THE CATHEDRAL CHOIR

How I became a Cathedral Chorister.

I had joined St. Philemon's church choir when I was about 10 years old . A church concert was arranged and the Choir Master decided that I should sing a solo, and the title of the song was the famous Irish song 'Danny Boy' .

On the night of the concert the Dean of Liverpool Cathedral, Dean Dwelly, had been invited . I sang the song and at the end of the concert the Dean asked my parents whether they would like me to join the Cathedral Choir. An audition was arranged with the Choir Master, a Mr Robinson. After putting me through my paces he said I had passed, but before I could join the Choir I would have to pass an educational exam at the Liverpool Institute . I sat that exam and passed . So at the age of eleven I became a Cathedral chorister.

Once I had started my education at the Liverpool Institute my day usually went like this. I would walk to school with Tom and George Aitken, setting off at about 8.15 a.m. It was about a mile and a half walk . I would walk home again for Lunch, and when school had finished for the day I would go to the Cathedral . The Liverpool Institute was across the road from the Cathedral, and when we had finished school we would go to the Cathedral and have a light meal of sandwiches, cakes and Tea . We then went into the Choir practice room and had about a quarter of an hour's choir practice before Evensong . We would then put on our cassock and surplice and proceed upstairs to the main body of the Cathedral . We then formed a procession with the Cross Bearer in front. He would be followed by the clergy and choir . When we were in position in the Choir stalls, and the clergy at their stations, the Service would start . It usually lasted about half an hour .

When the Service had finished we would go back to the Choir practice room, disrobe, have a short break and then have about another hour's choir practice, usually practicing the Anthem for the following day.

When this was finished I would walk home, have a little rest and then start my school homework, usually about 7.30 in the evening . A rather long day for an eleven year old.

As a young boy I think I was somewhat overawed by the size of the Cathedral and impressed by the wood carvings on the choir stalls. As you walked up the steps into the choir stalls there was a carving of an angel playing a harp. I used to run my fingers over the carved strings and they made a quite musical sound . I did not seem to comprehend the solemnity of the proceedings, and one day when we were lining up in an area behind the altar to go into the main body of the Cathedral, I had a
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