Organists/Choir Directors History
The first organists remained in their posts for many years and new ones were chosen from many applicants, unlike today when churches struggle to find an organist.
Organists/Choirmasters through the years shows what happened from when records began up until 2017.
Mark Blackwell, organist and choir master for three years, retired in April 2018. As a result locum organists were employed and Martin Hinckley, a choir member, again took over liaising with them and directing the choir.
Thom Stanbury was appointed organist/choirmaster after ten months. Thom says: “My vision is that music can and should be a key element of worship, strengthening and adding resonance and relevance to the work of a parish church. This vision is informed by my own lived experience ..... My vision is of a choir that takes joy in unlocking together a new work, or revisiting a familiar one, to find the truest possible performance and understanding.”
Thom Stanbury was appointed our new Choir Director and Organist in 2019. Thom believes “Music can and should be a key element of worship, strengthening and adding resonance and relevance to that of faith”.
During the lockdowns in the Covid 19 pandemic Thom continued holding weekly choir practice, but remotely on Zoom. To provide music for the streamed services he sent out mp4s of the music and encouraged members to record themselves singing the hymns, communion service and anthems. With skill and technical wizardry he combined their voices and sent the final versions to Derek, the vicar, ready for each Sunday.
Organ History
The organ, originally built by Bishop for St Peter’s, Eaton Square in the 1830s, was bought for £150 by Revd Fitz Wygram in 1874. It has been said that “the organ at St James is one of the finest in the area, is a great asset to the church and one commented on by many visiting musicians”. The organ is now a three manual and pedal organ and contains hundreds of pipes of different sizes. Through the years the organ has undergone many cleanings, repairs, refurbishments, modernisations, additions and improvements.
The Organ through the years shows what happened from when records began up until 2017.
Various irregularities had been noticed in the organ, including a whistling and hissing sound and also some notes being weaker and more fuzzy than others. An examination by the organ restorer, Bernie Whitmill, revealed many technical faults causing these problems. As a result, Bernie spent about 16 months from January 2017 deep in the organ chamber, meticulously repairing or replacing the parts of the instrument that were broken or showing their age, thus causing problems, and also moving some pipes to their correct positions. The PCC allocated £17,000 to cover the most essential work and a substantial private donation was made towards the rest of the cost. See the photo album Organ Renovation.
Choir History
There is no record of when a choir was first formed at St James's. The first reference to it states that by 1886 the choir expenses were £14 13s. The summer of 1886 saw the first choir treat for the men, an excursion to Portsmouth. There were twenty men and eighteen boys in the choir by 1889, and in addition to these, there was a second, or afternoon, choir of twenty boys, which trained them ready for the main choir.
St James's Choir through the years shows what happened from when records began up until 2017. The picture above shows the second organist at St James's, Mr Dawkins, with the choir in 1877.
The choir continues to support the congregation regularly, though not every week, at the Sunday Parish Communion services. In addition to the hymns, it sings at least one anthem, leads the singing in the traditional Carol Service and takes part in many special services throughout the year, helping to celebrate important milestones in the Church Year.
Many of the parts of our Sunday communion liturgy are set to music. For a number of years St James's has sung a Frankenstein setting, with different sections coming from different composers. After researching a number of options, and not really finding one that suited, in 2024 Thom asked Martin Hinckley, a member of the choir who had composed one of the sections we already sang, to write a whole setting. Martin, knowing our strengths, was able and willing. Our Service Booklets now have an appendix with the musical notation for the setting, for those who read music.
St James's Players History
St James's Players started life as theTravellers in 1987. The band was a group of about half a dozen adult musicians and singers, led by Paul Revis. It accompanied the Sunday evening Prayer ‘n Praise services and later started to accompany the All-age services on the first Sunday of the month. When Paul left in 1997, Martin Hinckley took on the job and gradually changed the Travellers from a rock style band to a small, amazingly well-balanced orchestra involving families and youngsters. The musical ensemble accompanied the hymns during the All-age Services, played quiet music before the service, processional music at the end and anything else that needed playing.
St James's Players through the years shows what happened from when records began up until the group eventually wound up during the Covid 19 Pandemic.
Concerts and Recitals History
Concerts and recitals have been held in the church, probably since Revd Fitz Wygram was vicar, performed by different local community groups and by young and old alike. Also, over the years, St James's own musicians have put on recitals for various charities and for their own pleasure.
Concerts & Recitals through the years shows what happened from when records began up until 2017.
St James's continues to host concerts by local groups, local schools, community organisations and other music-makers, as well as by visiting musicians. These recitals and concerts help to raise funds for charitable and church purposes. The church has also become a rehearsal venue and is the regular home for the local Rock Choir which both rehearses and performs at St James’s. The layout of the church, its fine acoustics and the facilities in the church and the adjacent church hall all make St James's an excellent venue for musical events. To enhance these concerts and musical events new special and coloured lights with lighting effects have been added to the church and the audio system has been thoroughly upgraded.
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St James's Players |
Deanery Evensong |
Organ Pipes |
