Mary Cuningham Chater Explained

Mary Chater
Honorific Suffix:MBE
Birth Date:14 January 1896
Birth Place:Middlesex, England
Death Place:Bideford, Devon, England
Alma Mater:Durham University
Royal College of Music
Occupation:Composer, editor, Music Advisor to Girl Guides Association

Mary Cuningham Chater, MBE (14 January 1896 – 25 July 1990) was an English composer, author, music advisor to the Girl Guides Association and editor of several Girl Guide songbooks. She was a recipient of the Silver Fish Award, the highest adult honour in Girl Guiding.

Family and personal life

Mary Chater was born in Strawberry Hill, Middlesex on 14 January 1896. She was the third child of Jessie and Leathley Chater. Her father was a glass and lead merchant, the secretary of the London Plate Glass Merchants' Association and a first-class cricketer.[1] Her mother, Jessie Chater, née Bedwell was chair of Littlehampton's District Nursing Association.[2] Chater was baptized on 22 February 1896.[3]

Her eldest brother Alfred Dougan Chater was wounded at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in 1915; Chater, aged 19, and her mother travelled to Wimereux to visit him in hospital whilst the war continued to the north. One evening she entertained the troops by playing "tunes from London shows, popular ballads and 'Your King and Your Country', a great favorite with the men"[4] on the piano. Her other brother was Guy Leathley Chater (1892 – 1974), a Major in the 1st Norfolk Regiment.[5]

After her father retired in 1927, the family relocated to Littlehampton, West Sussex where they became heavily involved with St James Church.[6]

Chater met Cicely Bertha Hale, Girl Guide leader, suffragette, health visitor and author (1884 – 1981) in 1947. They lived together in Littlehampton from 1950 – 1965, and after that lived next door to each other until Hale's death in 1981.[7] In old age, Chater moved to Kenwith Nursing Home.[8]

Education

Brought up in a musical household - her uncle wrote songs and her mother played the piano and sang - Chater learned the piano from the age of seven. At ten she began to learn the church organ and started composing. She became adept at playing by ear.

She entered Durham University as an unattached student[9] to read music in 1919 where her professor was Joseph Cox Bridge and her examiners included Edward Bairstow. She graduated with a B.Mus in December 1923. During this time she studied viola and composition with the string instrumentalist, organist, author, teacher, composer, inventor of the violinda[10] and water-colourist John Hullah Brown (1875 – 1973).[11]

Chater went on to study at the Royal College of Music from 1926 to 1929,[12] earning an L.R.C.M. Her principal study was composition, under Herbert Howells[13] and her second studies were conducting, under William Henry Reed, Malcolm Sargent and Adrian Boult, orchestration under Gordon Jacob and score reading.

In 1926, Chater was awarded part of the Signor Foli Scholarship, awarded to composition students of at least one year's standing. In 1929 some of her Variations were performed by the Patrons' Fund Orchestra under Adrian Boult.[14]

Work

Chater worked as a music teacher, singer,[15] [16] conductor,[17] [18] and conducting tutor.[19] [20] [21]

From 1942 to 1944 she took charge of Rosemead School, Littlehampton, which, due to its location on the south coast, had become a garrison town[22] with empty houses, buildings and schools serving as lodgings for billeted servicemen. She and a small staff looked after around forty day pupils,[23] sharing their school facilities with the army. She ran the school's choir and Brownie pack.[24]

She served as a justice of the peace for the Arundel Bench[25] [26] from 1945 – 1961.

Girl Guides Association

Chater joined the Girl Guide movement in 1921 whilst living in Strawberry Hill.[23] Of this, she wrote, "Guiding was an activity completely alien to my mind and capacity. I was impractical, unobservant and rather antipathetic to organisations. However… I was soon well and truly hooked. As my brother Guy said, 'This will either be the making of Mary or the ruin of the Girl Guides.'"[27]

During her Guiding career she was a Guide Captain, Ranger Captain, Camp Advisor and District[28] and Division Commissioner for Littlehampton from 1935 to 1946.[29] In 1935, she became assistant to the Association's Commissioner for Music and Drama, Kitty Streatfeild.

From 1949 -1961 Chater held the position of Music Advisor, Commonwealth Headquarters, Girl Guide Association.[30] In this role she travelled extensively, produced song collections,[31] composed original music for special occasions, tested music instructors, adjudicated festivals,[32] gave talks,[33] accompanied church ceremonies and led campfires.

Musical highlights included conducting the singing at the All-England Ranger Rally at the Royal Albert Hall in 1946,[34] leading 10,000 people in song around a campfire at WAGGGS' 13th World Conference in Oxford, England in 1950[35] and playing the organ in both St George's Chapel, Windsor and the Royal Albert Hall. She led the singing on board the frigate Foudroyant for Princess Margaret in 1950[36] and served as Music Advisor on the Girl Guides' Golden Jubilee Committee in July 1960.[37]

In 1953, she visited Canada[38] to direct the music for their National Camp[39] [40] for which she wrote a "well received"[41] song about her experiences whilst there, and also directed the music as part of a "colourful pageant".[42] When visiting Doe Lake, Ontario's Guiding training centre, she fell and broke her arm. The leaders named one of the buildings Chater House.[43] [29] She also visited Guides in Montreal as part of her trip.[44]

She received the Silver Fish Award, Guiding's highest adult award, for her role of Music Advisor.[45] She was also awarded an MBE for services to Guiding in 1962.[46]

Publications

Chater edited and compiled the following songbooks, the vast majority published by the Girl Guides Association:

She also authored two books, Music through Guiding Part 1 (1951)[60] and Pathway Over the Hill: The Elements of Guiding (1966)[61] and contributed the music notes for A Collection of Christmas plays for Guides and Brownies (1961) by Anne Fairtlough[62] and Eileen Peake.[63]

Compositions

Translations

Arrangements

Chater had strong feelings about the quality of many vocal arrangements where "alto parts are too often a dreary shuffle from one note to the next and back again, while descants tend to become too elaborate and to smother the air".[90] She set about writing her own arrangements, which appeared in her own and many other songbooks of the era. Arrangements included:

Conducting

Chater conducted several Guide groups, including for the BBC's Children's Hour as part of the 1949 and 1950 Thinking Day features.[97] [98] Outside of Guiding, she established a women's choir called 'The Monday Club' which met at her home. They would perform at the Bognor and Worthing music festivals where Herbert Howells would occasionally judge.[99] She also conducted the Parry Choir.[100]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Leathley Chater . . www.espncricinfo.com . ESPN Sports Media Ltd. . 2021-09-21.
  2. News: 1949-09-15 . West Sussex Gazette, Chichester . Littlehampton, Death of Mrs Chater . Chichester, U.K. . 12 . 2021-09-21. The death occurred on Sunday of Mrs. Jessie Chater (84) at Elmer, St. Winefride's-rd.
  3. The Green, Richmond Upon Thames Parish Register (1896) Holy Trinity, Twickenham, No. 1582, p198
  4. Book: Chater, Mary . 1991 . Music and Words . Girlguiding Norfolk County Archive Resource Centre (ARC), Coltishall, Norfolk . 12–13.
  5. Lamb . Peter . Summer 2014 . Peter's Hunt for Heroes Continues . The Bulletin, Strawberry Hill Residents' Association, No. 155 . Strawberry Hill, London . Strawberry Hill Residents' Association . 4 . 2021-09-21.
  6. News: 1949-09-15 . West Sussex Gazette, Chichester . Littlehampton, Death of Mrs Chater . Chichester, U.K. . 12 . 2021-09-21 . For many years Miss Chater was organist and her father warden at St James'..
  7. Book: . 2004-09-23 . Hale, Cicely Bertha, (1884-1981) suffragette and health visitor . Oxford University Press.
  8. Book: Chater, Mary . 1991 . Music and Words . Girlguiding Norfolk County Archive Resource Centre (ARC), Coltishall, Norfolk . 1.
  9. Web site: Archives and Special Collections: Durham University Records: History. DU in Durham . . www.libguides.durham.ac.uk . Durham University . 2021-09-21.
  10. Kids violins aka violinda . New Sound Pictorials . British Pathe . 1940-01-25 . John Brown teaches children music with his invention the violinda which is a small violin..
  11. Web site: John Hullah Brown . W.B. Henshaw . www.organ-biography-info . 2021-09-21.
  12. Royal College of Music, London: Prospectus, 1928. Special Scholarships and Exhibitions. p37
  13. Royal College of Music, London Archives; Students' Study Register, 1921 – 31, A-D. RCM00208
  14. . Royal College of Music . The Musical Times . Vol. 70 No. 1031 . Musical Times Publications Ltd . July 1929 . 78.
  15. News: 1938-03-18 . Kent & Sussex Courier . The Music Festival, Visit of Oboe Player of World Repute . Royal Tunbridge Wells U.K. . 13 . 2021-09-21 . Miss Mary Chater has also been engaged to sing folk songs at the children's concert on the opening day..
  16. News: 1938-03-25 . Kent & Sussex Courier . Whispered Words Cure Lazy Lips, unique exercise for school choirs . Royal Tunbridge Wells U.K. . 7 . 2021-09-21 . perhaps the most enjoyable moments were provided by Mary Chater, the well-known singer of folk songs..
  17. News: 1945-10-24 . Mid Sussex Times . T.G. Music Festival . Royal Tunbridge Wells U.K. . 8 . 2021-09-21 . the singing was stated by Miss Mary Chater, Mus.Bac., the conductor, to be extraordinarily high..
  18. News: 1946-05-10 . Sussex Agricultural Express . Women's Institute Choirs, Return to Lewes . Lewes, U.K. . 8 . 2021-09-21 . Littlehampton (Miss Chater).
  19. 1939 England and Wales Register. E.D. Letter Code EMGI, U.D. Littlehampton, Registration District and Sub District 84/2
  20. . Miscellaneous . The Musical Times . Vol. 95, No. 1335. Musical Times Publications Ltd . May 1954 . 271.
  21. . Conducting Course . The Musical Times . Vol. 106, No. 1469 . Musical Times Publications Ltd . July 1965 . 493.
  22. Web site: The Defence of Littlehampton in the Second World War . Greenwood . Hilary . November 2013 . www.littlehamptonfort.co.uk . 31 . 2021-09-21.
  23. Book: Chater, Mary . 1991 . Music and Words . Girlguiding Norfolk County Archive Resource Centre (ARC), Coltishall, Norfolk . 24.
  24. Book: Wilson, Patricia . 2000 . Rosemead: Memories of a School . Gresham Books Ltd . 35 . 0-946095-37-X.
  25. News: 1955-04-08 . Littlehampton Gazette . Sailors were 'skylarking,' stole a lamp . Littlehampton, U.K. . 1 . 2021-09-21 . Miss Mary Chater presiding, said: "We consider you acted very foolishly and were discovered.".
  26. News: 1955-09-23 . Littlehampton Gazette . Bird flew in the face of the law . Littlehampton, U.K. . 2 . 2021-09-21 . Miss Mary Chater, a magistrate, drew the chairman's attention to the blue-tit.
  27. Book: Chater, Mary . 1991 . Music and Words . Girlguiding Norfolk County Archive Resource Centre (ARC), Coltishall, Norfolk . 25.
  28. News: 1955-06-10 . Littlehampton Gazette . Guides' rally . Littlehampton, U.K. . 2 . 2021-09-21 . As a finale a large camp fire will be lighted and the Guides will sing their camp songs under the direction of Miss Mary Chater, of Littlehampton, who is Commissioner of the East Chichester Division.
  29. HGS . November 1990 . Obituary . Guiding Magazine . London . Girl Guides Association . 48.
  30. Web site: The Arts in Guiding: Singing . Smith . Leslie . www.lesliesguidinghistory.webs.com . 2021-09-21 . Music Advisers were appointed to encourage singing within Guiding, and to promote 'appropriate repertoire', prominent among these being Mary Chater.
  31. Book: Smith, Hettie . 1974 . Girl Guide Song Book 1 . London . Girl Guides Association . 4.
  32. News: 1947-04-05 . Staffordshire Advertiser . Guides' camp fire festival . Stafford, U.K. . 8 . 2021-09-21 . Miss Mary Chater (headquarters commissioner for music) was the adjudicator.
  33. News: 1949-11-14 . Bradford Observer . Princess Royal is proud of Guides' good discipline . Bradford, U.K. . 5 . 2021-09-21 . An address on "Music in Guiding" was given by Miss Mary Chater, Imperial Commissioner for Music.
  34. Harris . R. . July 1946 . Rally, Albert Hall . Bedfordshire Girl Guides Magazine . Bedford . Bedfordshire Girl Guides . 6.
  35. News: 1950-07-24 . The Guardian . World Conference of Girl Guides Concert of English Music . London, U.K. . 7 . 2021-09-21 . a concert of English music under the direction of Miss Mary Chater, Commissioner for Music..
  36. News: 1950-05-20 . Portsmouth Evening News . Splice Main-Brace – only in Cocoa . Portsmouth, U.K. . 20 . 2021-09-21 . The singing was led by Miss Mary Chater (Head-quarters Commissioner for Music).
  37. . Jubilee Committee . The Girl Guide's Golden Jubilee Birthday Festival Souvenir Programme . Girl Guides Association . July 1960 . 27.
  38. News: 1952-07-12 . The Ottawa Citizen . 1200 Girl Guides here Monday for 11-day stay' . Ottawa, Canada . 13 . 2021-09-21 . Miss Mary Chater, B.Mus,. music adviser to the Girl Guides Association in Great Britain and an experienced choral leader, composer and writer.
  39. News: 1952-07-19 . The Ottawa Citizen . Picturesque Pageantry in Provincial Parade . Ottawa, Canada . 3 . 2021-09-21 . Judges for the competition are Miss Mary Chater.
  40. News: 1952-07-21 . The Ottawa Citizen . Girl Guides services held at "Rangers" . Ottawa, Canada . 5 . 2021-09-21 . Miss Mary Chater conducted the gathering in a period of singing, which concluded the service..
  41. News: 1952-07-25 . The Ottawa Citizen . 1,200 Girl Guides end camp with huge bonfire . Ottawa, Canada . 18 . 2021-09-21 . A special number written by Miss Chater describing her impressions of the ten day camp was well received by the large gathering..
  42. News: 1952-07-16 . The Ottawa Citizen . Visitors take part in tour of the past . Ottawa, Canada . 15 . 2021-09-21 . Singing was under the leadership of Miss Mary Chater, music commissioner of the Girl Guides Association of Great Britain..
  43. Web site: Doe Lake . . www.girlguides.ca . 2021-09-09.
  44. News: 1952-06-27 . The Gazette . Facts and Fancies . Hill . Montreal, Canada . 18 . 2021-09-21 . Mary Chater, J.P, music adviser for Great Britain, now visiting Canada, will be a guest of the Montreal area..
  45. Book: Liddell, Alix . 1976 . Story of the Girl Guides (1938-1975) . London . Girl Guides Association . 111.
  46. . 1961-12-19 . Most Excellent Order of the British Empire . Supplement to the London Gazette . London, U.K. . Government of the United Kingdom . 16.
  47. Book: Chater, Mary . 1944 . The First Book of Camp Fire Songs . London . Girl Guides Association.
  48. Book: Chater, Mary . 1945 . Fireside Songs in Two Parts . London . A&C Black.
  49. Book: Chater, Mary . 1947 . A Baker's Dozen: 13 Singing Games for Brownies . London . Girl Guides Association.
  50. Book: Chater . Mary . Faulkner . Joy . 1948 . A Brownie's Day . London . Girl Guides Association.
  51. Book: Chater, Mary . 1949 . Overseas: Songs from the British Commonwealth . London . Girl Guides Association.
  52. Book: Chater, Mary . 1950 . International Songs . London . Girl Guides Association.
  53. Book: Chater, Mary . 1953 . More Fireside Songs in Two Parts: Traditional Tunes for Unaccompanied Voices . London . A&C Black.
  54. Book: Chater, Mary . 1955 . A Brownie's Dozen: 14 Singing Games and Songs . London . Girl Guides Association.
  55. Book: Chater, Mary . 1956 . The Sol-Fa Songbook for Guides . London . Girl Guides Association.
  56. Book: Chater, Mary . 1957 . Centenary Souvenir Song Book . London . Girl Guides Association.
  57. Book: Chater, Mary . 1961 . The Second Book of Campfire Songs . London . Girl Guides Association.
  58. Book: Chater . Mary . Barnes . Tirzah . 1962 . Graces and Vespers . London . Girl Guides Association.
  59. Book: Chater, Mary . 1966 . Singing Games from Far and Near . London . Girl Guides Association.
  60. Book: Chater, Mary . 1951 . Music through Guiding Part 1 . London . Girl Guides Association.
  61. Book: Chater, Mary . 1966 . The Pathway Over The Hill: The Elements of Guiding . London . Girl Guides Association.
  62. News: 1952-04-01 . Western Mail . Newbridge Theatre Revelation . Twm O’r Nant . Cardiff, Wales . 4 . 2022-01-19 . Glamorgan Drama League’s Easter School of Drama at Glan-y-Mor, Mine, movement and speech (Mrs. Anne Fairtlough).
  63. News: 1955-10-01 . Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer . Guides win cup again . Leeds, England . 8 . 2022-01-19 . Miss Eileen Peake, sister of Mr. Osbert Peake, Minister of Pensions, who is the assistant extension adviser for handicapped Girl Guides in England.
  64. News: 1950-05-20 . Littlehampton Gazette . Choral competitions: Some Littlehampton successes . Littlehampton, U.K. . 6 . 2021-09-21 . Rosemead, Littlehampton ("Laura," Mary Chater.
  65. Book: Chater, Mary . 1957 . Centenary Souvenir Song Book . London . Girl Guides Association . 6.
  66. . Guiders' Conference . Matilda . Vol.XXXVI – No. 2 . Girl Guides Association . Melbourne, Australia . September 1957 . 5.
  67. News: 1950-05-26 . Bury Free Press . 2,000 will sing song . Bury St Edmunds, U.K. . 20 . 2021-09-21 . Conducted by Miss Matthew, the Guides practiced singing together the Marching Song composed for the movement by Miss Mary Chater, Guide Commissioner for Music.
  68. Chater, Mary . 1971 . Guide Marching Song . . Mono LP 33.3 RPM . London . BBC.
  69. Book: . 2007 . Something Old, Something New . Norwich, UK . Girlguiding Anglia . 54.
  70. Book: Chater, Mary . 1961 . The Second Book of Camp-Fire Songs . London . Girl Guides Association . 24.
  71. Web site: Wiltshire North Girl Guides' Pageant, The Redress of the Past . Bartie . Angela . Fleming . Linda . Freeman . Mark . Hulme . Tom . Hutton . Alex . Readman . Paul . www.historicalpageants.ac.uk . London . 2021-09-21.
  72. Book: . 1978 . Out Chalet Song Book . Adelboden, Switzerland . Girl Scouts of the USA . 7.
  73. Book: Prior, Marion . 2007 . Songs for All Sorts . Norwich, UK . Girlguiding Anglia . 24.
  74. Book: Prior, Marion . 2007 . Songs for All Sorts . Norwich, UK . Girlguiding Anglia . 44.
  75. Book: Crane . Ruth . Gentry . Mary . Prior . Marion . 1995 . Meet and Sing . Norwich . Girlguiding Anglia . 83.
  76. Book: . 1965 . The First Book of Camp-Fire Songs . London . The Girl Guides Association . 22.
  77. Book: . 1965 . The First Book of Camp-Fire Songs . London . The Girl Guides Association . 25.
  78. Book: . Camp Fire Songs No. 11 . London . The Girl Guides Association . 3.
  79. Book: . Camp Fire Songs No. 11 . London . The Girl Guides Association . 11.
  80. Book: . Camp Fire Songs No. 11 . London . The Girl Guides Association . 7.
  81. Book: 1934 . Kent County Song Book . Sevenoaks, Kent . Novello and Company Limited . 4.
  82. Book: Chater, Mary . 1961 . The Second Book of Camp-Fire Songs . London . Girl Guides Association . 42.
  83. Book: Chater, Mary . 1965 . The First Book of Camp-Fire Songs . London . Girl Guides Association . 22.
  84. Book: . The Sol-Fa Song Book for Guides . 1956 . London . The Girl Guides Association . 14.
  85. Chater, Mary . 1960 . Jubilee Song . Band of the W.R.A.C conducted by Major McDowall . 7" single . London . Regent Sound Ltd.
  86. Music: The Girl Guides Association Annual Report 1960 . Girl Guides Association . 1960-12-31 . 20.
  87. Book: Chater, Mary . 1950 . International Songs . London . Girl Guides Association . 8.
  88. Chater, Mary . 1971 . My Sweetheart . . Mono LP 33.3 RPM . London . BBC.
  89. Book: Chater, Mary . 1961 . The Second Book of Camp-Fire Songs . London . Girl Guides Association . 3.
  90. Fireside Songs in Two Parts . . The Musical Times . Vol. 87, No. 1240 . Musical Times Publications Ltd . June 1946 . 166.
  91. Web site: Chater, Mary (composer) . . www.prestomusic.com . Presto Classical Ltd . 2021-09-01 .
  92. News: 1967-04-21 . Chelsea News and General Advertiser . Praise – and a tip - for the Singing Seniors . Chelsea, U.K. . 4 . 2021-09-21 . and were very good indeed when they sang the final item, "Lilliburlero," by Mary Chater..
  93. Book: Chater, Mary . 1965 . The First Book of Camp-Fire Songs . London . Girl Guides Association . 25.
  94. Book: Chater, Mary . 1965 . The First Book of Camp-Fire Songs . London . Girl Guides Association . 30–31.
  95. Book: Chater, Mary . 1965 . The First Book of Camp-Fire Songs . London . Girl Guides Association . 26.
  96. Book: 2007 . Something Old, Something New . Norwich . Girlguding Anglia. 66.
  97. Hello Guides! . Children's Hour . BBC Home Service . 1949-02-22.
  98. Hello Guides! . Children's Hour . BBC Home Service . 1950-02-22.
  99. Book: Chater, Mary . 1991 . Music and Words . Girlguiding Norfolk County Archive Resource Centre (ARC), Coltishall, Norfolk . 32.
  100. News: 1944-12-28 . West Sussex Gazette . Littlehampton . Chichester, U.K. . 8 . 2021-09-21 . The choral work is being undertaken by the Parry Choir, trained by Miss Mary Chater.

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