The Early Days: 1867 to 1875

The Society was founded in 1867, making it one of the oldest choral societies in the country - second only to the illustrious Huddersfield Choral Society, founded in 1836. Its first conductor was William Metcalfe, lay clerk at Carlisle Cathedral. During his 50 years at Carlisle Metcalfe was an excellent singer with the Cathedral choir, organist of Holy Trinity Church, conductor of Choral Societies in Carlisle and surrounding towns, organiser of touring concert-parties, and a prolific composer of church music and Cumberland dialect songs, most notably the setting of "D’ye ken John Peel".


Consolidation: 1875 to 1924

Metcalfe was followed in 1875 by Peter Freeman, organist of Crosthwaite Church, Keswick, from 1866 - 1914. In his hands the choir moved from a mixed repertoire to one consisting largely of the great oratorios. From 1890 until Freeman’s retirement in 1907 (after an astonishing 31 years’ service), the choir performed jointly with the Keswick Choral Harmonist Society.


The middle years: 1925 to 1958

Other major conductors were John Campbell, from 1925 - 1944, and Norman Hodgson, 1945 - 1958. Under Campbell the choir’s range extended from Gounod’s Faust and Berlioz’ Carmen, through Edwardian operettas by Edward German, Frederic Cowen, Michael Balfe and others, to Handel’s Acis and Galatea; and he had the distinction of conducting the great Kathleen Ferrier in a 1941 wartime charity concert. Hodgson continued with a similar repertoire but shifted the emphasis towards the great sacred works, including The Messiah, St Paul, and the St Matthew Passion - the latter in cooperation with Braithwaite Choral Society.


The end of an Era: Decline and Revival! 1980s onwards

By the 1980s the choir was at a low ebb, but it was revived by Hilary Austin in 1989 and since then has made steady progress and is now back in vintage form. Now an SATB choir with approximately 50 voices covering an age range from 20 to over 80, the society rehearses every Monday evening in the United Reformed Church in Cockermouth during term time and gives at least two concerts each year.


Last updated: 26 November 2006
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