Cinderford Male Voice Choir, general history notes. (General)

by Jefff @, West London, Middlesex, Monday, October 16, 2017, 23:19 (2355 days ago) @ ACP

"As in other coalfields in the 19th century, workingclass culture flowered with the formation of brass bands, choral societies, and football clubs, some of which survived in 1993. In the mid 19th century club anniversaries and school treats were often marked by parades and religious services. Until the mid 1850s those events were usually attended by musicians from neighbouring places such as Blakeney, Littledean, Mitcheldean, and Ross-on-Wye (Herefs.). Marching bands later proliferated within the Forest and local band contests became important events. In 1864 a commentator noted that, like miners elsewhere, Foresters had excellent voices and enjoyed music. The later burgeoning of chapel choirs and of local choral competitions led to the formation of choral societies and male voice choirs. One annual competition, the Forest of Dean Eisteddfod started in 1897, was usually held at Double View school in Cinderford. Cinderford had a new choral society in 1898 and a male voice choir in 1912, and Ruspidge a choral society in 1892."

Nearby Drybrook and Ruardean also had choirs, as did other Dean villages of course, see
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol5/pp381-389

As an example of just one of Cinderford's Churches, "our" family church St Stephens had an impressively-sized choir when this photo was taken c1908, about the same time as the Male Voice Choir with which it presumably shared some members. When I attended St Stephens every Sunday as a child in the late 60s and early 70s, the choir then was always about a dozen strong.
https://www.sungreen.co.uk/Cinderford-Glos/st_stephens_choir.html


"Cinderford's well-known GP Dr M L Bangara was President of the Male Voice Choir.
He was born at Mangalore in South India in 1881, the son of a district and sessions judge. After qualifying as a doctor at Edinburgh University he moved to Cinderford in 1915, working in his own practice and at the Dilke Memorial Hospital. In addition to his work as a doctor, he was an active member of the community and a leading light in a variety of local organisations including the Freemasons, Cinderford Horticultural Society, Dickens Fellowship, Excelsior Band and the Cinderford Male Voice Choir. Dr Bangara died of complications following influenze shortly after his 46th birthday in April 1927."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/untold_stories/asian/bangara_nanda.shtml
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/downloads/Stories_Articles/Dr_M_L_Bangara_Cinderford.pdf

The local Co-operative Society also had choirs, according to this excellent history booklet.
https://www.midcounties.coop/pdf/heritage/Oxford-Swindon-and-Gloucester/2002-The-Forest...


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