Monk, Edwin George

Composer

b Frome, Somerset 1819, d Radley, Abingdon, Oxfordshire 1900. Organist at Midsomer Norton and Frome; then precentor and master of music at St Columba’s Coll Rathfarnham (Stackallan) nr Dublin (1844) before settling in Oxford in 1847. There he conducted the Oxford Univ Motet and Madrigal Soc 1847–8, and was a Founder, Organist and Precentor of St Peter’s Coll Radley 1848–59; BMus (Oxford) 1848, DMus 1856. Organist of York Minster from 1859 until his retirement in 1883, Oxford Univ music examiner from 1871, before retiring to Radley in 1883. As an amateur astronomer and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Soc from 1871, he was responsible for rescuing Wm Herschel from obscurity to become Astronomer Royal; he was also a notable Biblical scholar. Composed many songs and anthems, edited service books and collections of chants and hymn tunes, and wrote the text for 3 of Macfarren’s oratorios; Psalm chants remain his chief legacy. No.169.