List of organists and assistant organists of Wells Cathedral

Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England.

Organ seen from the crossing.

The first record of an organ dates from 1310, with a smaller organ, probably for the Lady Chapel, being installed in 1415. In 1620 a new organ, built by Thomas Dallam, was installed at a cost of £398 1s 5d, however this was destroyed by parliamentary soldiers in 1643 and another new organ was built in 1662,[1] which was enlarged in 1786,[2] and again in 1855.[3] In 1909–1910 a new organ was built by Harrison & Harrison with the best parts of old organ retained,[4] and this has been maintained by the same company since.[5]

Organists

1416–1418 Walter Bagele (or Vageler)[6] 1421–1422 Robert Cator 1428–1431 John Marshal 1437–1462 John Marchell 1461–1462 John Menyman (joint) 1461–1462 Richard Hygons (joint) 1497–1507 Richard Hygons 1507–1508 Richard Bramston 1508 John Clawsy (or Clavelleshay) 1514 William Mylwhard 1515–1531 Richard Bramston 1534–1538 John Smyth 1547–1554 Nicholas Prynne 1556–1557 John Marker 1558 Robert Awman 1559–1562 William Lyde

1563 Thomas Tanner 1568 Matthew Nailer 1587 John Clerk 1600 Thomas Hunt 1608 James Weare 1613–1614 Edmund Tucker 1614–1619 Richard Brown 1619–1642 John Oker (or Okeover) 1663–1674 John Brown 1674 Mr Hall 1674–1688 John Jackson 1688–1690 Robert Hodge 1690–1712 John George 1713–1726 William Broderip 1726 Joseph Millard 1727–1740 William Evans

1741 Jacob Nickells 1741–1771 John Broderip 1771–1773 Peter Parfitt 1773–1781 Robert Parry 1781–1820 Dodd Perkins 1820–1859 William Perkins 1859–1895 Charles Williams Lavington 1896–1899 Percy Carter Buck 1899–1933 Revd. Canon Thomas Henry Davis 1933–1936 Conrad William Eden 1936–1971 Denys Pouncey, with Peter Lyons (musician), who was Director of Music at Wells Cathedral School, as Master of the Choristers from 1954-1960. 1971–1996 Anthony Crossland 1996–2004 Malcolm Archer 2004–2005 Rupert Gough (acting) 2005 Matthew Owens[7]

Assistant organists

• Charles William Lavington 1842 – 1859
• J. Summers
• Frederick Joseph William Crowe[8] (later organist of Chichester Cathedral) c.1880
• Charles Harry Moody 1894 – 1895 (then acting organist 1895)
• Frederick William Heck 1896 – 1897[9] (afterwards organist of Bedminster Parish Church)
• W. J. Bown[10]
• Richard John Maddern-Williams 1904 – 1906 (afterwards sub-organist of Norwich Cathedral).
• Kenneth J Miller 1906[11]
• F.P. Wheeldon 1908
• Frank W. Porkess
• Marmaduke Conway 1920 – 1925 (later organist of Ely Cathedral)
• C.H. Trevor 1926 – 1927
• Conrad William Eden 1927 – 1933 (then organist)
• J.W. Martindale-Sidwell 1938
• Michael Peterson 1946 – 1953
• Hugo Langrish 1953 - 1961
• Anthony Crossland 1961 – 1970
• David Anthony Cooper 1977 – 1983 (later organist of Blackburn Cathedral)
• Christopher Brayne 1983 – 1990 (later organist of Bristol Cathedral)
• David Ponsford
• Andrew Nethsingha 1990 – 1994
• Rupert Gough 1994 – 2005
• David Bednall 2002 – 2007 (Senior Organ Scholar 2002 – 2004)
• Jonathan Vaughn 2007 – 2017
• Jeremy Cole 2017-19
• James Gough (Acting) 2019-2020

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

References

1. "Somerset, Wells Cathedral of St. Andrew, Dean & Chapter Of Wells N0 6890". National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR). Retrieved 11 February 2008.
2. "Somerset, Wells Cathedral of St. Andrew, Dean & Chapter Of Wells N06890". National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR). Retrieved 11 February 2008.
3. "Somerset, Wells Cathedral of St. Andrew, Dean & Chapter Of Wells N06891". National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR). Retrieved 11 February 2008.
4. "Somerset, Wells Cathedral of St. Andrew, Dean & Chapter Of Wells N06892". National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR). Retrieved 11 February 2008.
5. "Somerset, Wells Cathedral of St. Andrew, Dean & Chapter Of Wells N06893". National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR). Retrieved 11 February 2008.
6. "Walter Bagele". Biographical Dictionary of the Organ. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
7. "Matthew Owens". Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
8. Thornsby, 1912 page 264
9. Thornsby, 1912 page 286
10. Thornsby, 1912 page 251
11. Thornsby, 1912 page 309

Bibliography

• Thornsby, Frederick W. (1926). Dictionary Of Organs And Organists. H. Logan.