLIS, GRAHAM J. (20th cent.)
Born: (?), in Cheshire (?)
He studied organ with Dr Caleb Jarvis and Dr Noel Rawsthorne, piano with Edwen Williams-Laramee and ‘cello with the late William Jenkins (founder and conductor of the Merseyside Youth Orchestra) at Liverpool University. Since graduating he has achieved a considerable reputation as an experienced freelance conductor of both choral and orchestral music, working with many choral and operatic societies and with amateur, youth and professional orchestras, including Das Schwäbische Symphonie-Orchester of West Germany, Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, Liverpool Baroque Orchestra, Northern Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1990 he founded the Liverpool Sinfonia, an orchestra of freelance professional players which appears with him regularly both accompanying choral concerts and in their own right. He has also worked for BBC radio and television, is conductor of the St Peter’s Singers and Orchestra and Director of Music at Birkenhead School, whose Chapel Choir has performed throughout this country and in Northern France, Venice, Verona, Florence, Prague and Vienna.
In 1996 he was invited to take up the position of Music Director to the Chester Music Society, having been guest conductor for their Golden Jubilee concert, performing Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony, Bax Tintagel and the North West première of Finzi Requiem da Camera. In 1999 he was appointed Director of Music to the Liverpool Welsh Choral Union, which celebrated its Centenary in 2000 under his direction. For this occasion he was commissioned to write the choral work Degrees of Joy which received its première in the choir’s Centenary Gala Concert with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and with whom he subsequently conducted an acclaimed performance of Elgar The Kingdom. Engagements have included performances of Orff Carmina Burana, Finzi Intimations of Mortality, Britten War Requiem, Puccini Messa di Gloria, Verdi Aida, Elgar The Music Makers, Verdi Requiem, a special performance of Elgar The Dream of Gerontius in Liverpool Anglican Cathedral with the Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and a chorus of 300 voices to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the work’s first performance, and a series of Gala Carol Concerts with actresses Patricia Routledge and Jean Boht in support of local and national charities. Recent notable performances have included Elgar Cello Concerto with Peter Dixon, Gershwin Porgy and Bess and Rhapsody in Blue with Martin Roscoe and the NCO, Bernstein West Side Story, Beethoven Missa Solemnis, Handel Messiah, Bach St Matthew Passion, Bach Mass in B minor, Blackford Mirror of Perfection and an evening of Gilbert and Sullivan with the Northern Chamber Orchestra.
ELLIS, MARTIN JOHN (1943-2020)
Born: (?), 1943
Director of Music at St Martin's Church, Dorking, Surrey (1986-2014).
Died: (?), 2020
ELLIS, Dr WILLIAM (1868-1947)
Born: 13th October, 1868 at Tow Law, County Durham
A pupil of Dr Philip Armes at Durham Cathedral. Organist of Elvet Methodist Church, Durham aged 13. In 1887 he was appointed Organist of St Nicholas's Church, Durham. Organist of Richmond Parish Church, Yorkshire and Organist to the Marquess of Zetland (1894-1903). He returned to Durham in 1903 as Sub-Organist to his old master at the cathedral and remained there until his appointment as Organist of Newcastle Cathedral (1918-1938).
Died: 26th November, 1947 in Hexham, Northumberland
ELLISON, Very Revd H. E. (-)
ELLISTON, THOMAS (1852-1939)
Born: (?), 1852 in Ballingdon, Sudbury, Suffolk
For over 40 years Organist of St Gregory's, Sudbury, Suffolk
Died: 1st December, 1939 in Sudbury, Suffolk
ELVEY, Sir GEORGE JOB (1816-1893)
(younger brother of Dr Stephen Elvey)
Born: 27th March, 1816 in Canterbury, Kent
A chorister under Highmore Skeats senior (whose daughter he later married) at Canterbury Cathedral until 1830 and a pupil at Canterbury School. He moved to New College, Oxford to be a pupil of his elder brother, Dr Stephen Elvey. Lay clerk at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford (1833-1834). Succeeded Highmore Skeats junior as Organist of St George's Chapel, Windsor in 1835 and resigned in 1882. Private Organist to Queen Victoria in 1837. He was offered the organist's role at Exeter Cathedral around 1842-1843 but declined it. The post then went to Dr Samuel Sebastian Wesley. Received his Knighthood in 1871.
BMus(Oxon) in 1838, DMus(Oxon) in 1840. Associate of the SBM (1846-1848), FCO in 1866. An Original Member of the Musical Association in 1874. Associate of the Philharmonic Society in 1878, and Full Member in 1880.
He is buried outside the west front of St George's Chapel, Windsor, Berkshire.
Died: 9th December, 1893 at Windlesham, Surrey
ELVEY, Dr STEPHEN (1805-1860)
(elder brother of Sir George Job Elvey)
Born: 27th June, 1805 in Canterbury, Kent
A chorister under Highmore Skeats senior at Canterbury Cathedral and later studied under him. Succeeded Alfred William Bennett as Organist of New College, Oxford (1830-1860). BMus(Oxon) in 1831 and DMus(Oxon) in 1838.
Organist in succession of Walter Vicary of the University Church of St Mary, Oxford (1845) and of Dr William Marshall as Organist of St John's College, Oxford (1846). Choragus of the University (1848). Lost one of his legs when he was 17 in a shooting accident. His wooden leg appeared not to trouble him too much. The swell pedal was duly adapted for him.
He was buried in Oxford.
Died: 6th October, 1860 in Oxford
ELLWANGER, HENRY B. (1850-1883)
Born: 8th October, 1850 in Rochester, New York State, USA
A partner in the horticultural firm of Ellwanger and Barry. In 1874 he married Mary Brooks. A life-long authority on roses. He has written a history of St Andrew's Episcopal Church, Rochester, New York State, USA. Founder of the church choir as well as their director up until his death in 1883. Founder member of the Rochester Oratorio Society as well as its First Vice-President.
He died from typhoid fever
Died: 7th August, 1883 at his home in Rochester, New York State, USA
ELY, FREDERICK ARTHUR (1872-1955)
Born: 1st November, 1872 in Westminster, London
Studied at the Royal College of Music, London and was awarded BMus(London) in 1900. Organist and Choirmaster of the churches of St Catherine, Leytonstone, Essex (1897-1901), Holy Trinity, Sunningdale, Berkshire (1901-1903) and Holy Trinity, Ayr, Scotland from 1903. Organist of Ayr Town Hall and a professor of singing at the Ayr Academy. Conductor of local choral societies. Composed a very small amount of church music.
Died: 21st April, 1955 in Ayr, Scotland
EMBERTON, KENNETH (20th cent.)
Born: (?)
Of Doncaster.
EMLYN-JONES, W. (-)
Born: (?), in Wales
Died: (?)
ENGLAND, RICHARD JOHN (1919-)
Born: (?), 1919 in London
ENTWISTLE, C. (could be Henry Entwistle) (-)
ENTWISTLE, HENRY (?-1833)
Born: (?)
'A counter-tenor singer of rare excellence'. Teacher of music and conductor of the Choral Society (in Liverpool?)
Died: (?), 1833
ENTWISTLE, L. A. (-)
EPERSON, Revd Canon DONALD BIRKBY (1904-2001)
Born: (?), 1904
Studied at Christ Church, Oxford (1923-1927). Vicar of Charminster, Dorset (1938-1953). His wife Phyllis, a talented pianist and organist with her husband brought much creativity to the village.
He taught divinity at Sherborne School, Dorset. He was a mathematician and writer. After leaving Charminster the Epersons moved to Chichester, West Sussex and he became an honorary priest at Chichester Cathedral and Inspector of Education in Church of England Schools in the Archdeaconry of Chichester. He once conducted a performance of Handel's Judas Maccabaeus to the accompaniment of air-raid sirens whilst at Chichester (?). Became a canon emeritus of Salisbury Cathedral. They then moved to Canterbury for 33 years before their final years were spent in Sussex. He was still typing on his ancient typewriter up until his final days aged 96.
He fostered the mathematical talents of Alan Turing who was at Sherborne School and got him into Cambridge University (Turing did so much for code-breaking at Bletchingley Park, which did so much to shorten World War Two and heralded in the world of computers).
Died: 13th May, 2001 in Sussex
EPERSON'S COLLECTION *
EPPS, Dr DAVID R. (20th cent.)
'ERNEST' (?) *
ETHERTON, JOHN MICHAEL (1939-2016)
Born: (?), 1939
A tenor lay clerk.
Died: (?) January, 2016
EVANCE, RICHARD (18th-19th cent.)
EVANS, GEORGE STEPHEN (1880-after 1912)
Born: (?), 1880 in Crickhowell, Wales
Musical director for Aberystwyth Borough Council, Wales. Thirty one years as organist of the English Congregational Church, Aberystwyth.
Died: (?), after 1912
EVANS, Revd J. OWEN Parch Owain Alaw (1821-1883)
Born: 14th November, 1821 in Chester
As a young man he was apprenticed to a cutler but also studied music and became an organist. He became the Organist at the Countess of Huntingdon Chapel as well as the conductor of the 'Octagon Orchestral Society'. He married a Miss Williams in 1842 and two years later gave up his business to devote himself to music.
Organist of St Paul's Church, Broughton, Chester and St Bride's Church,
Chester; Organist and Choirmaster of St Mary's Welsh Church, Chester.
Winner of the 1851 Rhuddlan Eisteddfod. A well-known adjudicator at these festivals.
Composer of 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhaddu' which later became the National Anthem of Wales, 'Land of my Fathers'.
He was buried in Chester.
Died: 29th January, 1883
EVANS, MORDECHAI (-)
EVANS, WALTER DOUGLAS (19th/20th cent.)
EVANS, Revd WILLIAM SLOANE (1823-1899)
Born: (?), 1823
An authority on heraldry. Graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge c.1845. Appointed Assistant Curate of St David's, Exeter on the 21st (?), 1847. Honorary Secretary of the Exeter Diocesan Architectural Society.
Died: (?), 1899
EVANS-WILLIAM, C. (?)
EVERETT, Dr ASA BROOKS EVERETT (1828-1875)
Born: (?), 1828
Died: (?), 1875
EVERETT, LEONARD C. (1818-1867)
Born: (?), 1818
Died: (?), 1867
EVERSON, C. (-)
EXHAM, Revd M. K. (-)
Born: (?)
An amateur musician residing in Dublin, Ireland.
Died: (?)
EXHAM, ROBERT (1824-?)
Born: 5th May, 1824 in Cork, Ireland
Died: (?)
EXTON, (?) (-)
EYRE, ALFRED JAMES (1853-1919)
Born: 24th October, 1853 in Lambeth, London
He studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London under Sir George Alexander Macfarren, Frederick Westlake and George Cooper junior. Organist of the London Churches of St Peter, Vauxhall (1867-1872 and 1874-1881), St Ethelburga, Bishopsgate (1872-1874), St John, Upper Norwood (1881). Organist of the Crystal Palace (1880-1894). Professor of the organ at the Royal Normal College for the Blind, Hereford. Composed a small amount of service music plus a few hymns.
Died: 11th October, 1919 in Lower Norwood, Surrey
EYRE, JONATHAN P. (20th cent.)
Born: 12th July, (?)
Director of Music at St Nicholas Church, Harpenden, Hertfordshire and Master of the Choristers at Willington Preparatory School, Wimbledon, London. He was awarded BMus(Sheffield) where he was organ scholar, and was Organ Scholar of Sheffield Cathedral.
Appointed Assistant Director of Music at St Peter's Cathedral, Bradford in 2012 where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the Cathedral Girls' Choir. He played the organ as part of the weekly round of Cathedral liturgies. Co-Director of the RSCM Voices North Choir and Organist to the University of Sheffield.
Currently studying the organ with Dr Gordon Stewart and has previously studied with Dr Colin Walsh, Neil Taylor and Andrew Fletcher. A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and an Associate of Trinity College, London and also holds the Choral Directing Diploma from the Royal College of Organists.
Outside of Bradford Cathedral, Jonathan holds teaching posts at Bradford Grammar School (Singing and Theory), has a private teaching practice (Organ, Singing and Piano). He maintains an active recital and silent movie improvisation career. Jonathan also holds positions on the councils of the RSCM Bradford and the Bradford Organist Association.
ARCO, FRCO, ATCL and Choral Directing Diploma from the RCO, London.