Walch, James

Composer

b Egerton, nr Bolton, Gtr Manchester (Lancs) 1837, d ?Llandudno, Conwy (Caernarvonshire) or acc to Routley, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria (Lancs), 1901. After studying music with his father and under H Smart qv, he was an organist at Duke’s Alley Congregational Ch, Bolton (from 1851, aged 14), Bridge St Wesleyan Chapel (1853), ?Walmsley Ch (1857) and St George’s Bolton (1863–77). He was a conductor with the Bolton Philharmonic Soc 1870 to 1874, when he moved to Barrow-in-Furness and became a music dealer as well as organist at the parish ch (St George’s). CH has 4 of his tunes. No.229=783.