A great grandfather has made a claim as Britain’s
longest-serving church chorister, after singing in the same choir for 83
years.
Richard Henry, 90, joined the St Mary’s Roman
Catholic Church Male Voice Choir in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, as a boy
soprano at the age of just seven in 1928.
When his voice broke he developed a fine tenor voice
and has spent the last eight decades performing a variety of music
including church pieces, classical masterpieces and his favourite
Gilbert and Sullivan numbers.
Now as the 99-year old choir celebrates its centenary year, colleagues have hailed Mr. Henry as ‘the father of the choir.’
Former engineer Richard, a widower, said, “When I was
at school, the choirmaster back then was the music teacher. I was
pressed to join and I’ve been in it ever since.
“Some people think it’s wonderful but it is just something I have always enjoyed doing.
“I never think about how long it has been because
it’s something I have always been used to doing – although I can’t sing
like I used to. They are putting up with me now.
“The members of the choir have become my friends and
we always socialise together. My family of two daughters, five
grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren all come to listen to me sing,
which is nice.
“We find it difficult to recruit young men so it’s good to see this renewed interest in choirs. Hopefully that will help.”
The choir was formed in 1912 after the priest at the
time felt it would be in keeping with the wish of Pope Pius X to
reintroduce Latin plain chant into the liturgy.
Richard followed his Uncle Tom into the line-up and sung alongside his brothers John and Tom.
Richard and his brothers formed The Henry Brothers
singing group and were featured on Opportunity Knocks with Hughie Green
in the 1960s. Richard was also a founder member of St. Mary’s Operatic
Society.
He was married to his late wife Gertrude for 62 years
and has two daughters, five grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and
even one great, great grandchild.
His favourite song to sing is So Deep Is The Night, which uses the melody from Fridiric Chopin’s Tristesse.
He also lists the Latin masses, operatic numbers and
hits from musicals by Gilbert and Sullivan as his favourite pieces of
music.
Les Rushton, 71, the current deputy choirmaster said, “We call Richard the father of the choir.
“He is loved by all the other members, many of whom
have also been in the choir for 60 or 70 years. We threw the party for
Richard because he has been so dedicated.
“It is a great example of commitment and devotion to
the choir which he’s always held in great esteem. It’s a major part of
his life.
“Richard is a shining example to anybody who likes
choral singing. He is the epitome of what a dedicated chorister should
be in this country.
“We believe we are the only Catholic male voice
church choir in existence, because most churches of Christian religions
have choirs but they are usually mixed”
The combined age of all existing 23 members of the choir totals
around 930, of which Richard is the oldest and the youngest is 18.
•Source: Dailymail
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Oh Grandpa God bless u and may your strenght be renew like that of eagle in Jesus name amen.
ReplyDeleteMay God continue to give you good health and may he accept you in his Kingdom When tyou will peacefully depaet his world.Amen
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