Forest of Dean FHT Forum - Felix CORBETT 1861 - 1940 Composer Cinderford

Felix CORBETT 1861 - 1940 Composer Cinderford (reply)

Geoffrey Corbet — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 05:00:09 +0000

I was very touched by the kind comments you made about my grandfather Felix Corbett.

Here are some more details about him:

Composer, choir master, organist, and concert organiser.
1861 Born in Cinderford, the Forest of Dean.
1877 - 1881 Pupil of James Stimpson, Birmingham Corporation organist.
1882 Appointed organist and choirmaster of St Hilda's, the parish church of Middlesbrough at the age of 21.
1895 "Butterflies" and "In the time of roses" composed by Felix played at the very first Henry Wood Promenade Concert. "In the time of roses" was played again during the 1896 season.
1889 Appointed Middlesbrough Borough organist. Although appointed mainly for ceremonial occasions, Felix used to run organ recitals every Saturday afternoon between September and June with an average attendance of 700.
1900 Felix started the Corbett Celebrity Concerts which were staged in the Town Hall. Amongst those who performed over the years were Clara Butt, Gigli, Yehudi Menuhin, Melba, Paderewski, Tauber, Rachmaninov and Johann Strauss, in addition to composers and conductors Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Edward Elgar, and Sir Henry Wood, and orchestras such as the Halle, the London Symphony, the Prague Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony and London Phiharmonic.
1902 Married Beatrice Cooper. Offspring were 2 boys and 2 girls.
1939 Felix retired and moved to Reigate in Surrey where he died in 1940.
1948 Felix's widow unveiled a large stained glass window in Middlesbrough Town Hall to which the people of the town had subscribed in thanks for everything Felix had done for them.

Geoffrey Corbett

Felix CORBETT 1861 - 1940 Composer Cinderford (reply)

peteressex — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 07:41:25 +0000

Felix Corbett's setting of "Butterflies" and other works were performed in Henry Wood's Promenade Concerts of 1895 and 1896 - their first two seasons. Such an accolade suggests considerable popularity swiftly achieved by his early thirties. He was also a highly-regarded concert accompanist by around then. Another Forest boy made good.

I was just moved to do some googling about him because I see he appears to have died at Reigate only a few miles from where I now live. There is more to discover about him by that means. Despite being a church organist (of sorts) myself, I had been unaware of his eventual presence locally, so I don't know if he was active round here after his travels from Cinderford, but extant evidence of the nature of his compositions hints at his having been one of that late Victorian school of composers who located a niche, or some might say "trough", between traditional church music and the syrupy slobber of music hall, a seductive trend doubtless encouraged by sentimentality at the long reign of Victoria plus complacency at the extent of Empire.

The Forest's probably more famous church musician, Herbert Howells of Lydney, born 1892, was too late to be so enticed by the same vat of treacle. This possibly explains why he remains better known.

Felix CORBETT 1861 - 1940 Composer Cinderford

slowhands — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 08:34:11 +0000

Corbett, Felix, organist and conductor,
born at Cinderford, Forest of Dean, Gloucester-
shire, July 3, 1861.
Son of J. F. Corbett, a colliery proprietor. The family
moving to Birmingham, he studied under James
Stinipson, of that town. In 1882 he was appointed
organist and choirmaster of the Parish Church,
Middlesbrough, in which town he has for
some years given a series of excellent concerts,
and has played at Harrison's Concerts, Bir-
mingham and elsewhere. He is the composer
of a number of songs ; of which one entitled
"Butterflies" (Algernon Swinburne), has en-
joyed great popularity.

Year: 1861
Month: Sep
Day: 17
Parents_Surname: CORBETT
Child_Forenames: Felix
Fathers_Forenames: James
Mothers_Forenames: Clarrissa
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Rock House Cinderford
Occupation: Gentleman
Officiating_Minister: T.G.Smythies
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/2
Page_Number: 25
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John

1861 nr White Hart and Forge Inn, Cinderford
James F Corbet abt 1829 Omsbury, Worcestershire, England Head East Dean, Gloucestershire
Clarissa Corbet abt 1834 Ireland Wife East Dean, Gloucestershire
Henry T Corbet abt 1858 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Chas B Corbet abt 1860 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Clara E Corbet abt 1853 Worcestershire, England Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire
Ellen Batchlor abt 1834 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England Visitor East Dean, Gloucestershire
Eliza Chivers abt 1843 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Nurse East Dean, Gloucestershire
Marth M Clark abt 1842 Worcestershire, England Cook East Dean, Gloucestershire

1871 Litchurch Derbyshire
James F Corbett 42
Clarina Corbett 37
Charles R Corbett 10
Felix Corbett 9
Thalbary Corbett 6
Cecilia Corbett 3
Clara Massey 16

1881
James F. Corbit abt 1829 Ombersley, Worcestershire, England Head Solihull, Warwickshire
Charles B. Corbit abt 1861 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Son Solihull, Warwickshire
Felix Corbit abt 1862 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Son Solihull, Warwickshire
Thalburg Corbit. abt 1865 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Son Solihull, Warwickshire
Ann Taylor abt 1829 Berkstone, Lincoln, England Housekeeper Solihull, Warwickshire

1891
Peter Corbett abt 1862 Cinderpord, Gloucestershire, England Head Middlesborough, Yorkshire
James Thompson abt 1819 Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England Boarder Middlesborough, Yorkshire
Jane Thompson abt 1822 Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England Housekeeper Middlesborough, Yorkshire
Sarah Almond abt 1812 Middlesborough, Yorkshire, England Servant Middlesborough, Yorkshire

1901
Felix Corbett abt 1862 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England Head Middlesbrough, Yorkshire
Cameron Sutherland abt 1843 Millbank Ayton, Berwickshire, Scotland Housekeeper Middlesbrough, Yorkshire
Cameron Mattison abt 1883 Alnwick, Northumberland, England Servant Middlesbrough, Yorkshire

Name:Beatrice Anice Cooper
Name: Felix Corbett
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1902
Registration district: Middlesbrough
Inferred County: Yorkshire North Riding
Volume Number: 9d
Page Number:1090

1911 Erdely Middlesbrough
Arthur Cooper 62
Florence Annie Cooper 23
Douglas Ludlow Cooper 22
Felix Cooper 49 Professor Of Music
Beatrice Annie Cooper 36
John Thalberg Cooper 7
Eileen Annie Cooper 1
Sarah Ellen Bridgewater 18
Ada Eliza Rason 37
Mabel Hauxwell 25
Edith Elliott 21
Eleanor Shorp 19
Miranda Dixon 20

Name: Felix Corbett
Birth Date: abt 1862
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1940
Age at Death: 78
Registration district: Surrey South Western
Inferred County: Surrey
Volume: 2a
Page: 1380

Name: Felix Corbett
Probate Date: 17 May 1940
Death Date: 18 Jan 1940
Death Place: Surrey, England
Registry: London, England

of Beaumont Waterlow Rd Reigate
£3480 9s 8d to widow Beatrice Amie