List of organists and assistant organists of Wells Cathedral explained

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

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)
• 2005–2019 Matthew Owens^[7]
• 2020–2022 Jeremy Cole (acting Organist and Master of the Choristers since 2019)^[8]

Assistant organists

• Charles William Lavington 1842 – 1859
• J. Summers
• Frederick Crowe^[9] (later organist of Chichester Cathedral) c.1880
• Charles Harry Moody 1894 – 1895 (then acting organist 1895)
• Frederick William Heck 1896 – 1897^[10] (afterwards organist of Bedminster Parish Church)
• W. J. Bown^[11]
• Richard John Maddern-Williams 1904 – 1906 (afterwards sub-organist of Norwich Cathedral).
• Kenneth J Miller 1906^[12]
• 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 2017-2019
• James Gough (Acting) 2019-2020
• Alexander Hamilton, Assistant Director of Music 2020-2022
• Adam Wilson, Assistant Organist 2021-2022, Acting Assistant Director of Music 2023

Bibliography

• Book: Thornsby, Frederick W.. Dictionary Of Organs And Organists. 1926. H. Logan.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Somerset, Wells Cathedral of St. Andrew, Dean & Chapter Of Wells N0 6890. 11 February 2008 . National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR) .
2. Web site: Somerset, Wells Cathedral of St. Andrew, Dean & Chapter Of Wells N06890. 11 February 2008 . National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR) .
3. Web site: Somerset, Wells Cathedral of St. Andrew, Dean & Chapter Of Wells N06891. 11 February 2008 . National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR) .
4. Web site: Somerset, Wells Cathedral of St. Andrew, Dean & Chapter Of Wells N06892. 11 February 2008 . National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR) .
5. Web site: Somerset, Wells Cathedral of St. Andrew, Dean & Chapter Of Wells N06893. 11 February 2008 . National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR) .
6. Web site: Walter Bagele. Biographical Dictionary of the Organ. 4 September 2011.
7. Web site: Matthew Owens. Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society. 4 September 2011.
8. https://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/worship-and-music/music/organists/jeremy-cole/ Wells Cathedral, Jeremy Cole - Director of Music
9. Thornsby, 1912 page 264
10. Thornsby, 1912 page 286
11. Thornsby, 1912 page 251
12. Thornsby, 1912 page 309