The RNCM Archives play host to a variety of fascinating collections of records, music manuscripts and personal papers. The Archives covers the organisations, people and events of not only the RNCM (1972-present) but also its predecessors, the Northern School of Music (1920-1972) and the Royal Manchester College of Music (1893-1972) which came before.
The collections include recordings of the RNCM students performing in our Oxford Road site; photographs of musicians, performances and master classes etc. from the colleges; letters from composers and performers such as Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Grieg etc to Manchester-based musicians; hundreds of programmes of music performed by our students over the decades and unique personal items such as autograph books, artworks, original manuscript music.
The RNCM also hosts the Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, a small museum containing centuries' worth of musical instruments from all over the world.
Creator: Brodsky, Adolph Davidovich (1851-1929), Violinist, Principal of the Royal Manchester College of Music
Dates: 1850s-1981
Description: The Brodsky Papers comprise letters, newscuttings, programmes, telegrams, photograph albums, loose photographs, concert tickets, official documents (marriage certificate, diplomas) and music, which were found in the Brodsky home following the death of their last surviving heir. The whole of Brodsky's life as a performer, including his 34 years as Principal of the Royal Manchester College of Music, is represented along with his home life with his wife Anna. The earliest item in the collection is a letter of recommendation from Meyerbeer after hearing the young Adolph play a fantasy by Allard in Berlin in 1862. The longest correspondence is between Nina Grieg, who with Edvard met the Brodskys in Leipzig in the 1880s [Edvard had been a student at the Leipzig Conservatoire from 1858 until 1862] and Anna Brodsky. This dates from 1890 and continues with Anna's sister Olga even after the deaths of the Brodskys in 1929. It is conducted in German except for the duration of the Great War when Nina wrote in English. This covers social, political, philosophical, religious and musical matters as well as health. Of special interest is the visit of the Brodskys, with two pupils and Anna's niece, to the Griegs' home at Troldhaugen in 1906. There are about thirty letters from Edvard to Adolph and about a hundred from Nina to Anna. Also of great interest are the letters from Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky who was overjoyed that his concerto had been played at last even if Hanslick, the Viennese critic, damned it as stinking. Tchaikovsky visited the Brodskys in Leipzig and was charmed by Anna Brodsky and her sister Olga. He also met Brahms and Edvard and Nina Grieg at the Brodskys' and the Griegs frequently recall this memorable evening in their letters to Adolph and Anna Brodsky. In one of his letters to Brodsky, Brahms gives practical advice to the players of his Quintet in G major op.111: the two violins must bluff their forte to allow the violoncello to come through. In 1891 he sends the Brodskys a photograph of himself and wishes them eine gute Fahrt " before they sail for New York. He had done his utmost to dissuade the Brodskys from going to America. In a letter sent to New York, Brahms asks Brodsky to mark fingerings and bowings for a Schirmer reprint. There are many letters from conductors: Hans von Bülow, who conducted in Meiningen where Brodsky was a frequent soloist; Hans Richter, who conducted the Vienna Philharmonic in the memorable first performance of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and later conducted the Hallé from 1897 until his retirement in 1911 [the Richters lived round the corner from the Brodskys in Bowdon]; and Hamilton Harty, who conducted the Hallé from 1920 until 1933. There are also two letters from the Manchester critic Neville Cardus. In the collection there are letters from the lesser-known composers Busoni, Sinding and Halvorsen. Turgenev, the Russian author whom Brodsky met in Paris, wrote three letters. There are many letters from Edward Elgar - the Elgar Violin Concerto was a great favourite of Brodsky's which he played daily. There are also letters from Saint-Saëns, Dont, Ysayë, Carl Fuchs and Simon Speelman, cellist and violist respectively in the Manchester formation of the Brodsky Quartet. In addition to these letters from famous international stars of the day there are begging letters for the poor children of Vienna after the Great War and rather sad letters from Ottokar Novacek [second violin and later viola in the original Brodsky Quartet] begging for money so that he can have a year off in order to compose. At a more local level are a few letters from pupils asking to be excused from their lessons. The Papers create a vivid image of Brodsky as a musician who did broadcast on the wireless but of whom we have no known recordings, as a teacher, a chamber music player, a chess player, bon viveur, philanthropist, a kind husband and affectionate uncle, and one of the earliest motorists of Bowdon. AB 1080 and AB 1081 were originally catalogued as AB ???"
Creator: Cooke, Arnold Atkinson (1906-2005), Composer
Dates: 1936
Description: MS of Wedding March written for the marriage of William and Beryl Cooke, 27 Jun 1936. William was Cooke's brother. Witten and played by Arnold Cooke on the wedding day.
Creator: Cooke, Arnold Atkinson (1906-2005), Composer
Dates: 1964-2005
Description: This collection contains manuscript scores, lists of Cooke's works, biographies, obituaries and articles and correspondence to Peter Marr.
Thomas Pitfield: printed music donated by Albert Griffiths
Creator: Pitfield, Thomas Baron (1903-1999), Composer, artist
Dates: 1932-1981
Description: Copies of published works by Thomas Pitfield donated to the RNCM library by Albert Griffiths. Some of the pieces are signed by Thomas Pitfield, being dedicated to Albert Griffiths with a letter from Thomas Pitfield. Also includes a number of programmes for recitals of Thoams Pitfield's compositions and pianoforte recitals of Albert Griffiths' students.
Creator: Rawsthorne, Alan (1905-1971), Commander of the Order of the British Empire, composer
Dates: 1861-1998
Description: MS works of Alan Rawsthorne including manuscripts of most of his published works. In addition there are manuscripts of many unpublished pieces, most from early in the composer's career. Rawsthorne composed symphonies, concerti, chamber music, film music, and music for solo instrument and voice. There is a set of recordings on cassette of most of the composer's output, together with the composer's own collection of discs and tapes, many of which are private, historic performances of first performances. Among other items are to be found correspondence chiefly with family members, writings by the composer including items of juvenilia, and press cuttings collected over the whole of his career. Medals and awards, transcripts and notes of broadcasts and lectures, some photographs, and programmes are also included.
Description: A range of items collected by the Ida Carroll Trust and the biographers of Walter and Ida Carroll, not forming part of the Carroll Papers administratively. This is an artificial fonds brought together following the cataloguing of the Carroll Papers
Creator: Broadfield, Edward John (1831-1913), Vice-Chairman of the RMCM Council, Chairman of the Hallé Concerts Society; Hallé, Charles (1819-1895), Knight; pianist, conductor, founder of Royal Manchester College of Music
Dates: 21 Oct 1871-7 March 1913
Description: Letters received by Edward J. Broadfield from a number of correspondents, chiefly Hallé
Description: Watercolour paintings, and pencil/charcoal sketches, by Batt. "1802 Heiligenstadt, walking in the country" "1810 Beethoven in bed" "1815 In the Kohlmarkt" "1822 The Kotgasse" "1825 The Schwarzpanierhaus". Seated at a table. Walking.
Description: Correspondence, photographs, programmes and cuttings, music and a recording, autograph book and scrapbooks belonging to the cellist Carl Fuchs.
Creator: Hallé, Charles (1819-1895), Knight; pianist, conductor, founder of Royal Manchester College of Music
Dates: late 1800s
Description: Letters sent by Charles Hallé (88 in total), chiefly to Stanley Withers and Gustav Behrens, and chiefly concerning the foundation of the Royal Manchester College of Music, particularly meetings for canvassing support and executive meetings. Other correspondents are also represented including Dr Ward, Lord Tennyson and the Earl of Derby. They include: engagement of Mme Novello for a private function, 1856 (in French; ff.2-3); letters to John Ella on programmes and on a personal dispute (one in French; ff.4-9); arrangements for recitals and concerts both given and organised by Hallé (ff.10-13); Lord Tennyson's refusal to become a member of the general committee for the College of Music in Manchester, July 22 1891 (ff.19-20); the appointment of staff and allocation of students, 1892-5 (ff.21-22, 25-28, 50-58, 69-70, 81-82, 87-88, 93-94, 124-127, 130-131, 134-137, 152-153, 156-157, 188-189); Earl of Derby subscribing to the College of Music, July 1892 (ff.23-24); the proposed constitution of the new College, 1892 (ff.38-39); acceptance of post of Principal, March 1893 (ff.48-49); the appointment of Dr H[iles], 1893 (ff.50-51, 65-68); the petition for a Royal Charter, 1893 (ff.59-60); proposed timetable, Sir G. Grove's objection to the title and Hallé's suggestion that it become the "Royal Conservatoire of Music", and suggestions as to the President, July 1893 (ff.73-74, 79-80); proposed rules for students about engagements, classes etc, 1893 (ff.75-76, 85-86, 89-90); Hallé's opinion of Behrens' suggestion of the "Royal Northern College of Music", July 1893 (ff.77-78); teaching of the guitar and opening ceremony, Aug 1893 (ff.89-90, 103); classrooms, Sep 1893 (ff.91-92); arrangements for auditions, Sep 1893, Sep 1894, Sep 1895 (ff.99-102, 142-143, 184-185); Withers to Ward on the authentication of a pencil sketch of Charles Lamb, with a letter from Canon Ainger Jan 1894 (ff.114-120); the death of Charles Lees, 1894 (ff.138-139); from Marie Hallé to Williams [mistaken for Withers] on the loan of letters [for inclusion in the autobiography of Sir Charles Hallé edited by Marie and Charles Hallé], 1897? (ff.190-191).
Creator: Pitfield, Thomas Baron (1903-1999), Composer, artist
Dates: c1951-c1975
Description: Scores, letters and other papers mainly from Thomas Pitfield to Canon Ridgway. In the main the papers relate to Thomas Pitfield's morality play, 'Adam and the Creatures', which was published in 1968. It appears that Maurice Ridgway gave Pitfield advice on the work and the finished work has been dedicated to Ridgway by Pitfield.
Creator: Carroll, Ida Gertrude (1905-1995), Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Principal of the Northern School of Music, double bass player; Carroll, Elsa Mary (1898-1993), Member of the Order of the British Empire, youth worker; Carroll, Walter (1869-1
Dates: c.1850-c.1999
Description: Correspondence, music, photographs and other items accumulated or created by members of the Carroll family - chiefly Walter and Ida Carroll, but also Elsa Carroll and Geoffrey Griffiths.
Creator: Ellis, David (1933-present), composer, student at Royal Manchester College of Music
Dates: 1942-2015
Description: This collection comprises the music manuscripts and related papers of David Ellis, former student at the Royal Manchester College of Music.
Creator: Thomas, D.H. (fl1920s-1930s), Manchester College of Technology student
Dates: 1927-1939
Description: This collection contains papers collected by D. H. Thomas, a student of the Manchester College of Technology, which relate to the development of electronic instruments, namely keyboard instruments. It contains a combination of original articles, photographs and cuttings, brochures and advertisements, translations of academic articles (mainly from German, some from French), transcriptions of academic articles, patents and notes on relevant patents, and other personal notes.
Description: The collection mainly comprises concert programmes, posters and newspaper cuttings in which Lloyd featured. Also includes programmes representing concerts Lloyd attended but did not perform in; contract forms for the Council for Music in Hospitals and the British Broadcasting Corporation; some correspondence; brochures and newspaper cuttings
Creator: Jones, Dennis McKay (c.1930-2003), physician
Dates: c.1961-2000
Description: Correspondence, chiefly between Dennis M Jones and the Pitfields, and Jones's collection of published music and other output by Thomas Pitfield. Also included are concert and exhibition programmes and other leaflets, calendars illustrated by Pitfield, and articles written about Pitfield. With 4 pictures: Shockerwick house; Italian villa; Marden Mill; an unnamed church; and a framed copy of 'Naiad' (poem by Dennis M Jones; calligraphy and music by Thomas B Pitfield). 2 recordings: one an interview with Thomas Pitfield and the other a recording of a recital held to celebrate 50 years of Pitfield's work (2 copies of the tape of this recital are extant). There are two photographs, both featuring Dennis Jones with the Pitfields.
Creator: Harwood, Elizabeth Jean (1938-1990), Soprano
Dates: c1940s-2003
Description: Correspondence, programmes, posters, recordings, diaries, photographs, press cuttings, accounts and other items covering the professional career of the soprano Elizabeth Harwood.
Costumes (La Traviata and The Tales of Hoffmann) and portrait of Antonia (Tales of Hoffmann) on loan to the Costume Museum, 1E Tavistock Street, London WC2E 7PR.
Private correspondence, portrait as Susannah (Marriage of Figaro 1965) and costume drawings (Sophie - Rosenkavalier; The Countess - Count Ory; Fiordiligi - Cosi fann tutte) retained by Julian Royle.
RMCM Archive.
A list of the contents of Elizabeth Harwood's reference library of books, recordings and music is available.
Duplicates, bank statements and cheque stubs have been removed from the collection.
Musical scores (annotated and used by Elizabeth Harwood) at the National Opera Studio c/o Isobel Flinn. A list will be available. Her Bechstein piano is also on loan to the NOS.
Creator: Harwood, Elizabeth Jean (1938-1990), Soprano
Dates: 1950s-2000s
Description: Additional material to the Elizabeth Harwood collection. Includes correspondence, programmes, photographs, diaries, publicity and recordings papers and some material in memoriam.
Description: A library of songs in MS, collected by the soprano Ena Mitchell. Some items are inscribed to Ena Mitchell. Some items are inscribed Vida Harford - these may be a separate collection, although the order in which the items were found implied all were part of a single collection.
Creator: Wright, Frank (1901-1970), Member of the Order of the British Empire, conductor, composer
Dates: 1934-1989
Description: Scores, programmes, news cuttings and correspondence relating to Frank Wright, conductor, donated as a gift of the Estate of Dr John Hosier, CBE, Court Assistant of the Worshipful Company of Musicians.
Creator: Holst, Gustav Theodore (1874-1934), composer
Dates: 30 Aug 1925-28 Jun 1926
Description: Five letters from Holst to a Mrs Cohen, with a signed postcard. Mrs Cohen appears to have hosted Holst during the Leeds Triennial Festival 1925, and to have invited him on several occasions to holiday with her and her husband in the Lake District. Holst cannot accept her invitation for August 1926 as "it is most important that I am entirely alone as much as possible during the summer holidays" (f.8).
Description: Letters to Hubert Harry, pianist, from Hilda Collens, Walter and Ida Carroll and Sir Clifford Curzon. Also contains some typeset scores of songs composed by Harry.
Creator: Cameron, John Ewen (1918-2002), bass baritone singer
Dates: 1964-c1999
Description: Biographies and CV, from various main stages of his career, c.1970-c.1999; 7 items. Role and repertoire lists: opera, 5 items; oratorio, 2 items; recital repertoire, 3 items. List of gramophone recordings with critiques, 1964; 2 items. Lists of recordings, with companies and recording no.s; 4 items (including brochure), Reviews and press cuttings, 1965-2000; 18 items. Talks/scripts for broadcasts; 5 items. Publicity and informal photographs; 10 items.
Creator: Cameron, John Ewen (1918-2002), bass baritone singer
Dates: 1968-1997
Description: There is one programme of a competition at which John Cameron was an adjudicator; one programme of a production for Sadlers Wells in which John Cameron appeared; and the rest are all programmes of productions in which John Cameron's students appeared. The majority of these relate to Simon Keenlyside.
Description: The Golland Papers chiefly comprise the original compositions (in MS) of John Golland, and his arrangements of the works of other composers. There are also papers relating to his teaching work at Salford Polytechnic, his work as editorial assistant on the Bandkraft series, and in his library of works, of his conducting of a number of bands and other ensembles.
Creator: Ogdon, John Andrew Howard (1937-1989), composer, pianist
Dates: 1930-1989
Description: Comprises sketches & complete works in MS by John Ogdon, almost entirely unpublished. Virtually every item has additional notes on covers eg. telephone numbers, memoranda, shopping lists, appointments, suggested programmes.. . Also includes some writings, copies of works by modern British composers, and administrative materials.
Description: All full scores in MS. Many include original music from published copies, cut up and stuck in as the basis of the arrangement. Sweeter than Songs of Summer (music by Frederick Bridge) - arr. for orchestra, Nov 1953. A Star was his candle (music by Teresa del Riego) - arr. for orchestra, 1963. A Christmas Fantasia on old carols - arr. for SATB solo and orchestra, 1964, and for choirs, 1966. Creation's Hymn (Malcolm Sargent) - arr. for SATB & orchestra, 1967. Infant Holy (Samuel Forcucci) - arr. for orchestra, 1967. A meditation for Christmas (Stewart Nash) - arr. for orchestra, 1967. O Holy Night (Percy W de Courcey Smale) - arr. for orchestra, 1967. O Little Town of Bethlehem (T.Tertius Noble) - arr. for orchestra, 1967. Silent Night (Franz Gruber) - arr. for orchestra, 1967. Rhapsodie (Brahms) - piano/organ accompaniment, 1970. Choral Fantasia on The Mastersingers of Nuremberg (Wagner) - arr. for brass band, organ, harp/piano and voices, 1971. The Challenge of Thor - chorus from King Ulaf (Elgar) - brass band accompaniment and optional piano/organ, 1972. Motherland (George Dyson) - arr. for brass band accompaniment, 1972. Choral Fantastia on Tannhäuser (Wagner arr. Percy Grainger) - arr. for brass band accompaniment with piano & organ, 1972. Turn back o man (arr. Holst) - arr. for brass band accompaniment with optional piano/organ, 1972. Entrance of the peers - march/chorus from Iolanthe (Sullivan) - arr. for SATB chorus and brass band, 1973. Liberty (Eaton Faning) - arr. for brass band accompaniment, 1973, and for orchestra, nd. Reminiscences of Verdi: choral fantasia (arr. Percy E. Fletcher) - arr. for brass band accompaniment, 1973. Songs of the Fleet (Stanford) - arr. for chorus, brass band, piano & organ, 1975. Gesu Bambino (P.A.Yon) - arr. for wind, nd. God be merciful unto us (A.H. Mann) - arr. for orchestra, nd. A slumber song of the Madonna (Michael Head) - arr. for string quartet, nd.
Creator: Ollerenshaw, Kathleen Mary (1912-2014), Dame, educationalist, mathematician
Dates: 1970-2000s
Description: Medals given to Dame Katherine Ollerenshaw (1912-2014), Chair of the RNCM Court and RNCM Companion. Includes: Lord Mayor of Manchester 1975-1976; Freedowm of the City 1984; Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire 1970; Commander Cross of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem; Dame Grand Cross of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem; Order of the British Empire; minature sash pin for OBE and Order of St. John. Also includes small blue badge inscribed "AEHCOBET", it is unknown what this if for. Includes one chain. Currently on display.
Description: Various MSS of original compositions and arrangements by a variety of composers including Delius, John Wray, Clifton Helliwell and George Lloyd.
Description: Artificial collection of miscellaneous items given to the College reflecting aspects of musical life in the Greater Manchester area. Includes photographs of Manchester Womens' Orchestra, autograph books, letters from Charles Hallé to a number of correspondents, letters and papers of other composers and musicians.
Description: This collection contains material relating to Nina Papadopoulos, a piano student of the RMCM under R. J. Forbes. The collection mostly consists of programmes from performances in which she took part, programmes from concerts she attended and other mementos and reminiscences relating to her career as a pianist.
Creator: Northern School of Music (1920-1972); Collens, Hilda Hester (1883-1956), founder and first Principal of the Northern School of Music; Carroll, Ida Gertrude (1905-1995), Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Principal of the Northern School of Music,
Dates: 1910-1976
Description: Official records of the Northern School of Music covering its history from incorporation to amalgamation with the Royal Manchester College of Music to form the Royal Northern College of Music. Records include Council minutes, some financial materials, prospectuses and annual reports (incomplete series), student records, and photographs. The archive unfortunately lacks comprehensive records: in particular, annual reports, programmes, and the school magazines (published annually from 1937) are missing. Student records earlier than 1947 are not extant.
Creator: Rothschild, Oscar (fl.1910s-1930s), Benefactor of the RMCM
Dates: 1913-1930s
Description: Many volumes stamped "Oscar Rothschild, 19 Broadway, Withington" Manuscripts on a number of topics, annotated and ?prepared for publication [no record of publication found].
Description: A miscellaneous collection of programmes from a range of venues, concerts and performers. Venues and promoters include: His Majesty's Theatre, Crystal Palace, Sacred Harmonic Society Nottingham, Stalybridge Harmonic Society, Winter Gardens Bournemouth, Harrison Concerts Birmingham, Blundellsands, Blackpool Musical Festival, Sam Vickers Operatic Concerts, Liverpool Philharmonic Society, Bradford Subscription Concerts, Birmingham Festival, Brand Lane Concerts, National Gallery Concerts, Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Mary Wakefield Westmorland Festival, Three Choirs Festival. Performers include Paderewski, Anna Pavlova, Cortot, Nellie Melba, Rachmaninoff, Boult, Beecham, Petri, Schnabel, Holst, Szigeti, Rosenthal, Ena Mitchell, D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, Sargent, Barbirolli, LSO, Clara Butt, Moiseiwitsch, Rubinstein Some programmes have reviews, and a few are autographed by the performers.
Description: Autograph MS of pieces composed or arranged for the ensemble by Philip Jones and others, and annotated published editions and photocopies. The archive encompasses the vast range of repertoire from the Renaissance-period to works contemporary with the Ensemble's lifetime. Composers represented include Ray Premru, Elgar Howarth, JS Bach, John Iveson, Samuel Scheidt, Arthur Bliss, Stephen Dodgson, Jan Koetsier, John McCabe and Victor Ewald. With some correspondence relating to repertoire and performances, and to the Just Brass series published by Chester Music in conjunction with Philip Jones and Elgar Howarth. Correspondence, notes, seating plans etc are also occasionally to be found with individual pieces. In some cases the names of the first performers of a piece have been written on the parts, but otherwise it is not possible to identify performers or venues, or frequency of performance. Within the catalogue descriptions the ensemble required for a particular piece is noted in this format: Trumpet.Horn.Trombone.Tuba. For example "Ensemble 2.1.1.1" requires 2 trumpets, 1 horn, 1 trombone and 1 tuba; 4.0.4.0 requires 4 trumpets and 4 trombones.
Description: This collection mainly consists of programmes of performances that Philip Jones was involved in, most notably the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. Also included are files of press releases and small files of correspondence, a travel diary, photographs and biographies.
Description: Letters, photographs, press cuttings, invitations, programmes and artefacts of the violinist Philip Newman. The papers cover his whole career as a concert soloist and teacher, which was forged largely overseas - notably in Belgium and Portugal. He was an intimate of Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians and played an active part in the festivals at Prades and Pollensa as well as devoting much of his time to charitable causes. The collection also includes correspondence between the RNCM librarian and Pearl Goldman (Newman's sister) concerning the publication of a biography. Correspondents include Queen Elisabeth, Ysa
Creator: Hall, Richard (1903-1982), composer, Royal Manchester College of Music teacher
Dates: 1920s-1990s
Description: This collection consists mainly of the work of Richard Hall, composition teacher at the Royal Manchester College of Music who taught, among others, John Ogdon, Harrison Birtwistle, Peter Maxwell Davies etc. Also included are some photographs, documents such as letters, a biography, some poetry and papers re his role with the church, and some recordings. Many items are annotated.
Description: The main body of the collection comprises virtually the complete works of Roy Heaton Smith in full score (RHS/01-RHS/67).
The collection also includes note books, musical sketches, concert programmes, computer printouts, and other miscellaneous items (RHS/68-RHS/71).
Where information about a work (e.g. opus numbers) appears in sqaure brackets, this indicates that such information has been inferred from the composer's works list (RHS/69).
Creator: Royal Manchester College of Music (1893-1973)
Dates: 18th century-1977
Description: Official records of the the Royal Manchester College of Music covering its entire history from foundation to amalgamation with the Northern School of Music to form the Royal Northern College of Music. Includes correspondence and minutes of the meetings which established and raised funds for the College, and of official bodies including the General Committee (comprised of subscribing members), Council, and Board of Professors. Records include minutes and correspondence, financial materials, prospectuses and annual reports (incomplete series), a few examination papers, press cuttings and notices, programmes of concerts given by students (period 1931-1936 missing), some selected student files from 1948 onwards, general correspondence of the Principals and Registrars, photographs and recordings.
Level: Collection / Extent: Approximately 110 meters, 3.63GB digital files
Creator: Royal Northern College of Music (1972-present)
Dates: 1964-present
Description: This collection consists of the institutional archive of the Royal Northern College of Music from its formation in 1973 to the present. It is not complete, some sections of the catalogue are rather thin but some sections are fairly comprehensive such as governance meeting papers and performance programmes. There are hundreds of photographs to do with many aspects of the college.
Description: Sheila Barlow (1908-1993), M.B.E. The collection mainly focusses on her work as a teacher at the Royal Manchester College of Music, working with opera students on elocution and gesture. The collection contains many of her teaching resources and notes as well as some from James Bernard, her predecessor and teacher. Also contained within the collection are notes for her unfinished book on the work of Francois Delsarte, a singing and elocution pioneer. The papers include teaching and research, correspondence, papers re productions, biographical material, photographs and other media.
Description: Chiefly the surviving music owned and copied by the Shaw Club or Shaw Musical Society. With very few programmes and tickets, and two catalogues of works in their library.
Creator: Pitfield, Thomas Baron (1903-1999), Composer, artist
Dates: 1903-2000
Description: Music, artwork, writings & other output of Thomas Pitfield covering virtually his entire creative life. Also correspondence and photographs.
Thomas Pitfield: Additional scores and some correspondence
Creator: Pitfield, Thomas Baron (1903-1999), Composer, artist
Dates: c1931-c1990
Description: Additional scores and some correspondence which relate to the larger extant collection, TP. Duplication or similar descriptions between the two catalogues has been cross-referenced.
Creator: Worthington, Jane Florence (1867-1951); Worthington, Elizabeth (fl.1860s-1950s)
Dates: c1920s
Description: Photographs, postcards and booklets from the Brodskys to Jane and Elizabeth Worthington. Press cuttings relating to the deaths of the Brodskys and a funeral address for Anna Brodsky. The Worthingtons were a large family of Unitarian professionals from Manchester. Jane Florence Worthington (1867-1951) was a ward sister at the 2nd Western Hospital from 1914 to 1918. Elizabeth Worthington was her sister and they lived together at the family home of Mill Bank, Bowden until Jane's death.
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