Welcome
On behalf of St. Albans Cathedral Ex-Choristers' Association may I welcome you to our website.
Our Association was established informally in the 80’s and in 1987 St. Albans Cathedral hosted The Federation of Cathedral Old Choristers' Association Annual Festival.
Thank you, and enjoy your visit.
Malcolm G. Bury - Chairman
Aims
The primary aim of the Association is to provide a point of contact between current and former choristers of the Cathedral and Abbey Girls' Choirs, Lay Clerks and Musicians with a view to renewing or developing friendships rooted in their musical experiences with the Cathedral.
If you have any old photographs from your time in the choir, or know of anyone else who may have, please send them to us and we will be delighted to include them on the image pages.
Patron of the Association
The Very Reverend Dr. Jeffrey John - Dean of St. Albans
One of the main components of worship in any Cathedral is the offering of music, and the Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban is no exception. We have had a rich tradition of choral music since the foundation of the Diocese of St Albans in 1877, and also as an Abbey Church for many centuries before. During this time singers and musicians have been giving their best to the glory of God.
I am delighted to be the Patron of the Cathedral Ex-Choristers' Association whose members have contributed to our choral tradition over many decades.
The Association aims to support the Cathedral Choir and Abbey Girls' Choir, and I welcome this aim both as Patron of the Association and as Dean of St. Albans. I am grateful and confident that all our members will continue to give freely of their time and talents so that the Association may be sustained into the future.
Dr Jeffrey John was born in Tonyrefail in South Wales in 1953. He studied at Hertford College, Oxford, where he gained a first in classics and modern languages in 1975. After reading Theology at St Stephen's House Oxford, he served his first Curacy at Penarth, in the Diocese of Llandaff. He returned to Oxford in 1980 to read for a doctorate in Pauline theology. In 1984 he was appointed to a Fellowship as Dean of Divinity at Magdalen. In 1991 he became Vicar of Holy Trinity, Eltham in Southwark Diocese. Dean John's previous post was as Canon Chancellor and Bishop's Adviser for Ministry in the Diocese of Southwark.
Dr John's interests include learning and reading European languages.
Present Officers of the Association
President
Dr. Peter Hurford OBE
Vice-Presidents
Andrew Lucas Esq
Dr. Barry Rose OBE
Colin Walsh Esq
Dr. Stephen Darlington
Management Committee
Malcolm Bury – Chairman
David Martin-Smith – Honorary Treasurer : Bob Staten – Honorary Secretary
Simon Colston – IT Manager
John Adams, Libby Godlee, Rosie Cooke
Honorary Members
Patricia Hurford, Simon Preston OBE, Dr. Simon Lindley, Andrew Parnell Esq.,
Simon Johnson Esq David Ireson Esq, Moira Dean, Christine Blackie,
Anthony & Rosalind de Rivaz